You can count me among the tweetin’ Twitterers (or is that the Twitterin’ tweeters?) now: http://twitter.com/MikeVacc

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That time, the statistical oddity barely made a ripple, as the Yankees were 2 1/2 games in front place in the AL East and had a playoff spot comfortably in hand, while the Mets were playing out the Art Howe string, falling to 60-75. This time, the news is a bit more troubling, and for different reasons for different teams.

For the Yankees, it is the reality that they have now been shut out twice in a week, further proof that a lineup that was ear-marked for 1,000 runs — and sometimes looked unstoppable in May — has more potential pratfalls in it than anyone could imagine; since that 15-0 laugher against the Mets on Flag Day, the Yankees have scored 18 runs in seven games. And for the Mets, it is the reality that this may well be just the beginning of what their current lineup will be providing (although it is possible that the way Joel Pineiro pitched last night that adding Mike Piazza, Darryl Strawberry and Donn Clendennon wouldn’t much have helped) after Monday’s feel-good, win-one-for-the-Gipper victory.

For kicks and giggles, by he way, I also checked out 1968, the fabled Year of the Pitcher: the Mets and Yankees were shut out on the same day four times that year, not surprising given the fact the Mets were shut out 22 times and the Yankees 15 that year.

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Can we please, please, please officially call the Fernando Tatis clean-up experiment a failure and move on? Please?

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And are we going to have to wait until Chien-Ming Wang enters Anthony Young territory before we see Phil Hughes in the rotation?

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It’s early, but I already know this will be a fine day, because I will be meeting friends at McSorley‘s Old Ale House later in the evening, and there has never been a bad day that included a stopover at that wonderful old gathering spot.