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Chat Reel: Mike Beradino

Subway series a good thing

David Justice now holds the Major League RBI record for LCS play with 23. AP

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's MLB chat with Mike Berardino, welcome Mike.
Mike Berardino: Good to be here.

From John in Flushing, N.Y.: Do you think the subway series is good or bad for baseball as a whole?
Mike Berardino: In terms of interest, it could hardly be better. Just the pure hype that will be devoted to this matchup over the next 10 days or so will be off the charts, will be beyond anything we have ever seen in the game. Market aside, though, it should be noted that these teams have a combined payroll of nearly $200 million. In that respect there is nothing miraculous or amazing about the Mets getting back to the World Series or even the Yankees going for their third straight. It's really just more of the same, a continuation of the rich getting richer in baseball.

From Eric Rasmussen in Denver: Mike, what will it take to get all the teams in MLB on an even footing, so small-market teams have just as much chance to compete as the larger market teams? Are salary cap or revenue sharing, concepts that have to be embraced by baseball?
Mike Berardino: Well, the biggest step would be to get the Players' Association and the owners on the same page. Only by forging a NBA-style partnership will we ever see total parity in baseball. I'm extremely doubtful that something like that could ever become a reality unless teams' losses grew so great that they actually folded and caused a loss of jobs. Short of that, there's nothing I can see on the horizon to make the Players' Association go along with a salary cap. You can talk all you want about increased revenue sharing and splitting up Internet profits and TV money disproportionately, but the playing field can't possibly be level unless there is a hard salary cap.

From Al: Do you think the best two teams are playing in the World Series?
Mike Berardino: That's hard to say because this year was marked by more parity at the top of the game than in recent years. No team won 100 games, for instance. So there was no acknowledged favorite going into the playoffs. I think what we have in this World Series is an NCAA Tournament-style matchup of two teams who got hot at the right time. Considering the challenge of the expanded playoff structure, I guess you have to say these are the two best teams right now, and now is when it matters most.

From Edgar: Do you think John Schuerholz regrets trading David Justice?
Mike Berardino: No, I don't think so. A part of him might, as he has admitted Justice provided something in that clubhouse that was hard to replace. But keep in mind the Justice deal opened a spot for a much cheaper alternative in Jermaine Dye. If there is any trade Schuerholz might regret, that might be the one, the one that sent Dye to Kansas City. One other point to make: Dealing Justice cleared out some more money to re-sign Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, which has to be factored into any assessment of that decision. The one who might really regret trading Justice is Cleveland's John Hart. He basically turned Justice into David Segui and a couple of pitchers you'll probably never hear from. It was basically a salary dump from a team that's always in contention.

From Rick: Why do great pitchers like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Roger Clemens have so much trouble in the postseason?
Mike Berardino: So many factors go into winning in the postseason The biggest explanation I can come up with, besides bad luck, for some of the poor records held by great pitchers is that the pitching matchups are generally so balanced in October. You don't see Clemens facing say, Cory Lidle, in the post season. He's facing a very good team and one of its top three starters. That basically makes every game a tossup or near-tossup in the postseason, a big difference from the regular year.

From Ari: Do you think Jose Canseco and David Cone should be playing in the subway series?
Mike Berardino: I thought the Yankees could have used Canseco on their roster a little more than Cone during the ALCS. The problem with using Cone as a reliever is that his shoulder requires so much time to get loose, so basically you can only use him if you are either way ahead or way behind and you have plenty of warning. Now, it is still possible that Joe Torre will roll the dice and use a very well-rested David Cone against his old team in the World Series. A Game 4 start in lieu of Denny Neagle is an outside possibility. But if Torre isn't going to start Cone, I think he'd be better served to carry Canseco instead. Those three games at Shea will require more pinch hitters.

From Go: Mike, If that is so then Why is El Duque doing as well as he is 8-0 and a 1.7 ERA?
Mike Berardino: Again, there is some luck involved. El Duque could very easily have lost last night. He gave up six runs and was down 4-0 early. If he were pitching for a National League team, he probably would have been pulled by the sixth for a pinch hitter, and he would have gotten a no-decision at best. Granted, that was by far the worst post-season start for El Duque. But that should serve as a reminder that even the great ones can lay an egg against top competition. To hold up a Maddux or a Randy Johnson and criticize their postseason record smacks to me of calling them "chokers," and that's definitely not the case.

From Lets: Who has better starting pitching?
Mike Berardino: As much as I like the top of the Mets' rotation -- and I might take Hampton and Leiter over anybody the Yankees will start -- you have to give the edge in starting pitching depth to Joe Torre's team. Those Game 3 and 4 matchups, where the Mets will start Rick Reed and Bobby J. Jones, could very well decide the Series. El Duque against Rick Reed in potential Games 3 and 7 would be a king-sized mismatch.

From Hi: Do you agree that the Armado Benetez deal was the one that put the Mets over the top?
Mike Berardino: No, I don't think it's that simple. If that were the case, the Mets would have made the World Series last year. Getting Benitez and Roger Cedeno for Todd Hundley was no doubt a coup because Steve Phillips turned around and used Cedeno to pry Mike Hampton away from Houston. So basically, Phillips parlayed a catcher who can't throw very well into a No. 1 starter and one of the game's five best closers So maybe when you put the Benitez deal in those terms, your argument looks stronger. But then again, I don't see the Mets in this position without Mike Bordick at shortstop. Even though he's not hitting much lately, he's making all the plays.

From Goose: What do you think the Cubs will do in the offseason to become competitive? Any truth to the Carl Everett rumors in Chicago?
Mike Berardino: I can't address the Everett rumors, but I would be surprised to see the Red Sox deal him. He is too talented, means too much to that lineup, and is too much of a Dan Duquette favorite to be moved along just because he's a jerk. Some players are worth the headaches. This year's collapse aside, Everett might be one of them. It sounds like Jimi Williams is going to stay in Boston and the odd couple will give it one more chance.

From Rob: What is your prediction for the World Series and why?
Mike Berardino: I'm reluctant to make my pick on Wednesday when we won't find out the pitching matchups for another two days at least. But based on home-field advantage, World Series experience and a deeper starting staff, I'm afraid you have to be boring and go with the Yankees in seven. But I reserve the right to change my mind before Saturday night. It's that close. I think it's going to be a great Series.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Mike Berardino. Thanks for joining us Mike.
Mike Berardino: Thanks for all the questions.

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