Mayor de Blasio, who is never here, has hired Gregory Russ to be the new NYCHA chief. Russ, who will make $402,000 yearly, will be spending his weekends in Minnesota with family. The perfect hire. … The Mets, looking for a scapegoat, fired pitching coach Dave Eiland and replaced him with the amazin’ly youthful 82-year-old Phil Regan, who can better relate to their young staff. Reader Don Reed: “Only difference between the Mets and the Jets is the M and the J.”
More good news, Mets fans! We haven’t had a winner in a week and we’re picking the Cubs. Jason Vargas has turned the corner. ERA reads 2.39 over his past nine games and he’s 2-0 lifetime at Wrigley. Left his last game after four innings due to a “calf cramp.” Yu Darvish, who has given this ’capper calf cramps for years, enters off a gem. Threw seven innings of one-run ball at the Dodgers, striking out 10. 10 units on the Cubs, who are 25-12 at home heading into Thursday’s game.
Rangers doubled up the Indians 4-2. Texas with two runs in the first frame off Shane Bieber. Mike Minor allowed one run over eight strong for the W. Debt at -373 fosses.