New York Magazine's list of the most influential people in New York in the Arts, Music, Food, Architecture, etc… put Pedro Martinez on their short list of most influential people in New York Sports….

The Mets look to end the Phillies 9 game winning streak in the middle game of this battle of I-95, otherwise known as the Turnpike Series. The Phillies will bring Cory Lidle (3-3, 4.17 ERA) to the mound, who started his major league career in 1997 with New York (21-11). The Mets counter with Tom Glavine, who has been the co-ace of the Mets staff, as good a number one starter as Pedro in this young season. Against the Mets, Lidle is 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in five outings, striking out 26 and walking just five.

Glavine is 4-2, with a 1.94 ERA this year. Tonight he looks for his
280th career win. He has not beaten the Phillies in the last 10 times he has faced them, Sept.
19, 2002 is the last time he has a victory against them. Since then, Glavine is 0-7 with a 5.82 ERA and they have hit .298
against him. He has lost his last five starts versus them, allowing
24 runs and 35 hits in 29 innings. Overall, he is 24-16 with a 3.77 ERA in his career against Philadelphia. In Glavine's last two starts against Atlanta and Pittsburg, Glavine has allowed just seven hits with 11 strikeouts and just three walks in 14 innings.

Floyd is 8 for 19 against Lidle, with a homer. Reyes is 4 for 13 against him with a homer. Rollins is 17 for 46 against Glavine with 2 homers. Burrell is 13 for 46 with 2 homers against him.

According to Baseball America by way of MetsBlog.com, the Mets have signed former Astros LHP Jeriome Robertson out of the independent league.

He was 15–9 with a 5.10 ERA for Houston in 2003, and was traded to the Indians for OF Willy Tavarez and OF Luke Scott in the offseason.

Robertson is 29 and holds a .590 winning percentage in the majors. He was 5-11 last year pitching for AAA Louisville, with a 5.46 ERA, 82 Strikeouts and just 29 walks in 120 innings.

Anderson Hernandez has been playing second base for the Triple-A St Lucie Mets, he is 1-9 with a K and 1 error. The Mets have been shopping Kaz Matsui, apparently trying to sell him while his value is somewhat higher than it was before the season began, though Matsui has cooled off a bit, batting .192 in 5 games despite a 5 game hitting streak.

For those of you who were unhappy with the umpiring last night, you may enjoy this.

On Larry Dobrow's Fantasy Baseball article on CBS Sportsline, he urges Fantasy GMs to sell high now on Mets pitching staff…

“But Larry,” you mew weakly. “Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez have given
me wins AND strikeouts in copious, delectable volumes! Billy Wagner has
notched a gaggle of saves! Duaner Sanchez and Aaron Heilman have totally
won holds for me!”

To this I respond: First, it's Mr. Dobrow to you. Second, the odds of
Glavine continuing to get an eight-foot-wide strike zone from the umps
are about as high as those of Pedro remaining hale and hearty once he
enters the triple-digits in innings pitched. Third, something's screwy
with one or more of the fingers on Wagner's left hand –- I can't put my
finger on it (pun semi-intended), but the guy just doesn't look right.

Fourth and most importantly, Sanchez and Heilman are on pace to throw
111 and 93 high-leverage innings, respectively. At this rate, come late
August they'll be meat, and thus enormously prone to torpedoing wins and
save opportunities alike. Given Willie Randolph's “unconventional”
approach towards monitoring pitcher usage, I say get out now while the
gettin's still good.

CBS Sportsline's Power Rankings have the Mets at #2 this week but warn they look due to slip with the tough schedule ahead and their backend rotation issues.

Tampa Bay prospect Delmon Young was suspended for 50
games without pay by the International League on Tuesday for throwing a
bat that hit a replacement umpire in the chest. IL president Randy
Mobley said he believed the suspension was the longest in the league's
123-year history.

Check out Bill Gallo's latest cartoon from The New York Daily News.