Sports Columnists

Self-pity rarely presents well, and yesterday proved no different in the Yankees' clubhouse. After all they've been through this season, Joe Torre and company found a great scapegoat in plate umpire Jeff Nelson.

If you look at the potential sellers at the July 31 non-waivers trade deadline, there's a whole lot of nothing available from Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Colorado. Cincinnati could offer supplementary pieces such as Jeff Conine and David Weathers, and there surely will be the annual discussion of Ken Griffey Jr. possibly waiving his no-trade right. Prediction: He won't.

Jason Giambi smiled yesterday and offered his most welcoming body language. Go ahead, he told the pack of reporters waiting for him.

There's a common refrain among the Yankees' fan base, voicing a most basic belief: "So far this season, everything has gone right for the Red Sox."

With the boos that he received last night after his final two at-bats, you could excuse Bobby Abreu if he felt like he were back in Philadelphia.

There's a common refrain among the Yankees' fan base, voicing a most basic belief: "So far this season, everything has gone right for the Red Sox."

Yes, Mets-Braves, starting tonight at Turner Field, is a big, three-game series. But you can't deny the theater of Thursday night's finale.

Here, in this alternate universe, the rookie starting pitcher comes up from Triple-A and strikes out seven.

The Yankees will need a dramatic turnaround to make the playoffs this season, but perhaps they can find solace in recent history. Such revivals have become somewhat commonplace.

The Yankees will need a dramatic turnaround to make the playoffs this season, but perhaps they can find solace in recent history. Such revivals have become somewhat commonplace.

Brian Cashman knows trades and tirades, he knows crises and crying. He could write a master's thesis on corporate infighting.

The Yankees don't own too many advantages anymore in this Subway Series, so they won't be choosy. Let it be known that they have more guaranteed Hall of Famers on their team than do the Mets.

The Yankees don't own too many advantages anymore in this Subway Series, so they won't be choosy. Let it be known that they have more guaranteed Hall of Famers on their team than do the Mets.

There's a reason why the Astros' Lance Berkman, upon the Yankees' announcement that they had signed Roger Clemens, said, "With this Rocket situation, there's two kinds of people: People that are not surprised and morons."

There's a reason why the Astros' Lance Berkman, upon the Yankees' announcement that they had signed Roger Clemens, said, "With this Rocket situation, there's two kinds of people: People that are not surprised and morons."

The Yankees' 14-2 loss to the Rangers yesterday featured a botched rundown play and brutal relief pitching, an unhappy conclusion to a 4-3 homestand that seemed to go better than that. Call it the Clemens Jubilation Effect.

'Good," one friend, a passionate Red Sox fan, e-mailed me yesterday. "I can hate him again."

'Good," one friend, a passionate Red Sox fan, e-mailed me yesterday. "I can hate him again."

Doug Melvin knows about treks in the baseball desert. He took the Texas Rangers, born in 1972, to their first postseason in 1996, and not until they clinched the American League West had the Rangers convinced their entire fan base that they could actually make it to October.

OK, so let's deconstruct this latest missive, allegedly from the desk of George Steinbrenner ...

OK, so let's deconstruct this latest missive, allegedly from the desk of George Steinbrenner ...

As Barry Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's all-time home run mark grows from likely to inevitable, all of us will be forced to show our true colors. I'm talking me, you and anyone who cares about this sport in any fashion.

Does any industry do redemption better than sports? You often can't see it coming, like yesterday at Yankee Stadium, and even afterward, you must take a step back to fully appreciate it.

By far, the night's most impressive detail was the "Huuuuughes!" chanted by the Yankee Stadium crowd each time a Blue Jays batter reached two strikes. Even Phil Hughes called it his favorite part.

A week ago tonight, a couple of hours before Chase Wright unleashed his first major-league pitch, Phil Hughes' name arose in Joe Torre's pregame media session. From the way Torre spoke, school would end, at the least, before Hughes would wear Yankees pinstripes.

Billy Wagner is rarely at a loss for answers, especially when it comes to his former teams. Take, for instance, his opinion on Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's ugly confrontation with venerable Philadelphia radio personality Howard Eskin.

Well, I think it's pretty obvious now who should take the mound for the Yankees this weekend at Fenway Park. Saturday or Sunday, whichever works better for the rest of the team. Or Saturday and Sunday.

How unfortunate that the nor'easter wiped out Jackie Robinson Day celebrations not only here in New York but in four other cities as well. Willie Randolph's 42 jersey will go public Friday against the Braves, the Mets' next scheduled home game.

Can you envision Ichiro Suzuki playing anywhere besides Seattle?

For the past 5 1/2 months, Willie Randolph repeatedly has defended his ninth-inning maneuvers from the Mets' final home game of 2006, that painful National League Championship Series Game 7 loss to the Cardinals. Then the Mets' manager kicked off the 2007 home schedule with a fresh batch of interesting decisions.