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Mets: The Mets have gotten off to something of a slow start out of the All-Star break, a sluggishness that has been largely the result of losing nearly all their games. Losing every day has been a problem they may need to address in the near future.

I have to admit I've approached this season like a nervous contestant on The Bachelor, my walls have been firmly up. Despite the Mets' encouraging fast start, I never quite let myself fall in love. So their recent poor play hasn't been the heartbreak it might be for some, which doesn't mean it hasn't been painful. In losing nine of their last ten games, including a sweep this weekend in Los Angeles, the Mets have had a little of everything. There's been anemic offense, bullpen explosions and a trip to the DL for Johan Santana. The Mets went from buyers to sellers in the span of one Sandy Alderson WFAN interview.

If one is looking for a silver lining -- especially should the week's opening series with the Nationals go poorly -- it may be Thursday's scheduled start of prized prospect Matt Harvey, who will take the bump in Arizona against the D-backs. After deciding that at age 40 Miguel Batista juts may not blossom, the Mets will give their young right-hander a shot. A future of great young pitching is pretty much what the Mets have to hang their hat on these days. We'll get our first look this week, let's try not to overreact.

Monday, July 23 7:10 PM MLB NY Mets vs. Washington 10:10 PM MLB NY Yankees at Seattle Tuesday, July 24 7:10 PM MLB NY Mets vs. Washington 10:10 PM MLB NY Yankees at Seattle Wednesday, July 25 12:10 PM MLB NY Mets vs. Washington 3:40 PM MLB NY Yankees at Seattle Thursday, July 26 9:40 PM MLB NY Mets at Arizona Friday, July 27 9:40 PM MLB NY Mets at Arizona 7:05 PM MLB NY Yankees vs. Boston Saturday, July 28 8:10 PM MLB NY Mets at Arizona 4:05 PM MLB NY Yankees vs. Boston Sunday, July 29 4:10 PM MLB NY Mets at Arizona 8:05 PM MLB NY Yankees vs. Boston

Yankees: After an easy sweep of Toronto to start the week, the Yankees randomly started losing. Like a lot. It was weird. Yes, even the mighty Yankees are capable of a lost weekend, dropping four straight in Oakland to a red-hot A's team that is gunning for a "Moneyball" sequel. Despite the poor results, the Yanks did welcome back ace CC Sabathia, and may yet get teletubby Joba Chamberlain back in the fold shortly, as well. New York heads on the road to take on the Mariners next week, before a big showdown at the Stadium against a Red Sox team that has managed to hang around, even if it feels like they've been some kind of laughingstock. They really haven't.

Knicks: So it would turn out to be true, the Knicks did indeed pass on Jeremy Lin, mostly because owner Jim Dolan became randomly insulted for reasons that aren't quite clear. I've spilled milk just to cry over it since the news broke, but am trying to get myself together. The Lin thing happened. It was terrible, bizarre and a little bit sad, but there's little else to do but get over it. Are the Knicks a contending team? It's hard to say that they are, but it's worth taking a breath and seeing how they start out before we decide to hate everyone. There will be plenty of time to turn violently on Carmelo Anthony, throw food at Ray Felton and brace for the inevitable Mike Woodson firing, but it's always worth giving the home team a chance until it's time to do otherwise. Did they spend the offseason acquiring a raging drunk, adding 80-years worth of backup center, while jettisoning perhaps the team's most popular player? Why yes, yes they did. But despite many of this team's potentially glaring flaws, I suppose it's worth remembering it's still the best Knicks squad we've seen in over a decade. That has to count for something, right? Yeah, I know, not really.