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A week to remember

Mets do their thing, wait for someone else to do theirs

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By John Donovan, CNNSI.com

	• Storylines • Series to See • All Thumbs • Heroes & Bums • Short Hops • Yogi-isms

NEW YORK -- And what a week it was ... and what a week it will be.

The New York Mets will make their first appearance in the World Series in 14 years, thanks to a new hero named Timo Perez, a largely unsung superstar named Edgardo Alfonzo and a pitcher, Mike Hampton, who won two games against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series.

The St. Louis Cardinals aren't going anywhere. They lost the NLCS to the Mets, four games to one, in a series where the leader after the first inning won all five games. The Cardinals' starting pitching, for the most part, abandoned them. Their defense did, too.

The New York Yankees thought they had a third straight World Series trip sewn up after a Game 4 masterpiece from Roger Clemens put them ahead of the Seattle Mariners, three games to one, in the American League Championship Series. But Seattle won Game 5, pushed the series back to New York for a Game 6 Tuesday night and, maybe, a Game 7 Wednesday and ... who knows what will happen now?

It all makes for interesting pre-World Series talk, though the Mets clearly want to face the Yankees to complete the first Subway Series since 1986.

"Just to be able to participate and help the team I grew up rooting for," said Mets pitcher Al Leiter, "I'm all for it."

The World Series will begin Saturday in the city of the American League winner, which leaves the Mets wondering if they're headed to the West Coast or staying home in New York. Whatever the case, the Mets -- the wild-card Mets, let's remember -- are simply wild about going, whoever they meet. And, it must be added, they're pretty confident.

"We're good. Real good," reserve Lenny Harris said Monday night. "But we still have a lot to prove."

On to the final Playoff Week at a Glance (no champagne tears, please, for the World Series Day at a Glance starts Friday), which asks: So ... what? You got a problem wif New York?

The answer: Keep moving. Head down. Don't look him in the eye.

The Subway Series It has been 44 years since two teams from the Big Apple played in the World Series. If the Yankees can pull off their end of the bargain with an ALCS win, we'll find out if anyone outside of New York really cares.
He's not dead yet Remember when Roger Clemens was burned out? Washed up, his dead arm hanging there like some limp Cantonese noodle? Ha! The Rocket returned with a one-hit gem in the ALCS. Ask A-Rod how dead Clemens' arm is.
The Mariners Showed some spunk by coming back after Clemens' masterpiece. Now they are the only thing that stands between a Subway Series and us. One big city is rooting against them. What about the rest of the baseball world?
Big Mac If he spent as much time at the doctor's office as he evidently does at that dang bat rack, maybe Mark McGwire would have amounted to more than just baseball's highest-paid, and underused, pinch hitter in the NLCS.
New York Mets at New York Yankees, starting Oct. 18 If this is how the World Series pans out ... well, pandemonium rules. You could make an argument that, with Mike Hampton and Al Leiter and Bobby J. Jones, the Mets may have better starters. But the Yankees have Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, and they've been there before, and ... well, they'll just have to play, won't they? OR
New York Mets at Seattle Mariners, starting Oct. 18 The city of New York may fall into the Atlantic if this happens. One thing about the Mariners: Besides having arguably the best player in the game, they have a fiery coach who gets, arguably, more out of his team than anyone. Would be interesting, if it comes to that.
The Cardinals . Played so well against the Braves, so poorly against the Mets. Their pitching, with a 5.40 team ERA before Monday night's 7-0 shutout, has something to do with it. But the St. Louis defense went south and that took the whole team with it.
The M's . It must seem as if the entire world is against these guys. But they keep on plucking, jumping up from a Clemens' beaning and forcing the Yankees back to New York for a Game 6. P.S.: Don't mess with Piniella.
Mets' fans . They can be a bit -- what? -- mouthy, but they sure know how to pump up their team. The Mets' fans had Shea Stadium rocking Monday night. Literally rocking. You could see the upper deck sway. Whether the Yankees make it or not, the middle three games of the Series will be fun at the old park in Queens.
Timo Perez . In an era of longballs, a true leadoff hitter like Perez stands out like a Sooner in Times Square. He's quickly becoming a New York favorite, too, and all you have to do is watch him to find out why. A scrappy little guy who'll take advantage of everything you give him, and many things you don't, he makes these Mets go.
Hero -- Bernie Williams: A .368 batting average against the Mariners with three RBIs ... and he's not finished yet.
Bum -- Mike Cameron: The Seattle center fielder is 2-for-17 against the Yankees, with seven strikeouts. He's not done, either.
Hero -- Roger Clemens: Bum one week, hero the next. That's what a complete-game one-hitter will do. With 15 strikeouts.
Bum -- Jose Mesa: He's pitched 2 2/3 innings in two games for Seattle, giving up five hits and six runs. That's a 20.25 ERA.
Hero -- Edgardo Alfonzo: The Mets' second baseman hit .444 (8-for-18) in the wipeout of the Cards.
Bum -- Mike Bordick: Thanks to Alfonzo, the 1-for-13 (.077) from the Mets' shortstop didn't hurt them.
Hero -- Derek Jeter: A stud at shortstop for the Yankees, he's hitting 6-for-18 (.333) with five RBIs.
Hero -- Mike Hampton: The Mets' pitcher won two games, threw 16 scoreless innings and was the NLCS MVP.
Edgardo Alfonzo has hit in 11 straight playoff games and has 16 career RBIs in the postseason, a Mets record.
The Cardinals committed two errors in an inning three times in the NLCS.
The Cardinals, who outscored Atlanta 10-3 in the first inning in the division series, were outscored 12-4 in the first by the Mets.
The Hall of Fame has asked Roger Clemens for the cap or the jersey he used in his one-hit, 15-strikeout win in Game 4 over the Mariners.
St. Louis used 20 players Monday night, tying an NLCS record. It didn't work.
Our tribute to the banal banter of baseball "The battle is the battle. When a thing like that happens, it's part of the battle." -- The Mets' Bobby Valentine, explaining a possible showdown between his catcher, Mike Piazza, and the pitcher who beaned him back in July, the Yankees' Roger Clemens.

Statistics are through Monday's games unless otherwise noted.

Look for the World Series Day at a Glance every day, beginning Friday until the last game of the 2000 World Series.

 

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