HERE'S just what you're looking for sports fans: A WAC Breakup-, Viagra-, and Interleague Debate-Free Zone. That's all we're promising today. Big Apple again at
core of baseball worldIf you're old enough, you remember Willie, Mickey and the Duke, back when the center fielders were the center of attention and New York was the center of the baseball world.
Hideo, Masato and Hideki doesn't have quite the same ring. But could pitchers Nomo, Yoshii and Irabu help signal a return to glory days for the Big Apple?
Hai.
When you toss in a hot Super Supreme Piazza to go, the possibility of a Subway Series in Gotham's near future looks even brighter.
The Dodgers left New York between the 1957 and '58 seasons. Nobody knew they'd return 40 years later.
Rupert Murdoch seems to have out-Foxed himself in not giving Piazza the money the best hitting catcher of all-time (sorry Bill Dickey, Mickey Cochrane, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella and Thurman Munson) wanted to stay in L.A. The media mogul also ended up losing a disheartened Nomo, a pal of Piazza's who felt his friend was treated shabbily by the organization.
YOU can see the puppet strings attached to Dodger general manager Fred Claire as he tries to say with a straight face how much Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael -- the journeymen he got in return for Nomo and Brad Clontz -- can help the club. If 20 teams were really after Nomo, couldn't Los Angeles have gotten a better deal?
Some are saying Nomo's arm is shot after surgery. But if you watched him pitch against Cincinnati last weekend, you might agree it was his heart, not his arm, that was hurting. His concentration wasn't there, and you could see in his body language that there were other places he'd rather be.
Forget Nomo's mediocre numbers (2-7, 5.05) for a minute.
A change of coasts, as he rejoins his former batterymate, Piazza, and former teammate in Japan, Yoshii, could be all he needs. And it could be all the Mets need.
Although New York is eight games behind the Atlanta Braves, it is right there in the wild-card hunt. With the additions of Nomo and Piazza -- and a healthy Todd Hundley, or what he can fetch in a trade -- Bobby Valentine's team could still be there in September.
The Mets added star appeal to a competent club that already was a contender. Piazza brings needed pop to the middle of the lineup and Nomo augments the most complete pitching staff in baseball. Yeah, you read right Braves fans. The Mets' deep relief corps offsets any edge that Atlanta's rotation of aces gives it.
Need proof? The Mets have the best ERA in baseball at 3.11. Al Leiter (5-3, 1.74) and Yoshii (4-1, 2.25) are among the National League leaders.
THE Yankees also are loaded with arms, and unless they all fall off between now and August and shortstop Derek Jeter misses more time than expected, they're a lock.
Watch out when David Cone and Andy Pettite, the guys who were supposed to be the aces, get right. So far Cone's biggest contribution was keeping David Wells loose during the latter's perfect game by telling him to throw knuckleballs in the eighth inning.
Don't laugh, but "Boo-Boo" Irabu could be on his way to a Cy Young award. He hasn't had a bad outing this season.
George Steinbrenner learned his lesson about putting undue pressure on foreign imports with Irabu last year, and has insisted on bringing Orlando Hernandez along slowly. If Wednesday's performance is any indication, Steinbrenner might be taking it too easy on the Cuban refugee.
So there's no mo' Nomo in L.A. and the Piazza's been delivered.
Strawberry is willing to brawl for his teammates, Wells is Mr. Perfect and Boo-Boo wasn't a boo-boo.
You read it here first: the Fall Classic will be a Sinatra special.
Start spreading the news. New York, New York.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at dreardon@hmsa.com.
