METS PUSH BACK PEDRO'S RETURN  —  The pitching help that the struggling Mets could use most - three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez - won't be arriving anytime soon.  —  GM Omar Minaya told The Post the Mets now expect a strained left hamstring to sideline Martinez until at least the middle of May - and possibly into June.

LO DUCA WANTS METS ‘TO LOSE EVERY GAME’  —  RETURNS TO SHEA WITH NATIONALS TONIGHT  —  It is reunion night at Shea when the Nationals come into Flushing to take on the Mets for the start of a three-game series.  —  The Mets' makeover after last season's collapse involved trading clubhouse …

Schilling laughs off Yankee talk  —  Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling reiterated this morning his previous assertion that he would not consider pitching for the Yankees next season, despite comments to the contrary from his personal doctor.  —  “[Schilling] called me when he was angry …

Manny's homer in ninth topples Tribe  —  Ortiz has crucial two-out hit to set up win against Borowski  —  CLEVELAND — Bloop and a blast isn't usually the combination that comes to mind when you think of the star-studded tandem of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, the boppers who sit in the middle …

Brewers supposedly have signed Weaver  —  I received a tip from a reliable source this morning that the Brewers have signed free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver to an incentive-laden deal.  —  I'm traveling to St. Louis this morning and won't be able to get it confirmed with club management until later …

Texas Rangers to honor Jackie Robinson  —  myoung@dallasnews.com  —  When the Texas Rangers take the field this afternoon in Arlington, it'll be hard to identify the players or the coaches by their numbers.  —  It's by design.  —  All the Rangers - as part of “Jackie Robinson Day” …

Piazza Coming To The Bronx?  —  Up until the last few days, Yankees' GM Brian Cashman has often resisted the temptation of putting Mike Piazza in pinstripes.  But with his current catching situation (and don't forget prospect Francisco Cervelli is still out with a broken wrist) …

JORGE MULLS HIS OPTIONS  —  Jorge Posada is mulling the pros and cons of getting a cortisone shot in his ailing right shoulder.  —  “It's 50/50 it would work because of where the problem is,” Posada told The Post during batting practice last night at Tropicana Field.

Number of black MLB players drops to 8.2 percent  —  ORLANDO, Fla. — Major League Baseball received its best grade for racial diversity in hiring, even as the percentage of black players dropped again last year.  —  MLB received its first A-minus for race Tuesday from Richard Lapchick …

One-game playoff won't be forgotten  —  Rockies, Padres fought for 13 innings for Wild Card berth  —  The Rockies rejoiced and the Padres went home.  —  One moment, two teams and a season defined for both that became indelible stamps that fans of each franchise will remember forever.

McLouth's ninth-inning blast ignites Pirates, 6-4  —  Three-run shot off Dodgers' closer comes after two outs  —  LOS ANGELES — One of these days, Nate McLouth is going to come back and touch Terra Firma.  —  Not quite yet, apparently.  —  He stepped to the box with two outs in the ninth inning …

Money not buying happiness for Yankees, Mets  —  The Mets and Yankees have spent a combined $346,874,953 on ballplayers for the 2008 season.  So far, this is what it has gotten them: 12 wins, 13 losses, third place in the National League East and fourth place in the American League East.

How will ball tracking analysis change the game?  —  One of my favorite baseball books is Pure Baseball by Keith Hernandez.  It is an in-depth look at two games from the 1993 season, at-bat by at- bat, pitch by pitch, with Hernandez as the narrator and baseball teacher.