If the Metropolitans (leading 5-3 after 4 1/2) hang on this afternoon at CBP, they’ll have taken 3 consecutive from the Phillies and 8 of their last 9. That would be an impressive enough achievement coming off a miserable prior 3 weeks of play, but it’s especially noteworthy in light of Paulie Large Nuts’ verbal hate crimes and the way he has singlehandedly fashioned a work environment marked by intolerance and fear.

It was just two weeks ago that a national magazine described David Wright and Jose Reyes “hugging and tussling like puppies.”   But last night, the former, impressionable as always —- in a video clip provided by Pick Me Up Some Mets — was shown engaged in the vicious hazing of teammate Ramon Castro.

Clearly, it is time for Omar Minaya to enlist the calming influence of a person so universally beloved, he’s the one man capable of cutting through the racial cliques and bringing this team back together.

Does anyone have John Franco’s phone number?