- I still think the highlight of yesterday’s 10-1 Mets win over the Pirates was Gary Dell’Abate aka Baba-Booey” first pitch. I have seen some lousy ceremonial first pitches, but never one that hit the umpire.

- I am not ready to push the panic alarm for the Yankees. However, there are some signs that make you wonder if this is going to be “one of those years”. You have the injury to A-Rod, Wang’s struggles, and Teixeira losing his stroke. The freak injury to Joba with the popped blood vessel just makes you wonder what the Yankees have done to tick off the baseball gods.

- Camden Yards is not all that far off from Citizen’s Bank Park. Hughes didn’t have it last night, but there were a couple of homers that would be outs in other ballparks. It’s another annoying place, in my opinion, to watch baseball. Beautiful park (I have been there twice), but not fun when your the visiting teams starting pitcher.

- Ken Takahashi is very intriguing. I was sitting behind home plate yesterday and noticed a pitcher that knows how to change speeds and has some good movement and location. Perhaps he can serve as the second lefty/long man out of the bullpen. To date he has been much better than the reports were, and what I expected.

- Wouldn’t it be ironic if Brett Tomko turned out to stabilize the bullpen? He did have brief success with San Diego last year. Sometimes pitchers figure it out later in their career. Look at former Mets pitcher Darren Oliver since 2006.

- So Jerry Manuel gets suspended for bumping Bill Welke with his hat, but Welke continues to umpire and make bad decisions. How about we start suspending umpires who blow three calls in a calendar month? You would see how fast the nonsense would stop when you hit these guys in the pocket.

- Rick Cerone gave his take on A-Rod, Reggie Jackson, and steroids to Joe Brescia of the NY Times.

- Also check out George Willis talk about why yesterday was a special day for Sandy Alomar Sr.

- Lots of me on the radio today. At 6pm I will be joining The Happy Recap Message Board on their Blog Talk Radio Chat. Howard and I will do the Weekly Digest at 8pm. Finally, at 10pm, I will be in the studios of 1240 AM WGBB. Former Yankees outfielder Roy White will be joining me.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. You can read about him professionally at mikejsilva.com.

Mike Silva

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Tags: A-Rod, Baba-Booey, Brett Tomko, Camden Yards, Chien Ming Wang, Darren Oliver, Gary Dell'Abate, Joba Chamberlain, Ken Takahashi, Mark Teixeira, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Phil Hughes, Rick Cerone, Sandy Alomar Sr.