Division crowns at risk as Mets, Red Sox limp to finish

Manny Ramirez hasn't played since Aug. 28, and the Red Sox are 10-12 in that span. AP

RELATED • Biggest collapses in baseball history • RUMORS: El Duque may miss postseason

Also in this column:
• Glavine likely to return
• O's are a 'broken record'
• Frontrunner for Astros job
• More news and notes

A funny thing happened to the Mets and Red Sox on their way to the World Series...

They turned into each other. And right now, that's not a good thing to be.

Both teams once had a huge division lead. Now it's a puny 2 1/2 for the Red Sox, and an even shakier 1 1/2 games for the Mets.

Neither can beat the team that's chasing them. The Red Sox have dropped eight of their past 10 to the rival Yankees, including one game that was so far in the bank that it was already earning interest. The Mets have lost eight straight to the Phillies.

Both teams are missing a power bat in the lineup. The Mets' Carlos Delgado is out with strained hip flexor. Manny Ramirez is out with who knows what? Oh yeah, that's right, it's a strained left oblique (and as we all know, Manny can certainly be oblique).

Both bullpens are a mess lately. They're trouble right up until they get into the ninth inning, and then they're all right. The Red Sox's Eric Gagne, who blew another game on Tuesday night, hasn't hit his target in weeks (unless you count Mariano Rivera's pinkie). Guillermo Mota hasn't been the same since he got off the juice (hmmm, wonder why?).

Their circumstances are eerily similar, except for one thing ... the Red Sox usually can catch the ball.

Oh yeah, there's one more thing. The Red Sox can breathe much easier since there's almost no way they can blow their playoff spot, not with the Tigers seven games behind them in the wild-card chase. The Mets, meanwhile, are in a dead heat with the Padres, the NL wild-card leader.

Yes, there's the real difference. The noose is a heckuva lot tighter on the Mets right now.

Tom Terrific likely back for more in '08

Had the Braves answered Tom Glavine's phone messages last November, the NL East might have been very different from the start. Take away Glavine's 13-6 record from the Mets and give it to the Braves -- and yes, I know that's oversimplifying things -- and the Braves would be up by 1 1/2 games.

Glavine suggested the other day that he's more likely than not to return for his 22nd season, but stressed that he won't decide for sure until this one's over.

When it was pointed out that not too many pitchers retire off a 13-6 season or better, Glavine agreed, saying "No, not too many.'' He said it in such a way that I didn't believe he'd be one of the very few who'd buck that history.

I then asked Glavine if he could think of anyone who retired after a such a fine season, and within seconds he came up with Sandy Koufax, who was 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA in 1966 before retiring.

I took the liberty of telling him he was "no Koufax.'' (Glavine is like a regular person, so you can kid with him.)

Although, one difference is this: Glavine never even goes on the disabled list.

He'll be back. You know he will now.

For Alou, Quad stands for 40, not four

Speaking of the disabled list, Moises Alou, 40, can still play -- when healthy. Alou, in the midst of a 22-game hitting streak (and 33 of 34 games), left the latest Mets' debacle at Washington on Tuesday night with yet another strained quad.

Alou still hits plenty to return another year. But he was said to be quite frustrated earlier by missing 10 weeks with a quad injury expected to keep him out two weeks, so frustrated that he told teammates that all that brought him back for this year was what he termed to them "stupid money,'' (not that the Mets made a bad deal at $8.5 million, but he's one player who understands how lucky he is -- financially speaking, that is).

Another curve for El Duque

Speaking of 40-year-old Mets, Orlando Hernandez (who may be 37, 40 or 41 depending upon who you ask), is now said to be out "seven to 10'' more days with his foot injury. Though of course, it could be longer. It looks like it could be a repeat of last October, when El Duque's bad calf knocked him out. On the plus side, at least that would solve manager Willie Randolph's dilemma of which pitcher to skip come playoff time -- assuming they get to the playoffs.

For Orioles, life's a pitch

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The three toughest jobs in America right now:

George Bush's spokesman.

O.J. Simpson's defense lawyer.

Orioles beat writer.

And Baltimore pitching coach is no day at the beach, either -- even though watching the Orioles right now is like looking into the sun. For three or four straight hours every day.

Over the past 27 games, beginning with Aug. 22, the very day Orioles brass decided to remove the "interim'' tag from manager Dave Trembley and extend him through next season, the Orioles have been outscored 232-121. Since that day, their starters have an ERA of 7.25. Which only looks good compared to 9.35 by the relievers.

"This challenge borders on the ridiculous,'' Orioles pitching coach Leo Mazzone told SI.com.

You could say that. Over and over again. After a 12-0 defeat to the Yankees on Tuesday night, Trembley said, "It's been like a broken record.''

And that's not all that's broke. Their original pitching staff has been decimated by injuries, and the Orioles aren't exactly flush with young talent. "Three weeks ago, we were fourth or fifth in the league [in pitching],'' Mazzone pointed out. "We took a nose dive fast. The reinforcements are having, uh, a little difficulty.''

Erratic, infuriating Daniel Cabrera has gone from the No. 4 starter to the No. 1 starter in a matter of weeks, although it's not through anything he did. The casualty list includes six starters and two closers.

True ace Erik Bedard and Jeremy Guthrie were lost to side injuries within weeks, Adam Loewen suffered a stress fracture in his elbow and Steve Trachsel was traded. And that's after they lost Kris Benson and Jaret Wright early (Benson was hurt before he even got to spring training). As for the closers, Chris Ray and Danys Baez are both out with elbow trouble.

Mazzone, who had teams in Atlanta that used the same five starters all season, said, "I am absolutely, totally tired. What keep me going and enthusiastic is the possible rotation of Bedard, Guthrie, Loewen and Cabrera. With those four starters, we can compete with anybody.''

With the ones they're employing lately, they can compete with almost nobody. The key right now, according to one Oriole, is to find something to distract you from baseball.

Around the Majors

• No inside info on this, but a lot of people sure think Ruben Amaro Jr., a Phillies assistant GM, is the favorite win the Astros GM job.

• The Twins promoted two very fine front-office people, Mike Radcliff and Rob Antony, in addition to longtime assistant Bill Smith's ascension to GM, so some good came out of Terry Ryan's surprise departure, even if it's not the great thing that club owner Jim Pohlad (Carl's son) seemed to imply.

• Lately, A.J. Burnett looks every bit the $55 million pitcher Toronto made him.

• The Yankees wanted Micah Owings (who can hit as well as he pitches; .291 batting average, 4.49 ERA) in the Randy Johnson deal. Good call by Arizona to hold on to him.

• Tigers shortstop Carlos Guillen is right to say that he shouldn't be replaced by Jack Wilson but rather by a Gold Glover. Guillen, who would move to first base if the Tigers landed a shortstop with better knees, suggests Cesar Izturis from the same Pirates. I agree. Since they can get the offense elsewhere, that's a better move for the Tigers.

• Good guy alert: Bobby Abreu has agreed to spend his off day on Thursday visiting sick kids at Hackensack Medical Center in suburban New Jersey.