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Met life Experienced Yankees under more pressure
Updated: Tuesday October 24, 2000 1:39 PM
Off their 37th American League pennant, the New York Yankees now turn their attention to the World Series and their cross-town rival Mets. It's the first Subway Series in New York since 1956. CNNSI.com's John Giannone talked with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci at Yankee Stadium about the upcoming Series. John Giannone: Tom, so much of the talk after the Mets beat the Cardinals was if the Yankees got in, would manager Joe Torre pitch Roger Clemens at Shea Stadium given what happened this summer when Clemens beaned Mike Pizza. Now that the Yankees are in, what does Torre do? Tom Verducci: Well Joe Torre is off the hook now about making that call -- Do you pitch Roger in Shea Stadium? The answer obviously is no because he did not have to use Andy Pettitte for Game 7 in the ALCS. His rotation now is nicely set up to have Pettitte open with Clemens now at home in Game 2 and Orlando Hernandez gets the ball in Game 3. And Joe Torre really likes that situation. He thinks the third game is the biggest game of a Series. He calls it the "swing game" and now he gives it to someone who is 8-0 lifetime in the post season. Giannone: And that also means Clemens will pitch Game 6 if there is one, which would also be at Yankee Stadium. Now the other decision Torre would have to make, when they go to Shea Stadium, there is no designated hitter. Does Chuck Knoblauch go to the bench or to second base where he might look like [St. Louis pitcher] Rick Ankiel? Verducci: I'm sure Mets fans want to see Chuck Knoblauch out there at Shea Stadium in that hostile environment. That's a very difficult call for Joe Torre. I think he might want to see how the first two games go, how Luis Sojo is swinging the bat. So far he has done excellent in the post-season. But I think that the way Chuck Knoblauch has played offensively and what he gives them at the top of the lineup, he may have to run Knoblauch out there are second base. Giannone: The Yankees were 4-2 against the Mets in their inter-league play during the regular season. Is there something the Yankees can take from those games that they can put to use over the next 10 days? Verducci: Well I think they are going to see a different Mets team John. Remember, they did not see Timo Perez and to me, Perez has changed the whole dynamic of that Mets offense. The Mets were a team that was next to last in the National League in stolen bases. No speed whatsoever. Perez obviously is a catalyst at the top of the lineup. He got on base 9 times in the National League Championship Series and scored eight times. So I think the Yankees are in for something that they did not see back in July. Giannone: Now obviously, this Yankee team is a little bit different than the previous ones that have gone to the World Series. But the core is the same, fourth time in five years. The Mets have four guys who have been to the World Series and the only guy with a hit is pitcher Al Leiter. How much will experience be a factor? Verducci: I don't think it is going to be much of a factor John. I think the games these two teams played during the regular season had a World Series feel to them. Sold out stadiums, rabid fans, a lot riding on every single pitch. I think the difference now is, even though the Mets don't have as much experience as the Yankees, I think there's actually more pressure on the Yankees. Let's face it, the Yankees are owned by a guy George Steinbrenner who hits the roof when the Yankees lose a regular season game to the Mets. So in that respect, I think there's much more riding on this for the Yankees than for the Mets who I think will play loose. Giannone: Game 1 Saturday night -- it should be Andy Pettitte for the Yankees, Mike Hampton for the Mets. A battle of lefthanders here at Yankee Stadium.
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