Biron is winless in his last six starts and 2-10-2 overall in his first season since signing as a free agent. But the ledger doesn’t mean a poor performance on the part of the 11-year veteran. The Islanders have scored just seven total goals during the six-game stretch while Biron has surrendered three goals or fewer in four of those contests.

A sputtering offense is a leading culprit for the Isles current slide. The club enters Monday night’s home game against Tampa Bay losers of six of its last eight games has scored four goals in a game just once this month, when the Islanders beat Atlanta 4-1 on Dec. 3.

Matt Moulson said the forwards are eager to help Biron post his first victory since he led the team to an overtime win over Carolina Nov. 13.

“It’s embarrassing,” Moulson said. “He plays his heart out every game and we don’t give him the support he needs. We don’t get him goals. He’s facing good looks all the time. We have to be there for him.”

Biron started the season in a platoon with Dwayne Roloson. With the campaign nearing the midway point, Roloson is working towards solidifying the depth chart’s No. 1 spot with a 2.91 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. Biron carries a 3.30 GAA and a .897 save percentage into Monday night.

Rick DiPietro is expected back with the team this week and could see action soon depending on how fast he recovers from leg tightness. DiPietro’s return could put Biron on the trading block, though the former Flyers and Sabres netminder said he’s only concerned with helping the team move back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

“All the guys are trying but in the end it’s more than just trying getting a win for me,” Biron said. “It’s trying to get wins for the team and get ourselves going in the right direction. It isn’t coming easy right now.”

Biron made 25 saves against Montreal Saturday night. The rest of the team couldn’t muster a single goal against Canadiens backup Jarolsav Halak in a 3-0 loss at Nassau Coliseum. Islanders coach Scott Gordon was supportive of Biron after the game.

“I would like to think Marty came off this game feeling pretty good,” Gordon said. “Even though he didn’t get the win, he didn’t get any goals. He had a good performance. I thought he played really well.”

But, as the Yankees prepare for Game 6 of the 2009 World Series on Wednesday leading the Philadelphia Phillies three games to two, there exists a chance of gaining at least some satisfaction for what happened in 2004 if they can again beat longtime, hated former Red Sock Pedro Martinez.

Taking a step back, beating Martinez, now the Phillies’ starting pitcher for Wednesday’s Game 6, wouldn’t entirely wash away the 2004 memory of losing to a much less loathed, yet still disliked Curt Schilling — Martinez’s teammate that year — who pitched the Red Sox past the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS.

On a few different levels, another Phillies’ world championship on Thursday, should it happen, wouldn’t equate to when Boston accomplished the previously unthinkable five years ago.

For one, the Phillies aren’t really a Yankee rival, let alone the Yankees’ biggest rival for many decades in arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports, as the Red Sox have been.

And, coming back from a 3-1 deficit, as the Phillies are trying to do, doesn’t compare to Boston’s feat. That’s not to take away from what a great accomplishment it would still be, but it’s been done before, even in the World Series.

Also, it’s not as if the Yankees haven’t beaten Martinez in a big spot in the playoffs at home before. The year prior to Boston’s 2004 comeback, the Yankees rallied from a 5-2 eighth-inning deficit against a tiring Martinez who was left in too long, to win Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS on Aaron Boone’s heroic 11th inning shot deep into the New York night.

Still, there are some similarities between that Schilling victory and what could take place on Wednesday night at the new Yankee Stadium.

When the Yankees won Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS by the football-like score of 19-8, how many really believed, even among Red Sox fans, that the Bronx Bombers weren’t headed to the 2004 World Series?

Likewise, after the Yankees won two games in Philadelphia last weekend to take a commanding three games to one lead, the overwhelming consensus was that it would only be a matter of time before the Yankees would capture their 27th world championship in their long and storied history.

And, it still may be.

But, the Phillies, as they showed in their Game 5 home victory to send this year’s World Series back to the Bronx, have proven to be among the scrappiest and grittiest teams in all of professional sports, let alone major league baseball.

So, even if you’re the mighty Yankees, with your huge payroll and a roster chock full of all-star caliber talent, you had better come to play, if you want to put these Phillies away for good.

And, that’s where the reminder of the 2004 ALCS comes into play now.

The Yankees face that same opportunity on Wednesday night.

They still control their own destiny, at home, with a Game 6 starting pitcher in Andy Pettitte, who’s

pitched the Yankees to success in big postseason spots before.

And, of course, if the Yankees win Game 6, or even a Game 7, they and their fans will simply celebrate with 2004 being a distant memory.

But, because the Yankees couldn’t close the deal back then, they saw the Red Sox go on to win their first championship in 86 years instead of winning what would have been their own fifth title in nine years.

Now, as in the 2004 ALCS, because New York didn’t close out the 2009 World Series on the road when they had the chance to, the Yankees on Wednesday night at home, have to once again avoid all of the pressure of letting a postseason series that was in their control turn on them.

So, here the Yankees are, five years later, in a familiar and somewhat suddenly uncomfortable situation.

Instead of the old Yankee Stadium, it’s the new park in the Bronx. And, in place of the disliked Red Sock Schilling, it’s the even more despised former Red Sock Martinez trying to get his new team to a Game 7, and put all of the pressure on the Yankees to win in an all-or-nothing game on Thursday night.

Just like that other former Red Sock did on October 19, 2004.

Should Martinez accomplish what Schilling did, recollections of that night and of the way that season ended for the Yankees will return to the forefront. Even Yankees’ projected Game 7 ace starter C.C. Sabathia, would feel the weight — not his of his own 6-foot-7, 290-pound frame, but of not letting 2004, to only a slightly lesser degree, happen all over again in the Bronx.

Adding to that responsibility is that Sabathia, like Pettitte in Game 6, would be throwing on short rest, which is something didn’t work out well for Yankees’ Game 5 starter A.J Burnett on Monday, after he earlier shut the Phillies down on his full compliment of rest in a Game 2 win that evened the Series at a game apiece.

Martinez meanwhile, will be going on regular rest on Wednesday. On Monday, on his way out of the Phillies’ clubhouse, the day before the Phillies’ Game 5 win, Martinez coolly smiled and said simply, “See you manana.”

Now, it’s up to the Yankees to make sure that Martinez won’t say the same after Game 6.

Doing so would not only finally capture that 27th title which has eluded the Yankees since 2000, but it would also, at least in some way, make up for 2004.

In Game 3 on Monday night, Philadelphia clobbered the Dodgers, 11-0. Every player on the Phillies scored a run, including starting pitcher Cliff Lee, who had a single in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored on a Shane Victorino three run home run. Raul Ibanez was the only Phillie not to have at least one hit in the game. Ryan Howard had a two-run triple in the bottom of the first to get the scoring started for the Phillies, and Jayson Werth then added a two-run homer to give the Phillies an early 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning.

Tuesday’s 5-4 win was far more dramatic, as Jimmy Rollins’ two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning put the team just one win away from its second straight NL pennant.

Ryan Howard continued his impressive postseason with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, giving him eight straight postseason games with at least one RBI, tying Lou Gehrig’s major league record set more than seven decades ago. He now has 14 RBIs this postseason and has reached base safely in 17 straight playoff games.

Howard has driven in a run in each of the Phillies’ eight playoff games this year. Gehrig’s streak stretched over two postseasons with the New York Yankees in 1928 and 1932.

Article reprinted from BaseballDigest.com.

Alex Rodriguez is having fun again, so is Mark Teixeira who finally got the shaving cream pie to his face from starting pitcher A.J. Burnett moments after his walk-off home run win. The left field umpire blew a call in the 11^th in what was an obvious double by the Twins Joe Mauer that Melky Cabrera dropped on the line, and Yankees pitcher David Robertson got out of a bases loaded jam.

“We’ve had a lot of fun here, a lot of comebacks,” said the Yankee captain Derek Jeter when asked if the new Yankee Stadium has finally become what the old park was. “Seems like we had a lot of great moments here,” he was saying.  It was the Yankees 21^st postseason walk-off win all time and first since October 6 of 2004 in game 2 of the ALDS also against Minnesota.

And it may not be the last magical moment. Because the Yankees are one step closer to reaching another American League Championship Series and they can be home again in the Bronx as soon as next Friday or Saturday, “Hopefully a lot more,” said Jeter after this classic postseason game in the Bronx Friday evening.

Even those two runs in the eighth inning form the Twins did not deter the Yankees from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. And the great Mariano Rivera gave up a run, both charged to Phil Hughes. So the bullpen failed but the one-two punch of Rodriguez and Teixeira are hard for any opposing pitcher to overtake in the postseason.

“We’ve had a lot of fun playing together,” said Teixeira about his batting before Rodriguez. “I’ve played with some great three and four hitters and being a part of some great combos, myself and Chipper Jones, myself and Michael Young in Texas, Vladimir Guerrero last year in Anaheim, And Alex, he’s fun to hit with..”

And fun the Yankees are having, because everything is working right in this season of magic that Jeter describes. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire could not be happier getting out of the Bronx. His team has seen the Yankees come from behind to win all six home games against Minnesota this season.

“I’ve been walked off enough times here,” said a disappointed Gardenhire who saw his starting pitcher Nick Blackburn retire the first 15 Yankees batters. “A lot of things could have went either way,” he said, “but didn’t go our way again tonight. You end up getting walked off again.”

Both games were come from behind wins, a variety that has been seen all season. Because of guys like Rodriguez who is having fun again. The monkey for sure in the postseason is off the back of Rodriguez. The two-run home run in the ninth off Minnesota closer Joe Nathan tied the score 3-3 and the 50,000 plus at the new stadium anticipated more magic.

But before that, it was A-Rod with a game tying single in the sixth inning that made it a 1-1 game. “The fun part is I was just thinking base hit,” said Rodriguez about the home run. He is now 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position in the first two games and a part of this Yankees magic that has continued in the postseason.

“Hit the ball hard somewhere and it went in the seats,” he said about the long drive that ended in the Yankees’ bullpen in left center.  He came out for the ovation and Yankees fans now know that Rodriguez is made for the postseason.  It was his first postseason home run since Game 4 of the 2004 division series against Cleveland.

Certainly another magical win for the Yankees in the postseason, in what has become a magical and special year especially when they play in the Bronx. “”It’s pretty unbelievable feeling as a manger when you get to put those two guys in your line up every day,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi about Teixeira and Rodriguez.

“They’ve been huge for us all year,” he said as the Yankees once again got what they needed when it had to be done/ A huge win for the Yankees who look for the magic to continue out in Minnesota.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

“It felt like the old place,” said Jeter who reached base safely four times as the New York Yankees took game one of the American League Division Series with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. “We couldn’t have drawn it up any better for us,” he said. The Yankees win marked two years to the day of their previous postseason win, an 8-4 victory on October 7, 2007 in game three of the ALDS against Cleveland.

Jeter would tie the score 2-2 and starting pitcher CC Sabathia earned the win snapping a three-game post season losing streak. The Yankees bullpen took over for Sabathia after

6 2/3^rd innings and it reminded everyone of how the Yankees did it in the postseason when they won four world championships under then manager Joe Torre.

More importantly, Rodriquez snapped a 0-for18 career postseason mark with runners in scoring position and two outs. He was 2-for-3, all two out hits that included an RBI single in the seventh inning that drove in Jeter who scored three runs.

“It definitely felt good,” commented Rodriguez who was the center of attention when he came to the plate for the first time. The Yankees failures to advance past the first round of the postseason against Cleveland, and in their previous appearance in 2005 and 2006 partly was attributed to Rodriguez and his failure to get runners home from scoring position.

So Rodriguez getting the pos t season monkey off his back, Jeter doing his usual postseason heroics and Sabathia doing what he came here to do was definitely what the Yankees needed as they look to take game two Friday evening in the Bronx. In that game A.J., Burnett gets the start for New York, and they could go for a sweep Sunday with Andy Pettitte on the mound at Minnesota for game three facing former Yankee pitcher Carl Pavano. .

“This is what you come here for,” said Sabathia. “It was electric tonight,” he said about the ovation he received with every pitch and when manager Joe Girardi removed him from the game after throwing 113 pitches. “The place got loud,” added Sabathia. “Him (Jeter) starting out the game with a single and then tying the score right back. It just made me want to go back out there and get three quick outs.”

The Twins, who clinched the American League Central division the evening before at home in an extra inning tie breaking win over Detroit, were not blaming their late arrival in New York as the reason as to why they lost game one.  The loss was attributed more to Sabathia on a night when the wind was blowing to all sides of the field.

“I kind of think CC Sabathia stress,” commented Twins manager Ron Gardenhire when asked if the late night arrival of his team had an effect on the game. “That was what we envisioned when we signed him, that CC would be pitching in October and November,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi who got his first postseason win as a manager.

Added Gardenhire, “I think the big thing is you get a two-run lead quick and as soon as you get back out, it’s a 2-2 ball game with a homer. That’s a little deflating. When you get a lead, you want to go back out there and shut them down. And Jeter does what he does best. He got his team right back in it.”

Designated hitter Hideki Matsui hit his seventh career postseason home run, his third in the postseason against the Twins. That came in the fifth inning with one on and opened a 6-2 lead for New York. And of course, Mariano Rivera would close the game and lowered his all-time postseason ERA 0.76.“

Everything worked to perfection for the Yankees, just like it has the entire season. With the exception of a couple of passed balls that got by catcher Jorge Posada, it was the first of hopefully ten more wins that will get the Yankees their 27^th world championship.

“We wanted to come out here and set the tone,” said Jeter. They certainly did that Wednesday evening and as Jeter said, “we have to come out with the same intensity and win game two,”

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Apparently none of the turmoil, surrounding the dismissal of Tony Bernazzard, the Director of Player Personnel and Minaya accusing a beat reporter, Adam Rubin of lobbying for Berazzard’s job, has affected the team.  Wilpon addressed the issue before the game with media on the field and then the Mets did their job.

They won another ballgame, and for now, winning for the Mets has become the remedy to put some rest to all of the controversy and soap opera drama that has been a major part of this Mets baseball season.

“We’re just playing better baseball,” said starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey about the Mets current winning streak, their longest since May 25-29.  Pelfrey (8-6) won his third straight start against the Rockies, going 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and three walks, striking out five. He also got out of two bases loaded jams twice retiring Clint Barms in the fourth and sixth innings.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel commented that the players don’t pay attention to what has been going off the field   His focus has been to hopefully see things turn around, with the team that he has. The injured players, in particular Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado continue their rehab programs with hopes they will be back in the lineup soon. At the same time, Manuel hoped for some better baseball and the Mets have responded.

“As his season goes along he eventually gets stronger,” said Manuel about Pelfrey. The meets pitching staff during this streak has a 2.25 ERA.  And before winning games resumed an important part of the lineup, Luis Castillo, continued to stay hot. He went 1-3 and drove in one of the Mets runs, and over the last 18 games has a .543 on base percentage which is the best in baseball.

“The thing about Louie is we have found a way to work around his game,” said Manuel about his second baseman.”He has a lot of energy and confidence.” And that comment stems from how Manuel saw Castillo prepare during spring training, and how Castillo has managed to adjust whether he is placed second or eighth in the batting order.

The Rockies have now lost 20 of their last 22 games against the Mets that go back to Shea Stadium and now Citi Field. And suddenly the Mets with their second straight win over Colorado, are creeping slowly back into the NL wild card race. They picked up two games on the Rockies and trail them by 5/1-2 games in the standings.

And for a change things have been going the Mets way. The hitting has been timely, the pitching respectable, and on the field plays are going their way. An eighth inning play that went to the Mets advantage would not have gone in their favor the past month. Castillo was clearly out at the plate trying to score from second on a hit by Daniel Murphy.

In the four game streak the Mets have not committed an error, another indication as to how, at least for the moment, the tide has turned. Every run scored Tuesday came when the leadoff man got on base.  Daniel Murphy doubled and came around in the second inning. Alex Cora singled in the second and scored, Murphy would walk and score again in the fourth and Castillo walked and scored the Mets final run in the eighth.

Pedro Feliciano got five straight outs in relief, and Sean Green finished it up.  David Wright extended his hitting streak to seven games and Daniel Murphy now has hit in five straight. And the Mets infield handled three double plays, something they could not do right against the lowly Washington Nationals last week.

So everything is going right for the Mets right now, despite the fact one of their big scoreboards in right field out of commission the entire night.  “It feels good to win and that starts with our starting pitching,” said Wright who had two hits.

“Omar made a mistake and he admitted it,” said Wilpon speaking about his embattled GM. “We have to get the guys back on track,” he said about his team.”  It is apparent the Mets are on the right track, at least for the moment. In this season that has provided a little bit of everything but winning, maybe we have seen the last of the unexpected.

Game three of the four games series continues Wednesday evening, 7:10pm at Citi Field  Right hander Jason Hammel (5-5) gets the start for Colorado and Johan Santana (11-8) will get the ball for New York.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

With the sudden news of Tommy John’s resignation, the Bridgeport Bluefish will begin the second half of the Atlantic League season without their jovial manager by their side.

John will be leaving the team to join Sportable Scoreboards, a scoreboard manufacturing company, as a sales consultant in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“I didn’t want to leave the team but we have two or three things happening right after the All-Star break, and I have to be there for that,” said John.  “It was either take it now or not take it at all.”

The 66-year-old manager broke the news with the team before Wednesday’s game and told general manager Todd Marlin and Bluefish owner/CEO Frank Boulton Tuesday night.

“It was shocking.  We never expected anything like that,” said Marlin.  “The team was really coming together under his leadership and we were looking forward to going into the second half.

“We completely understand the situation.  Whenever there is an opportunity to make yourself better or put yourself in a better place in life you have to take that opportunity.”

John managed Bridgeport for two and a half seasons, leading Bridgeport to a 160-176 record with no playoff appearances.

“When he came into the clubhouse today you could kind of tell in his voice that something was going on,” said starting pitcher Dan Reichert.  “In his first couple of sentences you couldn’t get the jist of what was going on; but then he let the cat out of the bag.  You could definitely tell by the crackle in his voice that he was sad and that he is going to miss 25 great men.”

Reichert pitched Bridgeport to a 6-4 victory in John’s last game as manager, but it won’t be the moments on the field that Reichert will remember.

“He has always been a positive guy regardless of what happened on or off the field,” said Reichert.

“Every manager you play for, you take away something and with Tommy it was how to hit a good driver or how to read a green,” said a laughing Reichert.  “I’m happy for him.  He will make some other people smile, crack up and think ‘wow, this guy is kind of a goof ball.”

It has been the unforgettable and numerous stories that John has told that have made such an imprint on his players.

“Playing for Tommy is a relaxed situation.  He keeps it loose,” said Luis Lopez, one of the first players to embrace John after the game on the field.  “He’s always telling jokes and I think that’s the way you have to be.  This game is a lot of pressure.  It’s a game of failure.  You just have to be relaxed.”

In his last game, John looked quite relaxed as he trotted out of the right field corner in the end of the third inning dressed as Watson in the hot dog race. The manager finished in an honorable last place.

“I was a smoked wiener,” a smiling John said.

John always brought a smile to The Ballpark at Harbor Yard and wherever he went on behalf of the Bluefish.  Wednesday night, the Bluefish teamed up with Rita’s Ice of Bridgeport for a players scoop night.  No one was sure if John would still show up, and at 7:45 p.m. John brought one last set of smiles to Bluefish fans as he rolled on in.  With a big grin on his face, he asked, “So what should we do first, scoop or sign autographs?”

Participating at these community outreach events was one of John’s favorite memories from managing in Bridgeport.

“Every day was a special moment here, but doing the Channel 12 Scholar Athlete dinner was really neat,” said the former Major League pitcher.  “I was a valedictorian in high school and I enjoyed talking to the kids about how tough it is to be an athlete and keep your grades up.”

Relief pitcher Andy Weimer hopes to have a similar impact next season at Utica College.

“I hope to develop a jovial relationship with the players like he had here,” said Weimer.  “Everyone loved him as a person and a coach.  It’s hard to dislike a guy like that.”

Bench coach Willie Upshaw will take over the managerial duties for the rest of the season with John’s departure.  Upshaw, the first manager in Bluefish history, spent three years in Bridgeport from 1998-2000.  The former Major Leaguer led the ‘Fish to the team’s lone championship in 1999 with a record of 78-42.

After hearing the news, Upshaw said, “I’m not a reaction guy, so it was almost like I went right into combat mode.  I think it’s a great opportunity and I’m just going to try and work at it every day.”

“I’m sure I have my own stamp.  What it is, I just can’t put into words right now,” said Upshaw.  “I want the players to be aggressive, but it depends on if they can do it.  That’s what I want to do and I’ll let them know.   Hopefully, they go out there and do it.”

On June 12, athletic director Jim Spartano named Weimer the head baseball coach of Utica College.  Weimer, now in his fifth season of professional baseball and second with the Bluefish, is ironically amidst the best season of his career.  In 13 games, Weimer is 1-0 with a team-best 0.98 ERA and 10 strikeouts.  The new head coach has held opponents to a .217 batting average and has given up just two earned runs.

It was a tough decision, but he is confident that he has made the right choice.

“Obviously I want to keep playing because I’m pitching so well,” said Weimer.  “But at the same time, if I can’t get picked up with the numbers I’m putting up and the success I am having now then I guess it’s a good sign that the time is right.”

Coaching was something that Weimer always planned on getting involved in after his baseball career.  Despite playing professional baseball for the past five years, he has found time to be the assistant coach at Mohawk Valley Community College from 2004-2009 and he has been an instructor at the Field of Dreams athletic facility in Utica since 2003.

The Pioneers certainly can use Weimer’s pitching knowledge, as the team compiled a 7.10 ERA and a 5-27 record this year.  Junior captain and starting pitcher Chris Pallas is excited to play for the current Bluefish next year.

“I am extremely excited,” said Pallas.  “During the interview I felt he had a world of baseball knowledge and experience.  He is a great candidate for the job and I am 100% positive that he will help our pitching staff in every aspect.”

Weimer believes that his professional baseball experience is one reason why he was chosen for the job and he plans on basing his baseball philosophy on a strong pitching staff with a good defense behind them.

“I believe that if we turn the blowout games into competitive games then that’s a matter of two or three wins instead of losses next year,” said Weimer.  If we build at that rate every year then we should be a good program in the next few years.”

Assistant Coach Chris Parkinson has been in constant contact with Weimer since he took the position nearly three weeks ago.  Parkinson met with Weimer this past Monday and came away with a “great vibe.”

“He has a very calm and collective, intelligent demeanor,” said Parkinson.  “He doesn’t seem like he is going to be overly taken back or surprised by anything.”

The six-foot-two inch relief pitcher has been accustomed to getting out of jams or troublesome situations throughout his career.  Weimer was selected out of Le Moyne College in the 15^th round (428^th overall) by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 2003 Major League Baseball draft.

At Le Moyne, Weimer was 20-7 with a 2.13 ERA with 22 saves in 85 career appearances.  As a senior, he went 7-1 with a 0.74 ERA and seven saves as the Dolphins won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and earned a bid to the NCAA tournament.   Part of his success was a result of his sidearm pitching style on the mound.

Growing up, Weimer always threw sidearm when he played baseball at the park or on the playground.  It just felt natural to him.  When he arrived on campus, Weimer was not sure if he would be a shortstop or a pitcher after playing varsity baseball at New Hartford High School.

“I was a shortstop growing up so I would always throw the ball across my body,” said Weimer.  “When I pitched, I would throw more of a three-quarters angle.  The coach convinced me to throw sidearm and I picked it up immediately with instant success.”

The sidearm approach helped Weimer become a powerful closer for the New Haven County Cutters of the independent Can-Am League in 2006 and 2007 as he racked up 20 saves both years.

With the season-long struggles at the back-end of the bullpen, Weimer may begin to see more save situations the rest of the season.  For now, Weimer is just focused on finishing his last season the best he can and possibly getting one last shot at affiliated baseball.

“I never got the opportunity to play at Double-A or Triple-A which is something I really wish I had done,” said Weimer.  “But who knows, maybe in the next few months something might happen and I will definitely pursue the opportunity if given.”

Parkinson is assured that the experience Weimer is getting this year on the mound for the ‘Fish will gain him immediate respect in Utica’s clubhouse next year.

“I can assure you that he will be respected immediately just by in the way I saw his presence during the interview process, from meeting and talking to him daily and from seeing the letter he wrote to every player,” said Parkinson.

Some, like Johan Santana, make it very clear who is in charge out there, as he has a certain sneer when he is on the mound. When No. 57 pitches, it’s obvious that he will control the at-bat and not the opposing batter and if some wayward hitter decides otherwise, then a message will be sent.

But Santana is an ace, and most elite pitchers are like that. We saw it with Pedro Martinez and Doc Gooden. Back in the day, Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman would brush back opposing batters at will. Yet that was a different time and there are some rules against that now.

The attitude is still there, though, and maybe we are now seeing “the sneer” with Mike Pelfrey. A talented pitcher, who has made great strides over the past 12 months to become what the Mets expected when they picked him ninth overall in 2005.

Yet, Pelfrey never seemed to have the demeanor to match his stuff. A very nice guy in person, you had to wonder if he had the bulldog in him to match his hard sinker. But he does have a good teacher and Pelfrey has gone to the Mets resident master for advice.

“[Santana] was giving me advice on how to control the tempo of the game,” said Pelfrey and when he said tempo he probably meant attitude.

It seemed to work too. In last night’s start, Pelfrey barked at Chase Utley in the sixth for stepping out on him during the windup.

“I was ready to make a pitch and he called timeout,” Pelfrey said after the Mets’ 5-4 loss in 11 innings. “My mind was locked in and the adrenaline was going and I wanted to make a pitch. I got upset and told him to get in the box.”

Although he and Utley said there was no bad blood between them, you can see the purpose. Utley, who hit a homer earlier in the game and then knocked out the game winner in the 11^th was trying to control the at-bat. Pelfrey was having nothing of it and made it known to the All-Star second baseman.

It’s that type of attitude Pelfrey needs if he wants to take his game to the next level. To become a member of the elite, a starter not only needs to have good stuff but also needs to be feared. Santana has it, as does Roy Holladay and even CC Sabathia. And now Pelfrey is learning it too.

Even though Pelfrey was frustrated with the timeout, he was sending a message by barking at Utley: “Don’t mess with me.”

When that notice goes through the National League, Pelfrey will then be able to not only be able to win on stuff, he will also be able to win on reputation.

Then he will become an elite.