While our generation has never witnessed a Subway Series, what seems so rare today was nearly commonplace in the mid-century days when New York had three powerhouse teams. From 1947 through 1956, the Big Apple witnessed seven such World Series, each one involving the Yankees and either the Dodgers or Giants. But the Mets had never participated in a World Series with any other New York team. Thus, 44 years later, the intra-city battle has everybody on the edge of their seats.
Here are a few key storylines that have emerged in the series so far:
- Tuesday night, the Mets win over Orlando Hernandez handed the Yankees their first World Series loss since Game Two in 1996 against Atlanta. Since then the Yankees had won 14 straight World Series games and three world Championships (1996, 1998, 1999). Despite the loss, "El Duque", Orlando Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts, a Yankees World Series record.
- After a slow September, Mets first baseman Todd Zeile has been one of the team's hottest playoff hitters. After batting .268 in the regular season and struggling throughout September, Zeile entered Wednesday night's game batting .304 in October with a stunning .462 in the World Series.
- Both times Rick Reed has pitched for the Mets this postseason, Benny Agbayani has provided the team with clutch game-winning base hits. The first one came in Game Three against the Giants in the Division Series while the other occurred Tuesday night against "El Duque," driving in the game winning run.
- In the Yankees side of the dugout, outfielder Paul O'Neill has become unstoppable, hitting .583 against Mets pitching. Teammates Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez have not left O'Neill as the only hot bat in the lineup with .462 and .429 batting averages. The three have combined for seven of the team's total twelve runs in the series.
- While Zeile and others, such as Agbayani, have been providing the Mets' offense, shortstop Mike Bordick has continued to disappoint. Batting only .129 in the playoffs, Bordick has yet to get a hit this series, and had a key bases-loaded strikeout in Game Three.
- While O'Neill, Jeter and Martinez have impressed, Bernie Williams has been unable to contribute anything to the offense so far. After a hot-hitting ALCS in which he batted .435, Williams has remained hitless in World Series.
- The most interesting underlying issue in the series is the unfolding of the Roger Clemens-Mike Piazza personal rivalry. Game Two of the Series at Yankee Stadium resulted in a bench-clearing incident in Piazza's first at bat against the Rocket. Piazza hit a bat-breaking foul ball, shattering the top of his bat, which consequently went towards Clemens on the mound. As Piazza ran towards first, Clemens hurled the top of the bat in Piazza's direction. As Piazza approached the mound, both teams ran onto the field, but no punches were thrown. Clemens maintains that he was simply throwing the bat towards the dugout.
