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Sports Watch
AS a Yankee fan -- that is, until manager Joe Torre and pitcher Roger Clemens hang up their pinstripes -- I'm worried about my team in the World Series against New York's other team, the Mets. Picking Mets could
lead to Yankees’ winI can give you a top-10 list of reasons why the Mets will win the World Series, starting Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
For one, everyone in Hawaii is pulling for the Mets because of Benny Agbayani, who had as amazing a season.
The No. 1 reason, though, why the Mets will win is that they aren't playing the Atlanta Braves.
Say Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and the Mets break out in a cold sweat and roll over like a pet dog.
So when the St. Louis Cardinals swept the Braves out of the National League playoffs, the Mets were overjoyed. They were first to breathe a collective sigh of relief, not having to face their nemesis.
Compared to the Braves, the San Francisco Giants and the Cardinals were no problem to the Mets in the playoffs.
Not only are they physically and mentally fresh, the Mets have no pressure again. It's on the Yankees. They're supposed to win, right?
Also, the Mets came into the playoffs with an upbeat finish to the season, while the Yankees staggered into the American League playoffs, backing into the AL East title.
The pitching rotation appears to favor the Mets as well. They'll start Mike Hampton and Al Leiter, both left-handers, in the first two games. And lefties give the Yankees trouble.
For long relief -- a key role as Sid Fernandez proved in the Mets' 1986 World Series victory over Boston -- manager Bobby Valentine can call on another left-hander, Glendon Rusch.
Hampton, the most valuable player in the NLCS, can also start Game 5 at Shea Stadium, where the designated hitter can't be used. The DH is only available in the AL team's park.
Hampton's a good-hitting pitcher with a .274 average. That means advantage, Mets.
They have to fiddle with finding a DH for the games at Yankee Stadium, perhaps even using Mike Piazza against lefthanded pitching.
I hope that Torre activates Jose Canseco for the World Series for the DH role since it has to be used anyway.
ACTUALLY, when it comes to the designated-hitter rule, I wish baseball would simply fuhgeddaboudit.
I've never been enamored of the rule. It's simply not baseball and makes managing a no-brainer when it comes to pinch-hitting for the pitcher.
It was adopted by the American League starting with the 1973 season after the baseball owners held their winter meetings in Hawaii. I blamed it on too many mai tais.
Sparky Anderson -- who should know, being the only manager to win the World Series in both leagues -- had the best comment about the DH:
"I've changed my mind about it. Instead of being bad, it stinks."
The DH had been used on alternate years in the World Series. It definitely could have helped the Red Sox in 1975 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Since 1986 -- when the Mets beat the Red Sox -- it has been used in the AL team's park and not that of the NL team.
The designated hitter might not play a big role in the Subway Series, but the rule provides a titillating subplot.
With the Clemens-Piazza controversy still brewing, Mets' fans hope that the "Rocket" will pitch at Shea Stadium so he has to bat for himself.
They figure it can be payback time for his beaning Piazza in their July 8 interleague game this season.
Anyway, I'm counting on Kwon's Curse. So if I pick the Mets to win in six, count on the the Yankees winning in six.