To be completely honest, I don't think this Subway Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees means all that much in the grand scheme of things. Sure, with all the Mets' injuries and discount deal players they brought in this offseason, the Mets have exceeded expectations with a 21-22 record. They are also 16-9 in their past 25 games, one of the best records in the National League.
Stop and look at who the Mets have beaten in those series and the optimisim subsides, at least a little bit: Astros/Diamondbacks/Nationals/Dodgers/Rockies. These are teams (minus, maybe, the Rockies) that good squads should beat. The American League is certainly a different beast. The Yankees pose a threat to the Mets that they really haven't seen much all year -- and that's offensive firepower. Yeah, the Yankees struggled on the offensive side of things prior to their 13-2 win against the Orioles, but they still have a lineup from top to bottom that's deeper than any of the teams the Mets have played all season.
Suffice to say that it's going to be a huge test for Mets starters, who have really hit their stride lately, especially in the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. R.A. Dickey, Chris Capuano and Mike Pelfrey will have their work cut out for them ... but don't discount how pesky the Mets' offense has been when it's needed to be, either. These guys just don't give up and are putting together very solid at bats. Freddy Garcia, A.J. Burnett and Ivan Nova don't really strike fear into any oposing team's heart and they certainly don't scare me, no matter how good their stories have been this season.
When it comes down to it, this series is all about improving the Mets confidence for the future of their season. It's about taking the next step in showing you're "for real." It's about showing just what kind of team this is.
Battle hard, win the series and get over the .500 hump, and this will be a success. A series victory without the likes of David Wright and Ike Davis -- and really, a patched-together offense, and this team should take that momentum into their series with the Chicago Cubs.
In reality, though, it's a fun series, but it will not make or break either team's season.