PICASNER'S RANTS

***METS SOLVING THE PITCHING PROBLEM***
There are reports that the Mets are willing to trade their front-line pitchers (Johann Santana not included) and are ready to fire their pitching coach. Yeah, 15 games into the season, with each pitcher getting 3 starts, and the Mets are hitting the panic button. Hitting it? They're jumping on it with both feet. 15 games isn't even enough time for the fans to learn the pitchers names.

***YEAH, BUT ARE THEY WORTH IT?***
Forbes Magazine has placed the Yanks value at $1.5 BILLION. I wonder if that includes lost ticket sales?

***OH YEAH, THAT***
Old eagle-eye Bud Selig has 'noticed' the empty seats in Yankee Stadium and Shea...er, Citi Field this past week. He said it's 'not MLB's problem and the Mets & Yanks are having meetings to discuss it.' However, the Yanks say they are NOT discussing it and the Mets say they have NO PLANS to change ticket prices. Looks like you're talking into the wrong end of the microphone again, Bud. Maybe THAT'S MLB's problem.

***MILTON BRADLEY REALLY IS A BOARD GAME***
Where to begin? First, he has a groin injury which prevents him from running hard to 1st base, but that's okay, because he never did that anyway. Next, he has accused the Chicago papers of "...trying to make him snap." Nobody is working up a sweat to do that. You can make him 'snap' just by misspelling his name. He has been suspended for two games for 'contact with an Umpire,' and rather than serve it while he's hurt and out of the lineup, he has chosen to appeal it! Bradley told Manager Piniella that he was doing that "...on principle." What principle? That sane people wouldn't do that? Lastly, Bradley is very upset with something sportswriter Gordon W. wrote in a story in the Chicago Sun-Times. What was it? Don't ask Bradley, he hasn't read it, yet! I guess we can start saying that's just "Bradley being Bradley."

***PEDRO IN THE NEWS***
Martinez' agent says interest in Pedro is "intensifying," and the Angels, Nats and Rangers are looking at him. When asked the Rangers said they have a "mild" interest, the Nationals have "some" interest, and the Angels say they haven't talked to his agent in two weeks. Wow, the pressure is sure building.

***FIDRYCH STORIES STILL SURFACING***
Gene Tenace tells about facing The Bird during the 1976 season. "He's out there talking to the ball, telling it what to do. So I stepped out and spoke to my bat - 'Don't pay attention to what he's telling the ball.' "