The Yankees' series is a couple of days away and nobody is making a big deal if it.

Nor should they. You will hear about what an impact interleague play has made on attendance. Don't drink that Kool-Aid.

I would rather see a Mets-Marlins game than a Mets-Yankees game. I know the Yankees would draw more, but that's unimportant to me.

The integrity of the major league schedule, and that all teams run the same race is what matters most.

Interleague play is, always has been, always will be, a shameless gimmick.

SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Damion Easley
RH Claudio Vargas

The commissioner of baseball is supposed to act in the best interests of baseball.

The best interests of baseball do not include having its career home run leader linked to steroids, and having his usage be the subject of grand jury testimony that has resulted in 14 counts out perjury.

It is time for Selig to say, ``Barry, the overwhelming evidence is that you are a liar and a cheater. Unless you prove other wise, there will be an asterisk next to your career home run mark.''

While he's at it, he should make the same speech to Roger Clemens.

To me, baseball's drug policy is toothless unless he does this.

If cleaning the sport of drugs means that much to Selig, he must do this.

The Mets are now 3-2 on this homestand, with two more to play before the series at Yankee Stadium this weekend. They still aren't clicking on all cylinders, but they've lost games like this before.

IN A NUTSHELL (Mets 6, Washington 3)

Maine gave up two runs on two hits in six innings and Church drove in four runs.
IN THE CLUBHOUSE

Maine on hitting Felipe Lopez with the game's first pitch: ``It slipped,'' he said with a smile.

Ryan Church on his approach: ``I'm trying to stay back as long as I can, especially when they are throwing breaking balls.''

Carlos Delgado on his bunt for a hit: ``Maybe I'm selling myself short. Maybe I'm a great bunter.''

ANALYSIS: I liked that Delgado bunted. We talked about that during the game, and Willie Randolph actually said it was a good thing and something he should have done more of earlier. ... Where are the Mets without Church? Definitely below .500, and maybe in last place.

2B Felipe Lopez
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Nick Johnson
CF Lastings Milledge
RF Austin Kearns
LF Elijah Dukes
C Wil Nieves
LH John Lannan

METS

SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
2B Damion Easley
C Brian Schneider
RH John Maine

From what they tell us, it figures to be a great place to work. All the seats will be designed so they are facing the plate. Even up high, there's a sense you're close to the action on the field.

Designated for assignment: Jorge Sosa, Nelson Figueroa.

On DL: Angel Pagan.

Off DL: Matt Wise

Add: Claudio Vargas (will start tomorrow) and Fernando Tatis.

"They were cheerleading in the dugout like a bunch softball girls. I'm a professional just like anybody else, so I take huge offense to that. If that's what a last-place team needs to do to fire themself up, so be it. I think they need to show a little more class and professionalism. They won tonight but, in the long run, they are still who they are.

"Even for the manager and the coaching staff to let that stuff carry on, it's truly unprofessional. That's why they are who they are."

Wow. I can't remember standing in front of a professional athlete and hearing something like that.

When asked who the culprits were, Figueroa said "Don't know. I don't care."

Whoever it is should probably expect a fastball at the chin over the next three days. Figueroa will make sure of that.

Now that this game will be played, the Mets will have to bring up a starter for Wednesday. Minaya said it will likely be somebody from New Orleans, and that most likely somebody will be Adam Bostick.

Since Matt Wise will eventually be activated and back in the bullpen, who should go down? Personally, I feel Luis Castillo's quad will become a lingering issue and a stint on the DL is possible.

Joe Smith, Angel Pagan, and Endy Chavez are the candidates. Smith has allowed five earned runs and struck out 13 in 15 innings, so nobody wants to let go. Don't forget he was this good last April and May before falling off. Pagan (.278) and Chavez (7 for 63) wouldn't be missed.

Had Pagan not pinch-hit yesterday, he and his nagging shoulder could have gone on the DL, and been retro'd to the Dodgers series to buy some time.

In-game updates:

Second inning: Nelson Figueroa was reminded of what a bad fielder Carlos Delgado has become the Nationals tied the game at 1-1 because of it. Damion Easley just smacked a solo shot to center to put the Mets back up.

If you aren't watching the game on TV, you missed five-tool star Lastings Milledge nearly made a fool of himself in center on Easley's homer. He was difting toward the bleachers in left-center on a ball that went directly over the "410" sign in center. Had the ball hit off the wall, Milledge would have been a good 20-30 feet away from it.

As I write this, Ryan Church just lined a single to right. Right now, it's his MVP to lose.

Third inning: Just checked the media guide. Here's a little known fact about Nelson Figueroa: he hates pitching with a lead.

For the third inning in a row, he gave back the lead, this time on a horrendous throwing error. He did a nice job of knocking down Felipe Lopez's grounder but air-mailed the throw to the plate.

The throw actually went through the batters box. Perhaps he was confused and thought there was someone batting. He's already hit three guys.

Fifth inning: Figueroa is nearing 100 pitches and just gave up an RBI single to the opposing pitcher… and NOW somebody starts warming up in the pen.

Obviously, that person is Jorge Sosa, who is Figueroa's personal reliever.

Sixth inning: The line on Jorge Sosa: 1 inn., 4 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks.

Would the Angels accept a trade of Matt Wise for Darren Oliver? The Mets clearly don't need Wise and Sosa is miserable right now. Actually, Oliver hasn't been quite as good as his 2006 season with the Mets, so I'm sure that won't work. But it goes to show how valuable an innings-eating reliever can be. The Mets are now blown out of this game.

Eighth inning: Half of the 250 fans at Shea Stadium just broke for the exits after David Wright's based loaded ground out ended that threat. It's 10-4 in the ninth against one of the worst teams in baseball.

It leads me to a question: How cold does it have to be for some people to leave a game? There couldn't have been more than a few thousand here at its highest point, which surprised me. Some people are still sticking around even now.

Be back after the game with any news/notes.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -Pedro Martinez plans to throw a simulated game against minor leaguers Wednesday, another step toward returning to the New York Mets' rotation from a frustrating leg injury.

Martinez, who strained his left hamstring April 1 during his season debut, 1, threw a bullpen session Monday. The injury has been difficult for the three-time Cy Young Award winner to handle, especially because he missed most of the 2007 season following right rotator cuff surgery.

"Not depressed, I'm not that kind of person that gets depressed, but it's frustrating how hard I worked,'' Martinez said. "My arm is feeling great. My arm really hasn't given me any problems and now a hamstring. A hamstring, out of all cases a hamstring. Go figure.''

Martinez is expected to rejoin the Mets next month. New York hopes the 36-year-old right-hander will have the form that made him an eight-time All-Star.

"I don't know, I need to pitch first,'' Martinez said. "Pitching and being great is not about talking. It's not talking that defines greatness. Greats are defined inside the white lines. That's where you become great or you become whatever you are. As far as Port St. Lucie and rehab, I'm nothing. Nothing counts. It's all wasted words.''

Neither Martinez nor Mets minor league rehabilitation coordinator Randy Niemann would speculate on a date for Martinez's return.

"It's something that you just have to wait for it to heal,'' Martinez said. "Now I'm about to get back. Hopefully, it won't happen again. These things keep happening.''

Martinez still hopes to pitch next season.

"It's just a hamstring,'' Martinez said. "Everybody comes back from a hamstring."

Kevin Devaney here, filling in for John Delcos, as the Mets open up a four-game series with the Nationals at Shea. The forecast was for thunderstorms and heavy wind. I'm here at Shea now and all we've got are the gusts.

The tarp is on the field but it probably hasn't rained in well over an hour. Odds are there will be a game.

If there is, that means the Mets will have to call up a pitcher for Wednesday, since Saturday's doubleheader threw Mike Pelfrey off his schedule. The spot start will likely go to Adam Bostick, who was pulled after three innings on Saturday night for Triple-A New Orleans. Bostick would be sent down right after.

A game tonight would also delay the return of Matt Wise. The reliever was with the team all weekend but wasn't activated off the disabled list. Wise would have to wait until after Bostick goes back to the minors to be activated. He has returned to Port St. Lucie, according to Mets.com.

Nelson Figueora starts tonight for the Mets. Going down to the clubhouse now. Will be back later with news and lineups.

Update, 6:05 p.m.: Here's the Mets lineup for tonight:

Reyes, SS
Church, RF
Wright, 3B
Beltran, CF
Alou, LF
Delgado, 1B
Easley, 2B
Schneider, C
Figueroa, P

Pregame notes: Still no official word on whether Santana will start Thursday against the Nats or Friday at Yankee Stadium. Willie Randolph didn't understand why this was such a big deal. "I'm not going to get all flip-floppy," Randolph said. "We'll see what happens over the next couple of days." Pelfrey would start whichever day Santana doesn't. Santana said pitching on an extra day of rest and going on Friday didn't make a difference. ... Luis Castillo had an MRI this morning on his left quad. It's a strain. He's not playing tonight and said he "hopes to be back by Wednesday, maybe tomorrow." Since he also mentioned that the quad had been bothering for a while before he removed himself from yesterday's game, I'd imagine he won't be back until the weekend series. ... Easley starts at second. He's 1 for 7 on the homestand.

Update, 6:33 p.m.: Wanted to mention two more things:

First, Endy Chavez is likely not going to be available tonight. He strolled into the clubhouse a little over an hour before the first pitch. He said he was sick with a stomach bug.

Second, Pedro Martinez worked out today. According to Omar Minaya, he'll likely throw either live batting practice or a simulated game this week.

With the Mets at Yankee Stadium this week, it seems like a reasonable time to ask the question: Who are the most obnoxious fans in all of sports?

Philly fans have to rank right there with Yankees and Red Sox fans. If you have any other nominations, regardless of sport, let's have them.

Be broadminded. Don't forget followers of the Cowboys, those cheating Patriots and Duke hoops.

Honestly, I'm so glad I was off so I didn't have deal with that nonsense. I'm tired of watching him. The one good start isn't worth it for the three that stink. Willie Randolph said Perez can pitch on his team any time.

That's only because he doesn't have any better options. That's why he'll be an ex-Met this time next year.

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Ryan Church
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
LH Oliver Perez

My mom was a Little League mom. She drove me to all my games. Watched all mine and my brother's, too. I remember my first home run in Little League. I was rounding second and heading for third when I looked up caught her jumping up and down and yelling, ``Ruuuuuuuuuun!!!!!!!!!''

A nice moment. She passed in 1995, but I still think about that from time to time.

If you have a moment you'd like to share about your mom. Or, if nothing else tell us your favorite TV mom. Check out the poll.

We have Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey pitching for the Mets, and the vultures in full swoop mode on Willie.

Willie might not be the greatest manager, but he's not at the root of their problems. The Mets are barely over .500 because they haven't hit in the clutch, their starters aren't giving them length and the bullpen has been spotty.

It's the players.

It should be a long day of baseball. First game is 1:10; the second is 7:10. Amazingly, this is the fifth doubleheader (between covering the Mets and Yankees) I've been assigned to in three seasons. That's got to be some kind of record.

The lineup for Game 1:

Mets
Reyes, SS
Castillo, 2B
Wright, 3B
Beltran, CF
Church, RF
Alou, LF
Delgado, 1B
Schneider, C
Santana, P

Pregame notes: Angel Pagan (shoulder) said today that he still isn't fully healed from his plunge into the stands in L.A. and likely won't be available today. "It's getting better every day," the outfielder said. "I might need two more days." It's not ideal to be short-handed on the day of a doubleheader, but the Mets will adjust. Pagan didn't think he'd be available to pinch hit, either. My gut is that he ends up on the DL. ... Reliever Matt Wise still hasn't been activated from the DL, although he is here. The Mets are waiting for when they need him, which just might be after the first game today. ... Mike Pelfrey is starting the second game. Randolph said that he expects to him to "mosey on in" soon.

A few other thoughts:

— It will be interesting to see who plays the second game for the Mets. Randolph said he wanted to keep Santana on target for today's first game because he was his "best guy" and didn't want to disrupt him. It's probably that Willie knows Delgado, Beltran, Castillo, and Alou won't play both games, and would rather not throw a weak lineup behind Santana.

— If Pelfrey struggles today with his command, there might be some truth to the idea that he was at his best earlier this season because BRIAN SCNEIDER was catching him. Raul Casanova had caught him recently but has been designated for assignment. Ramon Castro is back. Castro will catch the second game.

— Randolph insists that Delgado was dropped to the No. 7 spot in the order to break up the lefties. Makes sense, I guess. But it can't do much for Delgado's psyche to be dropped yet again.

Enjoy the game. I'll be back with updates.

Don't forget to vote in the poll

Now, about the issue of my favorite team. Some of you think I hate the Mets and love the Yankees, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Just because I don't bleed orange-and-blue, the assumption is I bleed pinstripes. When you do this for a living, you stop being a fan. I root for good stories and good people. I root against jerks and cheaters. The last professional sports team I rooted for with any passion were the Larry Bird-Kevin McHale Celtics. That was easy to do because I didn't cover hoops.

Actually, I would be doing you all a disservice if I loved the Mets the way you gals and guys do. When somebody claims I hate the Mets, I beam because it tells me I am looking at the team objectively and doing my job.

"Singing in the rain."

"Rain (Beatles)"

Any others?

You should have time to think of some because it's pouring. The tarp is on the field. They still want to play, but don't bet on it starting on time.