Hello again. I’m Mark Cannizzaro. I cover the Jets and golf for The Post. I am a Yankees fan but not a Mets hater.

Though it might be considered sacrilege among my Yankees fan brethren (Post assistant sports editor Dick Klayman are you out there?), I rooted for the Mets to do well once the Yanks were unceremoniously bounced from the postseason.

In observing the Mets’ untimely demise on Thursday night, I notice a facinating double standard that has developed when it comes to the Mets and Yankees and their perception by the fans and coverge by the media. As I sat back and and thought about it Friday morning in the aftermath of the Mets’ devastating loss, I wondered, “Imagine if those were the Yankees playing Game Seven Thursday night and that was A-Rod who made the last out with the bases loaded in the ninth, ending the Yankees’ season with the bat resting harmlessly on his shoulder and not Carlos Beltran.”

If that had been A-Rod ending the season the way Beltran ended the Mets’ season we wouldn’t be reading stories about “whether” the Yankees “might” trade A-Rod during the offseason. A-Rod, if not already jettisoned, could never wear a Yankees uniform again for fear of complete revolt amongst the privileged Yankees’ faithful.

I make this observation not because I want to see Beltran ripped any more in the papers than he already might be (however slight that may be) nor because I’m an A-Rod apologist. Just an observation from an interested observer who happens to be a New York baseball fan and in the business where criticizing is part of my job.

I also realize there are different dynamics at work here, such as A-Rod’s higher salary and the attention he always seems to bring to himself and the fact that the Mets are more “upstarts” than the Yankees, who everyone expects the world from.

Still, though, think about how much different _ how much more volatile _ the outcry would be in our city this morning had that been A-Rod _ not Beltran _ frozen at the plate, his bat resting on his right shoulder with is team’s season hanging in the balance and “strike three” being barked out into the rainy October night.