Former Knicks guard Nate Robinson was arrested for driving with a suspended license Tuesday in the Bronx. While waiting for the New York police to return from the cruiser, Robinson took a moment to update his mobile Twitter account, the New York Post reports.

“Cops pulled me over cuz my windows were 2 dark (but my windows were down) lol how funny is that.”

That wasn’t all.

“Iam still pulled over and its been 35 min they have me sit in my truck like I dnt have s#*+2 do lol.”

Robinson later deleted the tweets from his account, since it can’t be good for the still-unsigned free agent’s PR reputation. Robinson continues looking for more than the one-year qualifying offer the Knicks already offered him this season.

We’ll see how Knicks GM Donnie Walsh feels about that when he returns from his vacation in Indiana.

"I do not think I will be here," Sheffield told the New York Post. "But if I am sent to a team that I don't want to play for, I would go home."

If the Mets waive their 40-year-old outfielder a second time, they would be unable to reclaim him if another teams opts to snag him.

According to the Post, the Rangers and Marlins seem to be the likeliest Sheffield suitors at this point. The MLB waiver trade deadline is Aug. 31.

Sheffield is batting .290 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs for the Mets this season.

And also reportedly taking a page or two out of the Miami Dolphins’ 2008 playbook, specifically the ones that destroyed the New England Patriots in Week 3 of last season.

According to NJ.com, the Jets have been practicing the Wildcat formation for much of Tuesday morning’s practice. Running back Leon Washington has been taking most of the direct snaps with the first-team offense, while former Missouri quarterback-turned-Jets wide receiver Brad Smith has been working with the twos.

Names like Ramon Sessions, Carlos Boozer and Grant Hill have been in the Knicks’ rumor mill all summer long, as the team looks to patch together a franchise decimated during the Isiah Thomas era. With GM Donnie Walsh continuing his search for the missing parts outside the organization, re-signing New York’s veterans has been put on the backburner, and Knicks free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson remain unsigned.

"It's been a little frustrating, but my agent came up a couple of weeks ago, and we had a meeting with Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni and found out where we were, and the purpose behind what's going on, and it kind of all makes sense to me now," Lee told lohud.com. "We agreed on what I thought I was worth, so it's not a money issue. What it comes down to is they need their flexibility for the 2010 summer. Whether they can get LeBron [James] or not, they need to have the flexibility to make a run at a guy like that. And that's completely understandable from my standpoint. We're going to continue to work on a few sign-and-trade possibilities. Otherwise, we'll continue to work on a one-year deal."

Signing a guard like Sessions or even Jason Kidd would mean Chris Duhon would be demoted to a more limited role off the New York bench. But if it means more W’s in the win column, the former Duke Blue Devil is all for it.

"If we get a guy like Sessions in, it's only going to make our team better," Duhon told Newsday.com. "That was my thought process throughout the whole time. If we get a guy like Jason Kidd, we're going to be better. If we get a guy like Grant Hill, we're going to be better. Andre Miller, we're going to be better.

"I've always been a team player. It's never been about me as a player. It's always been about the team. Whoever we bring here that makes us better, gives us a chance to win, bring 'em in."

Saito earned a win and a hold in his only two appearances last week. He pitched an inning in each outing, allowing just one total hit, no walks and no runs, while striking out two.

Saito has not allowed a run in four straight appearances, dating back to Aug. 4, when he allowed a walk-off home run to Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in extra innings. His ERA now sits at an even 3.00, a very respectable number for the Sox’ short-relief righty.

Junichi Tazawa is the Amica Pitcher of the Week runner-up. He earned his first career win against the Tigers on Aug. 11, pitching five innings while allowing just one earned run (three total) on four hits and two walks to go along with six strikeouts.

Josh Beckett also pitched well in his only start of the week, going seven strong innings against the Tigers at Fenway. He allowed just two runs (both solo homers) on three hits and a walk while striking out six Detroit batters.

Neither Ryan Westmoreland nor Casey Kelly appeared on the supposed choose-five-of-eight list offered to the Mariners for Felix Hernandez, a list that included Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Josh Reddick and Michael Bowden, among others.

Why would Theo Epstein be willing to sacrifice young, major league contributors before a pair of unproven teenagers? Let’s find out.

Westmoreland is a 19-year-old center fielder from Portsmouth, R.I. He stands at 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, bats lefty, throws righty. The Red Sox selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB draft. He’s compared to the Indians’ Grady Sizemore, one of the most complete five-tool players in the game today.

Named the 2007 Rhode Island High School Player of the Year, Westmoreland was rated one of the best high school prospects in all of New England. Sophomore year of high school, his first at the varsity level, was his roughest. He only batted .451 and had an OBP of .533. His slugging percentage was down that year too, at a mere .670.

His junior and senior years combined, Westmoreland batted .494 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs in just 166 at-bats, not to mention his dominant pitching statistics that are all but irrelevant at this point.

This year, his first in professional baseball, Westmoreland is batting .291 with six home runs and 27 RBIs in 179 at-bats as the Single-A Lowell Spinners’ DH — he’s coming off labrum surgery from last November and is not yet ready to play center field. His patience has also impressed his coaches, as he’s drawn 32 walks, good for a .401 on-base percentage.

“He’s very advanced for his age — as far as once he gets in the batter’s box, he commands the strike zone,’’ Spinners manager Gary DiSarcina told The Boston Globe’s Adam Kilgore earlier this month). “With Ryan, it’s been from Day 1. That’s what’s surprised me. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he was a college kid.

“There’s no missing him. If any scout came to our game, they’d pencil down: ‘He’s a can’t-miss.’’’

Epstein’s pen scribbles: “Do not trade!”

Because of Westmoreland’s unique situation, Kelly’s name has grabbed more headlines in 2009, including one from Yahoo Sports columnist Jeff Passan.

Kelly truly is a unique talent and he’s currently the guinea pig of a Babe Ruth-like Red Sox experiment. The Sox’ first-round draft pick from 2008 spent the rest of ’08 (post-high school) playing shortstop in the Gulf Coast League and then in Lowell — batting .344 in nine games as an 18-year-old for the Spinners. He then went to the mound in Greenville and Salem (both Single-A Red Sox affiliates) for the first half of 2009, before returning to the field for the second half.

That was the agreement. The other option? Playing quarterback at the University of Tennessee, a spot formerly occupied by a guy named Peyton Manning. You might have heard of him.

“I mean, I’ve had a lot of success pitching,” Kelly told Passan last month. “It’s kind of crazy. I want to play shortstop, but should I?”

Good question. Pitchers are often valued higher than position players in the minor leagues. And Kelly’s low 90s fastball, 12-to-6 curveball and solid changeup make him an indispensible asset for Epstein. In 95 innings in Single-A, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound righty was a combined 7-5 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.85 WHIP.

A no-brainer to keep him on the mound? Problem is, he wants to play every day. And he might just be good enough to do it, too. He’s considered an excellent fielder with above-average range to complement a rocket arm from the hole. But he’s struggled a bit from the plate since returning to the batter’s box from the mound, batting just .242 with one home run in 66 at-bats for the Greenville Drive.

He’ll have to improve those numbers as the Casey Kelly Experiment continues, if he wants to convince Theo and Co. that he’s a hitter and not a pitcher.

Or maybe he can pitch every fifth day: they can DH for the shortstop and keep him in the lineup. That sounds like a fair compromise. Sure beats letting him become a Volunteer.

Last season, no one took the Tampa Bay Rays seriously. They sat atop the AL East throughout the dog days of summer, and yet, there was still the notion that they were going to blow it. These were the Rays, we were talking about. They were that bottom-feeding team that didn’t know how to spell October since their inaugural season in 1998. They simply didn’t belong in the playoff discussion.

Until October rolled around, and they were playing the Phillies in the World Series.

This year, the Texas Rangers have assumed that role.

Though the Rangers sit 4 1/2 games behind the Angels in the AL West, they are very much alive in the wild card race — just a game behind the Red Sox. A weekend series win puts them in sole possession of first place.

How? It’s the same question we all asked about Tampa a year ago. The Rangers have been one of the most poorly-developed franchises this decade. They haven’t made the postseason since 1999, haven’t really come close, for that matter.

But they’ve had the hitting. All decade long the Rangers have had one of the most feared lineups in baseball. It’s been their pitching that’s let them down. So what did they do? Nothing, except trade Edinson Volquez to Cincinnati for Josh Hamilton straight up before 2008. Sure, Hamilton had an MVP-like season for much of last year, but would China trade for rice, even if it were really good rice? Volquez was an ’08 All-Star, too, an arm the Rangers desperately needed.

But honestly, how have the Rangers suddenly become serious contenders on Aug. 14?

It starts with Kevin Millwood and ends with four guys you’ve probably never heard of. Millwood has reinvented himself this season, solidifying himself as the ace of this young Rangers staff. He’s 9-7 in 2009 with a 3.38 ERA in a hitter-friendly park in Arlington. Don’t ask how, but at age 34, he’s simply getting the job done.

Then comes the slew of no-namers: Scott Feldman (12-4, 3.90 ERA), Tommy Hunter (5-2, 2.26), Dustin Nippert (3-1, 3.62 ERA) and Derek Holland (5-7, 5.04). That’s the Texas rotation. On paper, nothing special. On the mound, downright effective.

Of course the bats are still there. With Hank Blalock, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, Marlon Byrd and Nelson Cruz, there’s no shortage of productive lumber in Arlington and there hasn’t been in years.

But Scott Feldman at 12-4? Surprising, but did you foresee Grant Balfour having a 1.54 ERA in 51 appearances a year ago? Baseball can be unpredictable.

It seems as though the Rangers are the 2009 version of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox better hope that’s just a metaphor.

If you don’t have kids, you’ll tell your future ones how your heart sank and how you never wanted to believe it, but deep down it really didn’t surprise you.

July 30 of course was the day Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz’s names were leaked as part of "The List." The news made you sick to your stomach, but at least you can go on with your life, your job, whatever you do.

Ortiz can’t. Well, at least he can’t seem to.

That afternoon, Big Papi belted the game-winning, three-run home run in an 8-5 Red Sox win over the A’s at Fenway. He homered in his next game, on trade deadline day, too.

But since then, since the calendar’s were turned to August, Papi’s numbers have sunk faster than a cinder block tossed into the deep end. The news and backlash has obviously had a direct correlation with his offensive decline.

Papi is batting a dismal .114 (5-for-44) since Aug. 1 with just two runs, two RBIs and one extra base hit, a double which came back on Aug. 1. After swinging a hot bat in June and July, he’s gone back to being igloo cold. Papi-in-April-and-May cold.

But it’s not so much the declining numbers that have worried Red Sox Nation the most. It’s how he’s physically looked at the plate over his last 11 games. And to put it mildly, he looks like a lifelong righty swinging from the left side of the plate.

It’s the way he waves at pitches. He’s off-balance on every other offering. Off-speed stuff baffles him like he’s never seen a curveball before. He’s light years behind 91-mph fastballs.

If you think confidence is an overrated mental tool, you’re dead wrong. It’s obvious Ortiz has lost his. After every strikeout, down goes his head as he shuffles back to the dugout. He looks like a nine-year-old whose best friend just moved to Kansas.

Maybe Papi can turn things around before it’s time to bring out the pumpkins. No one thought he could before, and he did, temporarily. Terry Francona believes in him, even if you don’t.

But what if he continues to slide? Will he still bat fifth? Will Francona pinch-hit for him late in games, as he opted not to do in Thursday’s loss to Detroit? Will he ever sit out?

The addition of Victor Martinez and Casey Kotchman give Francona more options not named Ortiz. He has viable backups (Mike Lowell has to be considered one, at this point, since Ortiz, Martinez, Lowell and Kevin Youkilis all can’t be in the lineup at the same time) that can get the job done.

Now’s not the time to pull the plug on Papi. But in the midst of a pennant race, this team can ill afford to have an automatic out in the middle of its lineup. That’s what they’ve had all month long. It’s why they’re 5-7 since Papi’s last home run, ironically the same day they acquired Martinez from Cleveland.

The National Football Post claims that Jones could be on his way out of New York, referencing that the last time Jones was unhappy about his contract situation, he headed east from Chicago to the Big Apple.

“Bolstered by the addition of rookie Shonn Greene, the New York Jets are gauging trade interest in running back Thomas Jones and have placed a call to an NFC West club, a league source said,” writes the Post’s Brad Biggs.

About three hours after the Post posted Biggs’ report, the Star-Ledger directly nullified the so-called rumor, claiming that the Jets have no plans to move Jones, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the team’s plans.

“The stellar play of rookie Shonn Greene in training camp thus far could make Jones expendable, but the Jets are standing pat right now with the trio of Jones, Greene and Leon Washington,” writes Dave Hutchinson.

Jones’ contract does not expire until after the 2010 season, but he is due a $3 million bonus after ’09, which could very well make him a salary cap casualty at that point, especially considering the Jets’ crowded, talented backfield.

After losing veterans Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress this offseason, the New York Giants have a large void to fill at the wide receiver position in 2009.

The man with the largest frame of the bunch is impressing coaches, colleagues and quarterbacks alike.

Former Cal Poly wideout Ramses Barden — the Giants’ third-round pick in this year’s draft — is slowly climbing his way up Eli Manning’s target depth chart. All 78 inches (6-foot-6) of him are exceeding expectations early in Giants training camp.

"Ramses is doing really well," Manning told NJ.com. "He's a big target. He's made some plays, and he seems like he's got a pretty good feel for what's going on."

His fellow receivers are praising the literal Giant, too.

"That one-handed catch was terrific,” Sinorice Moss told the Web site. “That's the kind of stuff we need. Using his size and those big hands, that's the kind of stuff you should expect from him. I know I do."

Barden hauled in 67 passes for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2008 for the Mustangs in college football’s Football Championship Subdivision. That includes 83 yards and a touchdown at Wisconsin, Cal Poly’s only opponent from a BCS conference. He finished his Mustangs career with 206 receptions, 4,203 yards and 50 touchdowns.

Needless to say, Barden is used to out-jumping defenders, coming down with catches and impressing those around him. His immediate success doesn’t surprise him.

"I know what I'm capable of," he said. "All I'm doing is trying to be the player I can be. As far as surprises, they have to do with expectations. I didn't really come into this with expectations at all."

But it was Sanchez’s name that head coach Rex Ryan mentioned first on Tuesday.

"[Sanchez] looked like a million dollars out there,” Ryan told the New York Post. “And Kellen looked good, too.''

Though Ryan said Clemens will start, he also noted that Sanchez will see action Friday with the offensive starters.

"Sanchez will get work with the ones as well, but when exactly that will be and for how long is not determined,'' Ryan told the Post.

He mentioned no front-runner in terms of who will be the team’s regular-season opening day starter, when the Jets take on the Texans in Houston on Sept. 13.

The latter two have been valuable assets for the Bombers in 2009. Kennedy, meanwhile, has been nothing short of a disappointment.

According to the New York Post, Kennedy threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, the first pitches he’s thrown off a mound since undergoing surgery on May 12 to remove an aneurysm from below his right biceps.

The 24-year-old right-hander hopes to make a minor league appearance before season’s end.

But Portsmouth’s three-run rally fell one run short, as it fell to the Connecticut representatives, 5-4, despite outhitting Glastonbury 6-4.

Shortstop Andrew Takahashi went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored at the top of the Glastonbury (2-1) lineup.

Jake Becker and Justis Mattis each homered for Portsmouth (1-1) in a losing effort.

Beckett was the only Sox hurler to make two starts between Aug. 1-7, and he dazzled in both performances. He was also the only Sox starter to earn a victory, as the Sox went 2-4 to begin the new calendar page.

In his the two starts combined (at Baltimore and at New York), Beckett struck out 12, while allowing only 10 hits and four walks in 14 innings of work. He did not give up a run in either appearance.

His seven-inning outing in Baltimore to start the post-trade deadline season earned Beckett his 13th win of the season, while a similar seven-inning performance in the Bronx left the hard-throwing righty with a no-decision, before Junichi Tazawa served up a hanging slider to Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the 15th inning to break a 0-0 tie in his major league debut.

Nonetheless, Beckett was dominant, as he currently sits at 13-4 with a declining 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and an increasing strikeout total of 139 on the season.

Hideki Okajima had a strong week out of the Sox bullpen. The lefty made four appearances, while yielding just three hits in four shutout innings of work. He also collected three strikeouts and a hold on Aug. 4, before Daniel Bard blew a save in the eighth inning in Tampa Bay, surrendering a game-tying home run to Evan Longoria.

Though his lone start of the week was wasted by a struggling Red Sox offense and Bard’s blown save, Jon Lester once again was on cruise control on the mound. He tossed six innings of one-run ball in Tampa Bay on Aug. 4, striking out 10 Rays while scattering only three hits and a pair of walks. The no-decision left Lester with a mediocre 9-7 record, despite owning a solid 3.67 ERA on the season.

According to the Seattle Times, Epstein sent a list of eight prospects to the Mariners and told them to choose five in return for 23-year-old right-hander Felix Hernandez. The M’s didn’t bite.

But who were those eight prospects and where do they fit into the Red Sox’ future plans? Let’s take a look.

No. 1 on the list was right-hander Clay Buchholz. He’s the most obvious major league-ready starter the Red Sox have, as evidenced by his current place in their big league rotation, not to mention his 2007 no-hitter at Fenway against the Baltimore Orioles. The right-hander — who turns 25 on Aug. 15 — has had a bumpy ride in the majors over the past two seasons. He is 1-1 in 2009 with a 6.05 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP, after going 2-9 in 2008. He has the stuff to be a No. 2 or even No. 1 starter on a major league staff, but some scouts question his maturity and mental toughness. Still, the Sox believe he will be a vital part of their future. That’s why he’s still in a Boston uniform.

Some say Daniel Bard is more valuable to the Sox’ future than even Buchholz may be. But he too was on the supposed list sent to Seattle. Bard has been masterful in the eighth-inning role most of the season, with a blistering fastball that can top 100 mph. He has a 2.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and opponents are batting under .200 against him. His 11.25 K/9 ratio is astounding, as many believe he will someday be the heir to Jonathan Papelbon’s closer throne.

Justin Masterson and Nick Hagadone were also on the list, but both were subsequently sent to Cleveland in the Victor Martinez deal Friday afternoon. Masterson was reliable in the eighth-inning spot — now occupied by Bard — last postseason, but was inconsistent in the Sox’ 2009 bullpen, which happens to be the best in the major leagues. The Indians plan on making him a starter. He has a devastating two-seam fastball and changeup, but will have to learn how to consistently retire left-handed batters if he wants to succeed as a middle-of-the-rotation starter in the future.

Most people thought that landing Martinez without giving up either Buchholz, Bard or Michael Bowden was a steal for the Sox. But Epstein was reluctant to give up Hagadone, too. The 6-foot-5, 23-year-old left-hander is coming off Tommy John surgery in 2008. He has a live fastball that tops out at 98 mph. He was 0-2 with Single-A Greenville this season, but had 32 strikeouts in just 25 innings of work. Remember his name as he climbs through the Indians’ farm system.

Just behind Buchholz comes Bowden. Some scouts actually value Bowden over Buchholz. Bowden — a 6-foot-3 right-hander who turns 23 in September — is only 3-5 with Pawtucket, but has a 3.40 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in over 100 innings of work. He got his first major league win in 2008 given just one try, and pitched two scoreless innings of relief against the Yankees earlier this year. Scouts project him as a solid third starter in the majors, comparing him to a Jeff Suppan prototype.

A week ago, not many people had heard of Josh Reddick. But after hitting .313 with three doubles and a home run in his first four major league games, Reddick’s name has quickly become a popular one among Red Sox Nation. He was optioned back to Pawtucket before Wednesday’s game to make room for another arm in the bullpen, but if Jason Bay and J.D. Drew remain banged up, expect to see Reddick’s name in the lineup, especially if he continues to produce. Unless the Sox don’t re-sign Bay before 2010, there may not be a spot for Reddick in Boston long-term. But the higher the numbers, the higher his trade value becomes.

The two names on the list that you might not recognize are Double-A shortstop Yamaico Navarro and Double-A left-hander Felix Doubront. Navarro was called up from Single-A Salem to replace Argenis Diaz’s spot on the Portland roster after he was traded to Pittsburgh for Adam LaRoche. Navarro – undrafted from the Dominican Republic – was batting .319 in Salem with four home runs and 17 RBIs in 94 at-bats. He can play third and second base as well, but needs more plate discipline if he wants to fit into the Red Sox’ on-base-heavy approach. He’s still a work in progress at just 21 years old.

Doubront — another 21-year-old — is 6-4 with a 3.68 ERA in Portland this season. He has a fastball that tops out at 91 mph and is still developing a consistent changeup and curveball. Like his new teammate Navarro, he’s far from contributing on a major league level.

Who’s hot?
Brian Anderson is batting .303 with three home runs and six RBIs in 10 games with Pawtucket since being traded to the Red Sox from Chicago for Mark Kotsay. Expect to see Anderson in the Red Sox’ dugout when the rosters expand in September, and expect to see him in the batter’s box or on the base paths if he continues to be productive.

Who’s not?
Chris Duncan. Since being traded from St. Louis for Julio Lugo, Duncan is batting a dismal .176 in 15 games with the PawSox. He may be snapping out his funk, though. He went 2-for-4 with a double and home run against Norfolk on Thursday.

Quote of the week
"[Josh Reddick] took a lot of, probably nervous energy, which I'm sure he had, and transformed it to a guy that helped us win some games. I was proud of him. We all were. He's got a lot to learn. He's a young kid. But he came from Double-A, had all that nervousness, and he took some pretty good swings. He was aggressive, he was energetic. Guys liked him. There's a lot to like about him. He's just a nice country friendly kid that likes to play baseball. He's got some thunder in his bat. It's another exciting kid that hopefully is coming through that can help us win."
– Terry Francona on mlb.com

What to watch for
Now is the time when the prospects begin to get excited about the prospect of getting called up to the big club in September.

The eight-game schedule includes a “home game” in Hartford, Conn., against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 14. It will be the C’s first game in Hartford since 1995.

The Celtics will also take on the Rockets, Knicks and Nets, before culminating the exhibition season in Columbus, Ohio against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Celtics preseason tickets go on sale Thursday, Aug. 27. Go to Celtics.com for more details.

Ocean Spray announced its first-ever “Ocean Spray Tailgating Recipe Contest” on Thursday. Beginning Aug. 6, Patriots tailgaters are invited to submit their original Ocean Spray recipes to www.oceanspray.com/tailgating. The winner receives a prize package that includes a pair of tickets to the Patriots’ home game Oct. 18 against the Tennessee Titans.

Original recipes must include at least a half cup of any Ocean Spray product. Contestants must be New England residents.

Three finalists will be selected for the final cook-off, which will be held in Patriot Place on Oct. 15. Patriots Hall of Famer John Hannah will judge the contest and announce the ultimate winner.

Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens and rookie Lester Hudson, among other volunteers, handed out non-perishable food and personal care items to 400 Boston families Tuesday as part of the Feed the Children event held in Mattapan. The families were pre-selected by several Boston-area organizations.

The items filled an 18-wheel truck and their cost totaled $45,000. The volunteers unloaded 1,200 boxes and distributed them accordingly.

Feed the Children is a 30-year old Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization based out of Oklahoma City, Okla. Last year, Feed the Children shipped 133 million pounds of food and other essentials to children and families in all 50 U.S. states as well as 34 foreign countries.

The two-time All-Star signed a five-year contract extension, keeping the 25-year-old in Portland for the next half-decade.

The report was confirmed by his agent, Bob Myers, according to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford.

The exact amount of the contract will not be determined until next July, when the new NBA salary cap is set. The deal is reported to pay him around $14 million for the 2010-11 season, with 10-15 percent yearly raises through the end of the contract.

Roy will make just under $4 million this season, the final year of his rookie deal.

Perfection is virtually impossible for an NFL quarterback to achieve, but Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez is hoping that practice will at least make him New York’s starting signal-caller in 2009.

“I feel a lot better,” Sanchez told jetsblog.com on Tuesday. “This is the third time the plays have been installed. First in OTA (Organized Team Activities), then we had a couple days of practice right before we reported for camp in Cortland [N.Y.], and now I’m getting all of these plays for the third time. It’s really starting to sink in. I’m feeling good. I’m asking the right questions, and I’m performing a lot better. It’s good.”

Sanchez, who is competing with veteran Kellen Clemens for the Jets’ starting quarterback spot, is starting to feel more comfortable.

“I felt good,” Sanchez said of Tuesday’s seven-on-seven drills. “I felt ‘right on.’ I was delivering the ball well, the guys were running the right routes, and it shows that the chemistry is getting better and better, and things are improving.”

He and his coaches are equally anxious to see what Sanchez can do in game-like situations in the team’s Green-White scrimmage Thursday.

“[I want to] just [keep] being smart and managing the game [well] and being smart with the ball,” Sanchez said. “Also moving the chains and knowing the situation.  In practice every day, you work on a specific situation. [Tuesday], it was short yardage and goal line. Sometimes, it’s four-minute offense, two-minute offense, and in the scrimmage, any of those situations [could] pop up at any time. It’s time to put all that practice into play, know what situation it is, and show that by the way you play.”