It’s that time of the year again when Mets fans and Yankee fans take to the streets with all their bravado in decades long feud of which team rules the the streets of New York; the Amazins from Flushing or their senior counterparts, those Bronx Bombers. It’s going to a fight to the finish as the Yankees comeback from what was a dismal start to their season, and those incredible Mets playing better than anyone could have imagined. In the end, the Empire State Building will decide the winner of this age-old grudge match when they emblazon the winning colors for all the world to see when it’s all aid and done.
As is always the case when the Subway Series comes around, there’s plenty of great retorspectives everywhere and I was especially taken by the one in the NY Post who outline the reasons to tune in this weekend starting tonight and which players to keep an eye on.
THE TWO MOST SURPRISING PLAYERS THE YANKEES WILL MISS
Eduardo Nunez and A.J. Burnett. Yes, it’s true. Last year Nunez destroyed the Mets, going 7-for-11 with a homer and three doubles in three games. Burnett faced the Mets three times in his three seasons with the Yankees, going 3-0 with a superb 1.33 ERA.
THE BIGGEST SUBWAY SERIES TREND THE METS NEED TO REVERSE
That would be David Wright’s 51 straight at-bats without a homer against the Yankees, dating to 2008 (he missed last year’s Subway Series with a back injury). Since Wright is not guaranteed to be a Met next season, this year could also be his last Subway Series experience.
THE MOST INTRIGUING PART OF THE WEEKEND
When Johan Santana takes the hill tonight. The Mets ace is coming off the franchise’s first no-hitter, and he will be starting on six days of rest after his 134-pitch outing. How will his surgically repaired shoulder respond?
THE BIGGEST THING THAT WILL BE GONE FROM THIS WEEKEND
Speed. Jose Reyes is in Miami, Brett Gardner is on the disabled list, Nunez is in the minors and Angel Pagan is in San Francisco. No current Mets or Yankees player is on pace to steal even 20 bases this season.
THE STRANGEST SUBWAY SERIES PRODUCTION
Mark Teixeira has hit .203 (14-for-69) with the Yankees against the Mets, but has five homers and 17 RBIs in 18 games. Projected over 162 games, that would be a .203 average with 45 homers and 153 RBIs. Uh, what?
THE MOST DOMINANT AND CONSISTENT SUBWAY SERIES PLAYER
Derek Jeter’s production against the Mets has been a lock each season. Not only has Jeter hit a lifetime .381 versus the Mets — not including his World Series MVP performance in 2000 — but in each of the last six years, he’s never hit lower than .304 against them in a season. Since 2006, Jeter has gone 52-for-127 in Subway Series action. That’s a .409 clip.
Check out the complete listing at the NY Post.
