Sports

• Steve Matthews, Wednesday, July 8 at Belmont

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• Umps say Jeter was told he was tagged, too

  MINNEAPOLIS - A day after a disputed call left the Yankees and Derek Jeter peeved, umpires said Jeter was told he got tagged, too, and crew chief John Hirschbeck tried last night at Citi Field to quell the ill will.

• Rules? They just don't apply to Dodgers' Ramirez

  The Republic of Manny came to New York last night, a government of Manny, by Manny and for Manny, in which the only rules that are followed, or even exist, are the ones Manny Ramirez deems worthy of being followed.

• Ken Davidoff: Maybe they should call it Piti Field

  Citi Field has turned into the world's largest dentist's office. The patrons have grown so numb to the pain, they barely acknowledge it.

• Sabathia coasts with lots of support in Yanks' win

  Joe Girardi had no doubt his ace's previous outing was an aberration.

• Dodgers dominate Mets amid boos at Citi Field

  The crowd at Citi Field last night warmed up by booing Manny Ramirez. Before long, those same fans had turned on Luis Castillo. By the seventh inning, most had left the stadium, disgusted by another pitiful performance by the Mets in an 8-0 loss to the Dodgers.

• Jays to listen to offers for Halladay

  Roy Halladay, the longtime Blue Jays ace, is up for bidding. And you can expect both the Yankees and the Mets to, at the very least, check in on such a lucrative auction.

• Umps say Jeter was told he was tagged, too

  A day after a disputed call left the Yankees and Derek Jeter peeved, umpires said Jeter was told he got tagged, too, and crew chief John Hirschbeck tried last night at Citi Field to quell the ill will.

• Ramirez ejected after driving in 3 runs vs. Mets

  Manny Ramirez had a pretty simple explanation for his fifth-inning ejection last night.

• Aceves picks up Wang's rotation spot

  Alfredo Aceves is back in the role with which he is most familiar, and he said last night he'd like to hold on to it as long as he can.

• Wallace Matthews: Rules? Not for Manny

  The Republic of Manny came to New York last night, a government of Manny, by Manny and for Manny, in which the only rules that are followed, or even exist, are the ones Manny Ramirez deems worthy of being followed.

• Dodgers dominate Mets amid boos at Citi Field

  The crowd at Citi Field last night warmed up by booing Manny Ramirez. Before long, those same fans had turned on Luis Castillo. By the seventh inning, most had left the stadium, disgusted by another pitiful performance by the Mets in an 8-0 loss to the Dodgers.

• Beltran, Reyes still not close to returning

  The Mets won't be getting help any time soon from Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, who both remain far away from game action.

• Ken Davidoff: Call Jays and make an offer for Halladay

  This was starting to look like the dullest of non-waivers trade deadlines. A month of waiting to see where Doug Davis - a fine pitcher, but not quite CC Sabathia - and Nick Johnson - a decent first baseman, but not quite Mark Teixeira - wound up.

• Of Mets' injured core, Delgado progressing fastest

  Is it possible that Carlos Delgado, the guy who had hip surgery, could be the first of the injured Mets' core to actually make it back? Hard to believe, but Delgado - and not Jose Reyes or Carlos Beltran - is at least able to perform baseball-related activities while the other two remain shut down indefinitely.

• Steve Matthews, Wednesday, July 8 at Belmont

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• Knicks still hoping for deal with Grant Hill

  The free-agent signing moratorium ended at midnight, but the offseason has only just begun for the Knicks. The pursuit of Jason Kidd proved fruitless, but versatile veteran Grant Hill remains a serious option.

• Isles to introduce No. 1 pick Tavares to fans

  It won't match the Islanders' draft party for drama, but No. 1 pick John Tavares is scheduled to meet his Long Island public in an introductory news conference at 12:30 this afternoon at Nassau Coliseum.

• NFL suspends Giants' Boley for season opener

  Michael Boley was supposed to be the Giants' starting weak-side linebacker. So far, he's not starting anything.

• Wallace Matthews: Even on a bad day, Jeter shows leadership skills

  Derek Jeter made a dumb play yesterday, took his team out of an inning and, you could argue, out of a game the Yankees could have won.

• Hill says he's 'very serious' about Knicks

  As the Knicks Monday learned that Jason Kidd decided to stay in Dallas - not before making Mark Cuban sweat out a few more million dollars on the eve of Kidd's trip to New York last Wednesday - their other free-agent target, Grant Hill, came in for the same red-carpet treatment.

• Dodgers' Ramirez brings Mannywood to Citi Field

  The Manny Ramirez Redemption Tour hits Citi Field for three nights starting Tuesday night as Queens turns into Mannywood.

• Islanders draft pick Cizikas receives probation

  Casey Cizikas, the Islanders' 2009 fourth-round draft pick, was sentenced to one-year probation and 100 hours of community service in a Brampton, Ontario, court Monday for manslaughter in the death of a 15-year-old in a youth rugby match two years ago.

• Reeling Mets look to Perez, Pagan, Niese for help

  With exactly 81 games left, the real second half of the season begins Tuesday night against the Dodgers at Citi Field, and there are a few points of light out there for the Mets in what many view as nothing but dark days ahead.

• Hirschbeck says he'll review game with fellow umpires

  After several calls made by the umpiring crew came under scrutiny during Monday's Yankees-Blue Jays game, crew chief John Hirschbeck said he plans to review some plays with his umpires and discuss how certain calls were made and handled.

• Pettitte disappointed in himself

  Joe Girardi wanted to put a positive spin on Andy Pettitte's start in yesterday's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays, but the Yankees lefthander was too frustrated with himself to play along.

• Hosting charity event, Torre feels right at home

  On little sleep after a red-eye flight took him from San Diego to New York, Joe Torre held court Monday morning before his sixth annual charity golf outing, speaking with the same comfort level he's always had in New York.

• Higgins signs one-year, $2.25M deal

  Chris Higgins, the left wing obtained from Montreal in the Scott Gomez trade, has signed a one-year, $2.25-million deal with the Rangers.

• Pettitte, umps have bad day as Yanks fall to Jays

  If you thought all of the home runs hit at Yankee Stadium have given the place a bizarro-world feel, wait until you hear what Derek Jeter says he was told by umpire Marty Foster in the Yankees' 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays.

• Cabrera, Jeter get key hits as Yanks down Mariners

  Brian Bruney didn't do the job as Joe Girardi's bridge to Mariano Rivera, but the Yankees' offense bailed out all parties last night.

• Bruney battered in 8th: 'I have no excuses'

  The record says that Brian Bruney is perfect, which shows how misleading records can be.

• Mets' weird setback to Brewers is 5th loss in a row

  What began as a baseball season for the Mets has now developed into a Twilight Zone episode about a team that does the inexplicable on a nightly basis. And last night, during a postgame meeting that kept the clubhouse door shuttered for 28 minutes, Jerry Manuel told his players that it had to stop.

• Steadman agrees Beltran does not need surgery

  After months of unrelenting bad news on the injury front, the Mets were relieved to learn Tuesday that Carlos Beltran will not require surgery for the bone bruise affecting his right knee and is likely to return around the All-Star break.

• Yankees acquire versatile Hinske from Pirates

  If anyone were able to handle having his first day as a Yankee delayed by bad weather, it figures it would be Eric Hinske, whose job is going to entail a lot of sitting and waiting.

• Isles might go after free agent goaltender

  The addition of sniper John Tavares in the draft gives the Islanders a little hope of improving the league's 29th-worst offense. When NHL the free-agent market opens Wednesday, general manager Garth Snow will work on improving the league's 27th-worst defense by going after a quality goaltender to back up rehabbing starter Rick DiPietro.

• Yankees want to find some time off for A-Rod

  Last night marked the start of 13 straight games for the Yankees before the All-Star break and Joe Girardi isn't taking any chances with Alex Rodriguez's hip.

• Curry's Illinois home in foreclosure

  Eddy Curry's troublesome year continues, at least off the court. The Knicks center reportedly can add foreclosure issues to his myriad problems, as the company that services his mortgage, Bayview Loan Servicing, on Monday filed a foreclosure notice against Curry in Cook County (Ill.) circuit court.

• It's not just for money, if Kidd comes to Knicks

  Donnie Walsh likely will engage in his first bidding war as president of the Knicks, but the battle for Jason Kidd won't be about money. It can't be, mainly because the salary cap-restricted Knicks can only use the midlevel exception (about $5.6 million in the first year).

• Knicks want to keep Lee; soon they'll learn if they can

  The uncertain economic atmosphere has most NBA teams in frugal mode for this year's free-agency period, especially with everyone saving their pennies (and salary-cap space) for the potentially bigger market in 2010. But there are a few must-haves available, and very high on that list is Knicks forward David Lee.

• Too little too late for Mets in loss to Brewers

  It was not a misprint Monday afternoon when Jerry Manuel penciled in the name Reyes for the leadoff spot on his lineup card. Having run out of options as well as ideas, it was more like wishful thinking. Even though he plays shortstop and shares a surname, Argenis is no Jose.

• Beltran visits Colorado knee specialist

  Carlos Beltran's search for a second opinion on his ailing right knee has taken him to Vail, Colo., where he was scheduled to be examined Monday by Dr. Richard Steadman, a highly respected orthopedist and the inventor of microfracture surgery.

• Rangers' Tortorella will crack the whip this season

  Rangers coach John Tortorella, who was in New York to observe the opening day of the team's annual prospect camp, issued a strong warning yesterday that he will run a tight ship in his first full season behind the bench, regardless of players' status or salary.

• Looking within pays off with Yankees' relief corps

  For Mariano Rivera to record his 500th save Sunday night, the guys ahead of him had to do their jobs.

• Gordon sees Tavares as offensive sparkplug

  For the first time in franchise history, the Islanders did not have a single 20-goal scorer last season. Rookie Kyle Okposo led them with 18 goals.

• Depleted Mets punchless in 3-0 loss to Cardinals

  Before last night's game against the Cardinals, manager Jerry Manuel said he wasn't sure what type of offensive club he had with all of the injuries the Mets have suffered.

• Punchless Yankees strand 11 in 4-0 loss to Braves

  ATLANTA - Two. Oh. Seven.

• Depleted Mets use Martinez in centerfield

  Even a hyena wouldn't laugh at the Mets' physical hardships this season, the almost silly regularity of losing front-line players to injury. Yet, somewhere in the team's sad misfortune could be the chance of cheery individual fortune, the occasion for a 20-year-old kid to convince the baseball world that he is a major-league centerfielder.

• Lucas, Jennifer Glover like view from top

  With her husband a few feet away, cradling the U.S. Open trophy he'd had for less than a day, Jennifer Glover turned toward roped-off onlookers at the Empire State Building observatory and said: "This is a great view, huh?"

• USGA wants Open back at Bethpage Black

  After uncertainty had lingered over every phase of the U.S. Open like the clouds that kept hovering, there was one reasonably sure thing at the end: The Open will be back at the Black. "Absolutely," U.S. Golf Association official Mike Davis said Tuesday. "It's not a question of 'if,' it's 'when.' "

• USGA begins moving out of Bethpage

  In front of the Bethpage Golf Course clubhouse Tuesday, workers tore down the tall, green-mesh fences that herded the massive crowds during the eight-day U.S. Open event. And behind the large white tents where corporate sponsors once entertained their guests, drivers in rental trucks began reclaiming food machines, tables and chairs, and other equipment.

• Jim Baumbach: Mets need Murphy to take page from Magadan

  You know who Daniel Murphy reminds us of?

• After golf, Open's about shoppers snagging bargains

  It was all over but the shopping Tuesday at the now-sunny Bethpage State Park golf course, where the 2009 U.S. Open was dismantling itself on the still rain-muddied grounds. The big white Merchandise Pavilion drew the crowds with offers of half-price golf shirts, towels and teddy bears.

• Reyes gets hitting, fielding in; still can't run

  Jose Reyes took batting practice and fielded some ground balls before the Mets-Cardinals game last night. That he was able to do either is a stroke of good luck.

• Leetch among four players voted into Hockey HOF

  As a Ranger, smooth-skating Brian Leetch was rarely halted by anyone - or anything.

• Phil Mickelson's fans cheer and moan

  Giddy middle-aged men were the majority of fans trailing Phil Mickelson Monday at Bethpage Black, cheering on his triumphs and groaning with his slip-ups, all the while holding out hope he could win the U.S. Open.

• CC hopes to start Friday, but it's not up to him

  CC Sabathia didn't want to come out of Sunday's game against the Marlins in the second inning, and he certainly doesn't want to miss Friday's scheduled start against the Mets at Citi Field.

• Extended U.S. Open play boosts LI businesses

  Monday's extra day of play at the U.S. Open meant a boost in hotel and restaurant revenue for Long Island's sagging economy as well as an unexpected bonanza for the sponsor of the event, officials said.

• Golf fans skip work to attend U.S. Open

  If workplaces with golf fans as employees seemed empty Monday, that's because many of them took the day off to enjoy the end of U.S. Open week, which stretched into an eighth day because of rain delays.

• Mickelson's caddie marvels at crowd support

  Jim "Bones" MacKay has toted Phil Mickelson's bag since 1992, through victory and defeat, through jubilation and heartbreak.

• Big finish for Barnes after bogey streak proves costly

  It's a footnote now, but after bogeying six holes in an eight-hole stretch on his way to a final-round 76, third-round leader Ricky Barnes still had a chance to win the U.S. Open on the 72nd hole yesterday at Bethpage Black. His 13-foot birdie putt burned the left edge of the cup but failed to drop. A birdie there would have forced winner Lucas Glover to make his 4-footer to avoid a playoff.

• This time, Tiger falls short at Bethpage Black

  After Tiger Woods sank his final putt of the 2009 U.S. Open Monday, it took him no more than 10 minutes to leave Bethpage State Park.

• Glover's kin love NY even more now

  Lucas Glover and his wife, Jennifer, began their week here acting like any other Long Islander. A week ago Monday night, they went to dinner in Manhattan. Last Tuesday night, they dined in the Hamptons.

• Mark Herrmann: Champion Glover a New York kind of guy

  Everybody knows that New York golf fans adopted Phil Mickelson in 2002, even though no one knows exactly why.

• Mickelson finishes second again at U.S. Open

  This one will sting for Phil Mickelson. He's second, again, in the U.S. Open, runner-up for a record fifth time.

• Comeback kid Duval nearly pulls it off

  David Duval resumed the final round of the U.S. Open yesterday on the third hole and made triple bogey, an apt description of his last seven years on the PGA Tour.

• Wallace Matthews: Mickelson gave U.S. Open fans hope

  It was a day the USGA had tried to take away from its fans, but with one hole to play, Phil Mickelson was one good shot from giving it all back.

• Pros endorse Bethpage Black for Ryder Cup

  Phil Mickelson has a big idea for the Black Course.

• Fisher feels he could have been surprise winner

  Up ahead of him on the par-5 13th hole, England's Ross Fisher watched Phil Mickelson do the local hero thing with an eagle putt to tie Lucas Glover for the U.S. Open lead at 4 under par. Sitting in the fairway at 1 under, Fisher knew what he had to do to preserve longshot chance of winning after suffering a three-putt bogey at the 12th.

• Some scenes from the U.S. Open in Bethpage

  Nelson Sedano was born in a country where children dream of stardom in soccer, but he's hoping to groom his 3-year-old son to be a professional golfer.

• Autograph hounds try to collect their favorites

  Nick Tangredi stuck out his white U.S. Open flag, already covered with some two dozen signatures, as two players walked from the 18th hole to the clubhouse.

• Ward Melville's Matz wins Yastrzemski Award

  As if being a second-round pick by the Mets wasn't enough, last night, Steven Matz received more validation of his talent, work ethic and brilliant season.

• Cink tweets his way around Bethpage Black

  Stewart Cink was checking out the insanely deep grass bordering a bunker near the 18th green Tuesday when he bent over and picked up a ball, smiled and began showing it around.

• Ogilvy: Miracle finish unlikely on Bethpage Black

  The last time Australian golfer Geoff Ogilvy was in New York to compete in a U.S. Open - at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck in 2006 - he won in dramatic fashion, prevailing after Phil Mickelson's double-bogey implosion on the 18th hole.

• Erdy a bit late for registration, but gets in

  David Erdy, who gained entry to the U.S. Open as a first alternate after Japan's Shingo Katayama withdrew because of a back injury - narrowly averted disqualification Tuesday.

• Locals hope Bethpage Black stumps pros

  Before being awarded the 2002 U.S. Open, the Black Course at Bethpage State Park was overgrown, underused by golfers who didn't care for its no-carts policy, and unknown to out-of-towners who now sleep outside the course in their cars to snag a tee time.

• Mark Herrmann: Tiger has changed since 2002 Open win at Bethpage

  This is not the same Tiger Woods who won the U.S. Open the last time it was at Bethpage. He has a new coach, new knee, new swing, new marital status and a new family. He is a different golfer and a different man than he was in 2002.

• Sergio Garcia winning over crowds at Bethpage Black?

  In his return Tuesday to Bethpage Black, Sergio Garcia hit nothing but grace notes. On the course, he did the walk-and-sign for autograph seekers between holes, smiling when they shouted encouragement in Spanish, even if it was tinged with a Brooklyn accent. In his media interview, Garcia praised New York crowds for their passion and made note of his success in the area, finishing fourth in the 2002 Open and winning twice in the old Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club.

• Wallace Matthews: Mickelson must find strength and focus from within

  Let's get this straight right off the bat. It's never a good thing having to deal with the kind of adversity that Phil Mickelson, and especially, his wife, Amy, have been dealing with for the past month.

• Nats draftee Stroman wins Paul Gibson award

  The pressure was on Marcus Stroman this season. Being a 5-8 pitcher, the Patchogue-Medford righthander has always had to deal with doubters.

• Mickelson to arrive at Bethpage on Wednesday

  Phil Mickelson's many enthusiastic New York fans did not get a chance to sing "Happy Birthday" to him Tuesday. So he turned 39 without a tribute from the people who toasted him when he turned 32.

• Relaxed Cabrera happy to be in Tiger's group

  Angel Cabrera barely remembers his 2002 U.S. Open. Which is fine, because Bethpage Black barely remembers Cabrera, who finished in a tie for 66th.

• Tiger confident as Open nears at Bethpage

  Returning to the scene of his 2002 U.S. Open championship, Tiger Woods is feeling rather confident going into this week's tournament.

• Mediate back for another shot at Open title

  Rocco Mediate played a practice round Sunday on the Black Course, dressed in a black T-shirt and kick-around shorts. A grounds crew showed up to nip and tuck the green.

• NY native joins Tiger for round he'll never forget

  No matter how the U.S. Open ends for former St. John's star Andrew Svoboda, he knows that his week had a beginning he never will forget. Svoboda played nine holes Tuesday morning with Tiger Woods.

• Bethpage's atmosphere like no other in golf

  For seven days in June 2002, golf sounded like a Sunday at the Meadowlands when the Jets or Giants are doing well.

• Bethpage officials want Open again in 2018

  Both Bethpage State Park director Dave Catalano and Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks Carol Ash said the USGA has officially been informed of Bethpage's interest in hosting a third U.S. Open.

• Scenes in and around the U.S. Open

  All aboard the "Tiger Express"!

• Kenny Perry looks for redemption in U.S. Open

  Kenny Perry's dramatic defeat in a three-way sudden death playoff at this year's Masters could've sent him into a tailspin of frustration. But the 48 year-old veteran insists it has only motivated him more.

• Health professionals team gives relief at U.S. Open

  In 10 years as a caddie, Kevin Morris has schlepped across thousands of holes of golf, a practice he said leaves him, at best, "physically OK, mentally very tired."

• Alternates fill Open spots for Immelman, Katayama

  South African golfer Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion, withdrew from the U.S. Open Sunday night because of tendinitis in his left wrist and elbow.

• 2005 Open winner Campbell has known rough times

  What a year Michael Campbell had in 2005. He won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, fending off Tiger Woods the final day. As way of validation, he won the World Match Play in England that fall.

• Seniors turning back clock for Black

  Hale Irwin knew that the Black Course was going to eat his lunch, which didn't prevent him from having a very nice lunch on the Monday before the U.S. Open in 2002.

• Rain creating havoc for Bethpage superintendent

  Perhaps Mother Nature got a look at the drawn and pale face of Craig Currier - and the similarly worn faces of many of his staff, too - and decided to cut them all a break.

• Neil Best: ESPN's Berman gets back in swing at Open

  It was a prospective culture clash so jarring it echoed from the anarchic blogosphere to genteel Augusta National:

• Mark Herrmann: LI a great place for Open

  Somewhere in the far corners of the country, golfers probably finished a $2 Nassau the other day, ordered a couple of beers and wondered aloud why in heck they keep holding the U.S. Open on Long Island. If they only knew that the $2 Nassau is part of the answer.

• Black plays long, but gimmicks are gone

  The gimmicks the USGA put in place to protect par at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black - forced carries of herculean proportions off the tee at No. 10 and No. 12 - are gone. Now, the golf course is in front of the players, but the Open-record length of 7,426 yards, quite simply, is backbreaking.

• Wallace Matthews: 'Tiger effect' hasn't drawn enough inner-city kids to golf

  Quick: Name the second-best African-American golfer in the world.

• U.S. Open phone, PDA ban leaves some in withdrawal

  Rick Brindell is so used to having his BlackBerry at his hip that he could almost feel it vibrating, even though he spent the morning Monday at the U.S. Open without it.

• Tiger is first to play practice round

  Tiger Woods was the last player to leave Bethpage Black when the U.S. Open was last held at Bethpage Black, so it only figures he was the first player on the course this time around.

• Mickelson skips practice round to be with wife

  Phil Mickelson didn't show Monday, much to the dismay of fans who came to Bethpage Black for a glimpse of him. Don't expect him for at least another day or so.

• Bethpage Black was designed to rival the best course

  Bethpage Black is known as the most "open" of all U.S. Open courses because it is a daily fee course owned by New York State. But architect Rees Jones, who made all the renovations for the 2002 Open and for the 2009 edition that starts Thursday, says the best comparison is to the most private of all the great American courses, Pine Valley in southern New Jersey.

• Clarke reaches out to Phil and Amy Mickelson

  Darren Clarke knows, all too well, what Phil and Amy Mickelson are coping with.

• Recession is barely evident as U.S. Open fans shop

  They snapped up $28 hats, $5 black golf balls, $30 T-shirts, $2.70 tee markers and stuffed them all in cellophane bags as they hurried out of the huge merchandise tent Monday at Bethpage State Park, home of this year's U.S. Open.

• Local entry Farren just soaks in the experience

  Sean Farren came prepared.

• Yankees pounded by Red Sox, 7-0

  BOSTON - The Yankees are looking big picture.

• On off-night, Santana proud of performance at plate

  Mets ace Johan Santana did not deliver one of his trademark performances from the mound last night, but he battled for more than seven innings and came through at the plate when it counted.

• Ken Davidoff: Burnett not living up to expectations

  The lesson of last night's Yankees disappointment is, simply, this:

• Mets top Phils as teams total 7 HRs at Citi Field

  A seven-homer slugfest between the Mets and Phillies surely would be better suited - and expected - in the tiny ballpark on the other end of the Jersey Turnpike. But the baseball was flying out of Citi Field last night, more times than it had in any game in the building's brief but stingy history.

• Wallace Matthews: For one night, homer happy at Citi Field

  Honey, who shrunk the TARP?

• Reyes frustrated as he waits for injuries to heal

  Injured shortstop Jose Reyes was among his teammates in the clubhouse before the Mets began their three-game series against the Phillies last night. When he will rejoin them on the field remains unknown.

• Heavy-hearted Mellynchuk leads Sayville to B title

  Dan Mellynchuk played with a heavy heart and a mighty stick Tuesday night.

• Big Papi homers in first at-bat against Yankees

  Apparently, Big Papi can see just fine. Especially when he's looking at Yankee pitching.

• Stephen Curry takes stage to audition for Knicks

  A year ago, the Knicks were linked to Danilo Gallinari, even before the NBA draft lottery. Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni weren't convinced, however, until Gallinari's private workout at the MSG Training Center, when he left them salivating at his shooting ability and athleticism in a 6-10 frame. They made him the sixth overall pick.

• Hamels faces Mets for first time since comments

  In December, Cole Hamels labeled the Mets "choke artists." Wednesday, the World Series MVP gets his first chance since then to try and lodge something in their throats. He'll start the middle game of this series, facing Mike Pelfrey. Don't think the Mets didn't notice those comments, or the upcoming rotation.

• Jets' Washington still chasing new contract

  Leon Washington darted through the line, deked left and cut right, leaving linebacker Bart Scott looking as if he were stuck in a tar pit. The 5-7 speedster still has the moves of one of the league's most explosive players - and Washington wants to be compensated for his skills.

• Nassau looks for first win in Grand Slam Challenge

  Three Nassau teams, Massapequa, Clarke and Oyster Bay, earned Long Island high school baseball championships this week. The 516 area code earned bragging rights for at least one season. Could that success spill over into the Grand Slam Challenge, which pits Nassau's top senior all-stars against the best of Suffolk?

• Open merchandise, tickets at Bethpage State Park

  A week before the tournament starts and four days before the practice rounds formally begin, the U.S. Open officially will open for business Thursday. The merchandise pavilion will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bethpage State Park and, for the first time, Open tickets will be on sale during the pre-championship pavilion hours.

• Braddish, Galasso help W. Islip to Class A title

  Just what West Islip needed - one more weapon.

• Jets' Bart Scott bounces barb back at Crowder

  FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Bart Scott will take it.

• Amateurs filling spots for U.S. Open at Bethpage

  Kyle Peterman, a junior at Western Illinois, won a three-way playoff on the second hole Tuesday outside Chicago to earn the final available spot in the U.S. Open. Not bad for an amateur.

• English leads Manhasset to LI Class C title

  When Manhasset needed a pick-me-up in the second half of the Long Island Class C boys lacrosse championship, it was no surprise a shot of adrenaline came from Connor English as the Indians defeated Mount Sinai, 10-6, Tuesday at Stony Brook University.

• Bob Glauber: Ryan's trash talk pleases his father

  The man in the second row got a kick out of Rex Ryan's latest in-your-face news conference. As the Jets coach blasted away at another division rival, the man sat back with arms folded and smiled.

• Ken Davidoff: If booing is a sign of respect, Tex figures, then bring it on

  The more time you spend at Fenway Park, the more you can distinguish one jeer from another. It's like knowing a baby's multiple cries.

• Yankees hit four home runs to beat Rays, 5-3

  The low-throated chant started with two strikes on Evan Longoria and rang all around Yankee Stadium as Phil Hughes went into his windup with two outs in the seventh inning last night.

• Yankees hope to improve on 0-5 record vs. Boston

  Not even a spot atop the AL East can make up for the Yankees' bruised pride stemming from their 0-5 record against the Red Sox this season.

• Neil Best: Tiger gets the buzz going early at Bethpage

  Tiger Woods arrived at Bethpage Black Monday, and naturally, Newsday gave his practice round a full 21st century local mega-story treatment - blog, video, pictures, Web updates, newspaper articles.

• LIRR advises U.S. Open visitors to watch the gap

  Many locals may have gotten the message by now to "watch the gap," but out-of-towners visiting the area for the U.S. Open may not be so careful.

• Tiger at Bethpage for first look at Black Course

  Tiger Woods took a personalized tour of Bethpage Black Monday morning, less than two weeks before the U.S. Open returns to the public course.

• Justin Timberlake tackles Bethpage Black Course

  Yes, that was Justin Timberlake practicing Monday on Bethpage's Black Course.

• A very big week ahead for Mets: Phillies and Yankees

  It's not often that a 162-game season hinges on a team's performance during the course of one week. Not before September, anyway.

• Yankees pitchers try their hand at batting practice

  Yankees pitchers enjoyed taking batting practice Mondayin preparation for nine straight games in NL parks starting June 19.

• Caesar sparks rally as Massapequa wins LI crown

  If you are visiting Binghamton and need to know where the best places are to eat, contact the Massapequa baseball team. The Chiefs will make their fourth consecutive trip there after defeating North Babylon, 8-3, last night in the Long Island Class AA championship game/Southeast Regional final at Farmingdale State.

• Plenty of good seats available for Yanks-Mets ... at a price

  A year ago, it would have sounded absurd: blocks of tickets to the first Subway Series at new Yankee Stadium, available at face value on the Yankees' Web site, a mere five days in advance.

• Robinson leads Oyster Bay to Class C crown

  They're in a class of their own. Oyster Bay defeated Pierson/Bridgehampton, 11-1, to capture the Class C Long Island baseball championship Monday.

• Yackel's RBIs help Floral Park win LI A title

  Sara Yackel stood on first base in stunned silence for a few moments. Then she realized how big her two-run single was. She turned to her first-base coach for a high-five and smiled.

• Mark Herrmann: Boe deserves to be remembered fondly

  Even Roy Boe's beleaguered partners used to say they would go steaming into a meeting about the money he owed them and walk out asking to buy more shares.

• Boe's teams gave Long Islanders a sense of pride

  Roy Boe already was out of the picture by the time the Islanders completed their rollicking ascent from overmatched expansion team to four-time champion in a mere decade. But as the original owner of Long Island's only enduring major-league team, and the man who showcased the only other local big-time sports operation - the basketball Nets of levitating superstar Julius Erving's megawatt ABA days - Boe's impact on Long Island awareness was significant.

• LI pro Farren qualifies for U.S. Open

  The tournament director from the Metropolitan Golf Association walked up to Sean Farren and presented him with an official U.S. Open contestant's packet. "This," said the director, Brian Mahoney, "is what you've been waiting for." He just didn't know how long Farren had been waiting.

• Pike dominates as Southampton takes Class B title

  Before he threw the first pitch of the top of the seventh inning, Southampton's Chris Pike was greeted near the mound by first baseman Alex Antilety.

• Buscemi's hit in 11th gives Brentwood LI title

  Watching Long Beach score twice in the top of the 11th to break a scoreless tie, Brentwood catcher Lauren Buscemi nearly let her emotions get the best of her.

• Roy Boe, former owner of Islanders and Nets, dies at 79

  Roy Boe, whose brief ownership of the Islanders and Nets put Long Island on the map of big-time professional sports but whose sale of local legend Julius Erving overshadowed his influence on the NBA-ABA merger and led to his loss of both teams, died Sunday in Bridgeport, Conn. He was 79.

• Ryan wants to prove Jets made right choice

  For someone who hasn't shied away from making bold statements and needling opponents before his first game as an NFL head coach, Rex Ryan conceded he had his doubts he'd ever become one.

• Curry to work out for Knicks Wednesday

  Donnie Walsh was scheduled to return from Italy last night after spending a weekend checking out what Europe has to offer for the NBA draft.

• Iovino, Schilt lead Clarke to LI baseball crown

  One season after hitting .470 in an ability-based grouping league, Clarke catcher Rob Iovino hit .270 this season. When it mattered most, though, he came through.

• New York Liberty Glamazons are high-fashion players

  They're big.

• Jim Baumbach: Lighthouse meeting produces some optimism

  What we ultimately learned yesterday is that you can put Islanders owner Charles Wang and Town of Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray together in a room with 80 spectators, and you'll have the makings of a pretty good reality show. Call it Charles & Kate plus 80.

• Steve Matthews, Wednesday, June 3 at Belmont

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• Chamberlain goes 8 innings as Yankees win

  Joba Chamberlain found the velocity he couldn't locate in Texas. Hitting 97 mph on the radar gun in the first inning and 98 much later on, Chamberlain went a career-best eight innings last night and shut down the Indians, 5-2, at Progressive Field.

• Pirates pick on Putz in eighth as Mets lose

  So much for the new and improved J.J. Putz.