What an interesting first half of baseball it’s been in the 2008 season. Roger Clemens is digging himself a deeper grave, Barry Bonds still doesn’t have a team to bother, and the Tampa Bay Rays are near the top of the AL East for some reason. But let’s face it, not a day goes by when us New Yorkers aren’t checking what the Mets and Yankees are up to. As the opening lines in Charles Dickens masterpiece ”A Tale of Two Cities” says, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” This quote can easily describe how both the Mets and Yankees seasons have gone so far.

So what can we expect from the men in the Bronx and Queens? With so much doubt and uncertainty circling around both teams, there are things that both squads can do to try and ensure themselves playoff spots come October 1st.

For the Yankees, it would be a very tough road for them to try and win the AL East and they will probably have to settle for a wild card berth. Two players who will become instrumental in their quest to make the playoffs are starting pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Both of these “young stars” have been extremely disappointing and have been outperformed by guys like Sidney Ponson and even Darrel Rasner. While, before getting hurt, it seemed Hughes may have been showing signs of life, the Yanks should move Kennedy somewhere to get some pieces, whether it be a another reliever like a Brian Fuentes or an Arthur Rhodes. Remember they still need a lefty reliever to get David Ortiz out late in games this season. 

In addition, the news of Hideki Matsui potentially missing the rest of the season isn’t as big a blow as it may seem. While they will lose offensive production with Matsui out of the lineup, they gain defense and speed by perhaps starting rookie Brett Gardner. Now starting him may upset a lot of fans, but because of the Yankees depleted farm system, there may be no other option. Trading for Matt Holliday isn’t the answer in this case, but another guy the Yankees should look at is Royals outfielder David DeJesus. He is a guy who has played all three OF positions, can hit anywhere in the lineup – save for the 3, 4, and 5 spots – and is a very solid defensive player. The only downside is that his contract doesn’t run out till 2010, but with Matsui and Abreu creeping up in age, it may not be the worst idea.

I predict that the Yankees will win the American League wild card spot because teams such as the Rays and the Minnesota Twins lack the experience of competitive September baseball. While the Twins do have guys who have played big games in September, their key contributors such as Nick Blackburn, Denard Span, and Alexei Casilla, have never played any meaningful games in their careers yet. Depending on what Wang can do when he comes back, we’ll see how long the Yankees can push off the destruction of Yankee Stadium.

Over the Whitestone Bridge in Queens are New York’s 2nd team, the Mets. The Mets season has been anything but smooth sailing, but is currently on the upswing. The Mets have won 9 in a row and seem to be making a push for their division crown. While only a .5 game back of the Phillies, the Mets don’t currently have what it takes to overtake them and hold off the Florida Marlins. Knowing Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, there will be at least a move or two made before the deadline to help bolster their chances.

With so many players available at the trading deadling, who should the Mets try to swing a deal for? It has been mentioned on this site that Mariners OF/1B Raul Ibanez would be a good fit for  this  team and I happily agree. The Mets just have to be careful about what they give up for Mr. Ibanez. The Mets also expect to boost their club from within. Angel Pagan and Ryan Church are expected to return to the lineup healthy within the next couple of weeks or so. With Carlos Delgado surging as of late, it appears the Mets are blanketing their weaknesses with this winning streak.

But as all Mets fans know, something bad is going to happen within the month of August, and something can be done in July to prevent that from occurring. The Mets could use another starting pitcher, in case Pedro Martinez goes down again. The biggest thing the Mets need is another solid bullpen arm. Problem is Brian Fuentes wants to close wherever he goes and has already said he prefers the Yanks over the Mets.

So where can the Mets go to find that middle reliever/ set up man. The answer is sitting in the bullpen of the Mets’ next opponent. Cincinnati Reds reliever Bill Bray was once acquired for the stretch run by the Reds a couple years ago and performed well. Last season he was battling arm issues and has returned to form this year with a 2.86 ERA and 31 K’s in 28.1 innings. Bray would be a cheap arm to throw into the bullpen which as past World Series winners can tell you, is the difference between a championship and a long winter.

I see the Mets taking the division from the Phillies, and Jerry Manuel getting some attention for Manager of the Year. But for both the Yanks and the Mets, I don’t see a World Series appearance in the near future. Both teams should end up with solid seasons and they shouldn’t be disappointed if they don’t win it all.  Just don’t tell that to Hank Steinbrenner.