Dear Santa.......

It's time we send our wish lists to the man at the North Pole. At this point, my teams are going to need all the help they can get if they're going to amount to anything in 2008. If this doesn't work, I'll have to resort to lighting candles and praying. Maybe I should try to get Father Carmine to issue a blessing like the one he gave to Rocky Balboa in "Rocky".
Either way, here goes.......

1. The Rangers need defense. Go figure, once the offense starts coming together, the defense disappears. I think we've all seen that Lundqvist is a world class goalie, maybe the best on the planet, but hockey's a team sport and he can't do it all alone. I would prefer not to deal any of the defensive gems they have on the roster or in the system, but I would love to see them get a shut-down type defenseman. Someone with a mean streak who won't let an opposing player pitch a tent in front of Lundqvist all game.

2. The Giants need more consistency. Especially from Eli. We all the know the defense is the strength of the team, but even they have been erradic of late. Coughlin needs to summons up the spirit of Jimmy Hoffa and whatever other ghosts might lurk in the Meadowlands and make sure he can protect the Giants because they'll need all the help they can get. Please make the offense somewhat potent. I'm not asking for Eli to be Peyton, but at be a Manning. And the defense needs to revive themselves and play like they did during that 6 game winning streak that feels like it was 100 years ago.

3. The Mets need pitching.....BAD! This request is a blanket statement that covers the bullpen and the rotation. Please make Omar Minaya know something we don't and have something up his sleeve because right now my faith is not strong with the crew we've got right now. I can't be anymore specific than to simply say the Mets need pitching. Oh yeah, and a bench too.

4. Make the Yankees suck. Of course I'm a Mets fan and always want to see the Yankees struggle just to shut up all the smug Yankees fan out there, but this year is different. Joe Torre was treated poorly and it would be nice to show the Steinbrenner family that they made a mistake in letting him. So, for the sake of a classy guy (who by the way was a Met a long time before he was ever a Yankee), I would love to see the Yankees not make the playoffs and show the Steinbrenners that Torre did in fact do good for that organization.

5. FIRE ISIAH!