In case anyone was still under the impression that the Mayor would even think about supporting Staten Island Council Member James Oddo to replace State Sen. Marchi ... here's an exchange from today's Staten Island Advance.

"Replacing John Marchi with Jimmy Oddo is like Babe Dahlgren taking over for Lou Gehrig," a high-ranking City Hall source told the Advance.

..."I'm sorry that my independence continues to blister their paint," said Oddo, one of the leading Island Republicans look at the Marchi seat. "But who cares who he supports?"

...But Oddo yesterday said "would not expect" Bloomberg's support if he made the run, "wouldn't care" if he got it, and doesn't think a Bloomberg endorsement would have much affect on the race one way or the other.

He added that it was "laughable" for anyone in billionaire Bloomberg's administration to make baseball analogies.

"They should quote Martha Stewart," Oddo said. "They wouldn't know a baseball if it hit them on the head."