At last night's Mets-Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park Field, fans got a little distracted around the eighth inning when the stadium's screen flashed the homepage of philly.com, which declared simply, "Bin Laden Dead, U.S. Has Body." Fans put aside their rivalry for the night with chants of, "USA! USA!" above the game, though it appears that the players didn't understand what was going on until a later inning. Which is absolutely a sign of conspiracy, according to one man on Twitter: "ny mets played phi phillies the night Osama was killed! They didn't come aware till the bottom of the 9th inning tied at 1-1! 9-11!" more ›

Turning down various rich offers, including one from the Yankees, pitcher Cliff Lee has decided to return to Philadelphia. The Daily News reports, "The Yankees received a call shortly before midnight from [Lee's agent Darek] Braunecker, who informed them that the 32-year-old Lee had decided to leave their seven-year offer for about $148 million on the table. The Yankees had gone up a year after originally offering Lee six years for $138 million." more ›

The charming young man who was arrested after he induced vomiting onto a man and his daughters at a Phillies-Nationals game in April has been sentenced to 30 to 90 days in jail, Philly.com reports. Matthew Clemmens, 21, will also have to perform 50 hours of community service, which the judge suggested should involve cleaning bathrooms at the very stadium where he shoved his fingers down his throat and hurled all over an off-duty police officer, earning him the sobriquet "Pukemon." more ›

You may recall, with revulsion, the story of New Jersey's Matthew Clemmens, who was arrested after he induced vomiting onto a man and his daughters at a Phillies-Nationals game in April. Today Clemmens, 21, pleaded guilty to simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment, and agreed with the prosecution's version of what happened that night: Apparently, the discord between Clemmens and the family one row in front of him arose from all the cursing and spitting perpetrated by Clemmens and his buddy. more ›

It looks like the instant-classic video of the Phillies fan getting Tasered by a cop will probably be the only one of its kind! The Phillies have decided to let stadium security handle fans who run out on the field, and will only get the police involved if "greater force is necessary." One day after a cop Tasered a teenager who crashed the field, another fan jumped the fence and ran around the outfield—he was escorted off the field by private security, then turned over to the police, who found drugs on him during the arrest. more ›

As sports fans and government officials argue about whether a Philadelphia police officer used excessive force in Tasering a teenage fan who ran out onto the field Monday night, yet another yahoo crashed the field last night. This man was not Tasered, although he probably deserved it more than the other guy, if only for those shorts. (And for being stupid enough to pull the stunt with drugs in his possession, according to police.) more ›

At least he wasn't naked like the Mets Citi Field streaker (or the Coachella wizard). Police guarding Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies, sent a message last night to all those who dream of running out onto the field during a Major League Baseball game. As seen in this video below, an unidentified 17-year-old boy hopped a fence and dashed around the outfield in the eighth inning, eluding two security officers.. for a little while. The crowd roars and the teen appears exultant, until a cop finally shoots his Taser at him. He's not so stoked after that. more ›

A Daily News reporter decided to show up to the Phillies' Citizens Bank Park in full Mets uniform and—surprise!—the Phillies fans were totally mean to him! He paraded around the stadium yelling "FIRST PLACE METS," but failed to win any converts to his side of the ongoing rivalry. One fan yelled "I hate the Mets more than any team in history right now. This makes me sick! I hope you have a terrible season." They won't if yesterday's 9-1 win is any indicator! more ›

Top this one, rowdy Yankees fans: A New Jersey man has raised the bar on boorishness by intentionally vomiting on an 11-year-old girl in the stands during Wednesday night's Phillies-Nationals game, police say. Clemmens allegedly began trying to force himself to vomit on off-duty police captain Michael Vangelo and his family after his buddy was ejected from the stadium for unruly behavior. Vangelo says he saw Clemmens shove his fingers down his throat, causing him to vomit on his daughter. "It was the most vile, disgusting thing I've ever seen," said Vangelo, "and I've been a cop for 20 years." more ›

The "gorgeous tall buxom blonde" woman who was accused of trying to trade sex for World Series tickets was found not guilty of prostitution yesterday—but was found guilty of attempted prostitution. Susan Finkelstein, 44, was caught by cops last fall after posting a Craigslist ad trying to procure tickets to see her beloved Phillies lose to the Yankees in the baseball finale. Finkelstein denied offering to engage in a three-way with an undercover officer, but did admit to sending him nude pictures of herself. more ›

Another Mets fan named Eric Metzger was sitting behind Cassidy and allegedly had been "giving Cassidy the business" for using his BlackBerry during the game, the Post reports. Cassidy's lawyer maintains that Metzger "intentionally and with reckless disregard of the safety of others, pushed [Cassidy, causing] him to fall numerous rows and upon [Massey]." But Massey's lawyer insists the Mets are still at fault, and tells the AP, "We have information that one of the security people might have spoken to [Cassidy] and let him leave." On the plus side, the Mets rallied to win 11-5. more ›

A 43-year-old married woman from West Philadelphia wasn't wearing underwear when she told an undercover cop, "I'm a whore. I love sex," in order to score World Series tickets, the officer testified yesterday. Susan Finkelstein of West Philadelphia, was arrested in late October and accused of offering various sex acts in exchange for tickets. Her troubles began after investigators noticed her Craigslist ad: "DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX. Diehard Phillies fan - gorgeous tall buxom blonde - in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable - I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!" more ›

Now that the World Series will see at least a Game 6, we have another day to enjoy Yankees fans talking smack about the Phillies and Phillies fans ridiculing the Yankees. Last night, the Daily Show tackled the rivalries that New York and Philadelphia fans have with each other in the Clash of the Cretins (yes, there was a woman with a Jagermeister thong outside her jeans—and she also had a "tramp stamp"). more ›

With the precognitive skills of Miss Cleo, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a three-quarter page Macy's ad in this morning's newspaper for a Phillies 2009 World Series Championship t-shirt. The Daily News reports, "in the ad world equivalent of the 'Dewey Defeats Truman' headline, the bungled banner in The Philadelphia Inquirer said 'Congratulations Phillies! Back-to-back Champs.'" Maybe Macy's just hired local amateur psychic Jimmy Rollins to write its copy! more ›

The Yankees face off with the Phillies tonight for Game 3 of the World Series. They headed to the city of Brotherly Love by way of a train from Penn Station—while fans cheered them in NY, there were Phillies fans ready to taunt them at the 30th Street Station. One Phanatic said, "This is a blue-collar town. We don't like people like A-Rod; guys like that who are on the covers of magazines. Our players put up the same numbers without all the glamour." more ›

There are ominous forecasts flying around spelling trouble for New York City's special visit to Philly this weekend. Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 in Philadelphia voted Sunday to authorize a regional transit strike as of 12:01 a.m. tonight if an agreement cannot be reached. SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority) spokesman Richard Maloney called the talks thus far '“constructive” but stopped short of saying any real progress was made," according to the Post. more ›

Okay, fine—this story makes us feel a little more guilty for complaining about the subway's seemingly slower service (seriously, what's been going on?): Before Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee dominated the Yankees during Game 1 of the World Series, he took the subway to Yankee Stadium because traffic from Manhattan to the Bronx was terrible. more ›

After last night's Game 1 loss to the Phillies, the Yankees are hoping to even up the World Series. Now, manager Joe Girardi is benching Nick Swisher. The AP, which calls him the "slumping outfielder," says Swisher will be replaced by Jerry Hairston Jr. who "is 10 for 27 in his career against Phillies starter Pedro Martinez." more ›

The insults keep flying in the pages of our beloved local rags in the build up to tonight's Game 1 showdown between the Yankees and "Frillies." The Post went out and interviewed "'Phil'istines" across Philly, only to come to the conclusion that, "If the Phillies are as soft as their fans, the Yankees could walk away with the Series in four with George Steinbrenner on the mound and Kate Hudson in the bullpen. These fans are softer than the bread their beloved cheesesteaks are served on." more ›

The Yankees are headed to their 40th World Series, but they will have to beat the defending-champion Phillies in order to capture their 27th crown. The Phillies are battle-tested and have a lineup that can belt it out of the park. Four different hitters had more than 30 home runs and the Phillies made quick work of their first two playoff opponents, losing only two games along the way. more ›

With the World Series set for a Yankees-Phillies showdown, Mets fans really caught in between a rock and a hard place. Do they root for their bitter division rival or their hated crosstown rival? Decisions! As Jon Stewart said last night, "I hate the Yankees and the Phillies...I'm a Mets fan. So, for me, [Sunday night] was like watching your wife f--- the Yankees and the Phillies!" more ›

With the Yankees about to play in their 40th World Series tomorrow night, the city is excited. Especially the NY Post and NY Daily News, which are going to town with numerous stories... and Shane Victorino gets the "Frilly" treatment on the Post's cover. One Post story is headlined: "Their fans are second rate & so is their city." more ›

Phillies 6, Mets 2: Well, at least watching the Mets lose to Philadelphia during the final six weeks of the season is a less painful this year with the team barely having any healthy legs to stand up on, let alone collapse onto. Ryan Howard smacked a three-run home run to left in the top of the first off of Bobby Parnell and the Phillies would never look back in this afternoon's finale of the four-game series at Citi Field. Today's loss puts the Mets 16 1/2 games behind the World Series champs and somehow the news just keeps getting worse. Johan Santana has been scratched from tomorrow's start in Florida with a sore elbow and might be shut down for the season. Billy Wagner made his second appearance today since returning from Tommy John surgery, pitching a scoreless 8th for the Mets. Word is that complications have arisen with the Red Sox' attempt to bring him to Boston off waivers—Wagner wants the Red Sox to agree that they will not pick up his option for next year nor offer him arbitration, leaving him the possibility to sign somewhere where he could end his career as a closer. more ›

The Philadelphia Phillies have beaten the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 tonight, winning the World Series four games to one. This is the Phillies' second World Series, their first being the 1980 win over Kansas City. Tonight was actually the second part of Game 5: The teams started Game 5 on Monday night, but the MLB decided to suspend the game due to rain in the middle of the sixth inning, with the score tied at 2-2. Tonight, the Phillies and Rays completed the remaining 3 1/2 innings, with the Phillies victorious, 4-3. Pitcher Cole Hamels, who won Game 1 and pitched six innings of Game 5, was named MVP (he's also the NLCS MVP). The Phillies are also the Mets' current division rival--the Amazin's have a bit of work to do! more ›

Rudy Giuliani better check his sports allegiances. While campaigning in Boston, a reporter asked the former mayor which team he would be cheering for in the World Series - the Colorado Rockies or the Boston Red Sox. To our surprise (and Bostonist's), he went with the Red Sox, "I'm rooting for the Red Sox. I'm an American League fan, and I go with the American League team, maybe with the exception of the Mets. Maybe that would be the one time I wouldn't because I'm loyal to New York." Last time we checked, the Yankees and Red Sox were bitter rivals. We're betting that you won't catch a Mets fan rooting for the Braves or Phillies in the World Series or a Giants fan rooting for the Cowboys or Eagles. more ›

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For a team used to making miracles, conjuring up a disaster had an especially bitter taste. With a sloppily played 8-1 loss to Florida and the Phillies' 6-1 win against the Nationals, the Mets' season ended about a month too early. The loss capped an agonizing stretch of two and a half weeks in which the Mets played some of the worst teams in the National League and still played their worst baseball of the season. more ›

A few months ago, a more unlikely scenario could not be imagined. The Yankees are barreling into the playoffs after recovering from one of the team's worst season starts in franchise history. The Mets, on the other hand, are staggering towards the end of the season having lost five straight and 11 of their last 15 games. A seemingly insurmountable lead in their division has been whittled to second place behind the Phillies, and the Mets have let a playoffs appearance escape from their control. Last night's game was almost emblematic of the horror show that has aired early before Halloween. Superstar David Wright couldn't locate third base for a force out. Faced with loaded bases, pitcher Oliver Perez hit two batters with errant throws. more ›

It took the Mets a little more than two weeks, but they've somehow managed to squander a seven-game lead in the National League East. Since September 12th, the lead has slowly gotten smaller and is now zero, zilch, zip, nadda, nil. With three games left in the regular season, the Mets are tied with the Phillies for first in the NL East. The last time the Mets weren't in sole possession of first place - May 15th! How did they get to where they are now? Starting on Sept. 14th, the Mets went 4-10, including a 5-game losing streak and a 4-game losing streak. It didn't help that the Phillies went on a tear during the same stretch of games, including a three-game sweep of the Mets. more ›

How this team breaks out of these doldrums is hard to imagine. The Mets only got one runner to second base in Thursday’s loss and had only four base runners in the game. The offense hasn’t scored in fourteen innings and you already know about the bullpen. The good news, if there is any, is that Florida is coming to town this weekend. The Mets took three-of-four from them on the road last weekend, so they know how to beat the Marlins and now they have to. more ›