SB Nation New York - 2011 Subway Series, Take 2: Mets Win Finale On Bay's Walk-off Hithttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2011-07-03T19:55:48-04:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/20182682011-07-03T19:55:48-04:002011-07-03T19:55:48-04:00Rivera Blows Save, Mets Win In 10 Innings
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<p>Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – <span>Jason Bay</span>’s <span class="caps">RBI</span> single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">New York Mets</a> over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a>, 3-2, in the finale of this three-game Subway Series.</p>
<p>The hit made a winner of Francisco Rodriguez (2-2), who allowed three hits over two scoreless relief innings.</p>
<p><span>Luis Ayala</span> (1-2) was charged with the loss, after issuing a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter <span>Scott Hairston</span> to begin the deciding frame.</p>
<p><span>Angel Pagan</span> then sacrificed Hairston to second and <span>Justin Turner</span> was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. <span>Boone Logan</span> entered and fanned <span>Carlos Beltran</span> swinging, but <span>Ramiro Pena</span>’s fielding error on a <span>Daniel Murphy</span> grounder loaded the bases.</p>
<p><span>Hector Noesi</span> was summoned, only to serve up Bay’s game-winning hit, a line shot to center which plated Hairston.</p>
<p>Murphy posted three hits and an <span class="caps">RBI</span> and Bay added two hits with a run scored as the Mets avoided a sweep in the set. Starter <span>R.A. Dickey</span> allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over five innings.</p>
<p><span>Curtis Granderson</span> and <span>Nick Swisher</span> knocked in a run each as the Yankees had their seven-game win streak snapped. <span>Freddy Garcia</span> worked seven full frames in the start, yielding six hits and one run.</p>
<p>The Mets picked up a run in the first as Beltran doubled with two down and scored on a Murphy single.</p>
<p><span>Robinson Cano</span>’s leadoff double in the fifth was the Yanks’ first hit of the game, then Swisher followed with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single, but the Yanks failed to pick up more runs later in the frame as Granderson grounded out with the sacks full.</p>
<p><span>Brett Gardner</span> tripled to start the eighth and scored on Granderson’s fly to left but the Mets couldn’t even the score despite putting two on in the home portion.</p>
<p><span>Mariano Rivera</span> gave up the tying single to pinch-hitter <span>Ronny Paulino</span> with two down in the ninth, but was rescued from a loss by his defense. <span>Ruben Tejada</span> managed to hit a ball through Pena’s legs at shortstop, but a charging Gardner was able to throw <span>Lucas Duda</span> out at the plate by a wide margin.</p>
<p>The Yankees ended the 2011 Subway Series by winning four of the six matchups…Rivera’s fourth blown save this season is just one off his 2010 total…Mets shortstop <span>Jose Reyes</span>, who did not play on Sunday due to a hamstring injury, was named a starter for the All-Star Game on July 12, and outfielder Beltran was selected as a reserve…Coming into the contest, the Yankees sported an <span class="caps">MLB</span>-best 24-4 mark in day games this season…The Bronx Bombers were unable to snag a victory on the 44th birthday of general manager Brian Cashman…Yankees second baseman Cano, shortstop <span>Derek Jeter</span> and third baseman <span>Alex Rodriguez</span> were all named AL All-Star starters, as was Granderson, while Rivera was taken as a reliever…Prior to the game, the Yankees optioned pitcher <span>Ivan Nova</span> to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre…The game was delayed for 1:29 at the outset due to rain.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/7/3/2257651/rivera-blows-save-mets-win-in-10-inningsJeff Freier2011-07-03T12:22:30-04:002011-07-03T12:22:30-04:00Reyes To Have MRI On Sunday
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<p>(Sports Network) – The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> go after their eighth straight win this afternoon when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> in the finale of the Subway Series at Citi Field.</p>
<p>The Yankees continued to thrive without captain <span>Derek Jeter</span> in the lineup on Saturday, as <span>Robinson Cano</span> hit a two-run triple to back six strong innings from <span>Bartolo Colon</span> in a 5-2 triumph.</p>
<p>Jeter’s replacement, <span>Eduardo Nunez</span> finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and a solo homer, while <span>Curtis Granderson</span> added a solo shot for the Yankees, who improved to 14-3 since their captain went on the disabled list with a calf injury.</p>
<p>“Nunie has played well, but Derek is our shortstop,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi when asked if Nunez, who has gone 7-for-8 in the series, might threaten Jeter’s job. “He’s been here for a long, long time and he’s still a great player.”</p>
<p>Jeter played in a rehab game on Saturday and was 1-for-2 with a walk. He is expected to play for Double-A Trenton again on Sunday and rejoin the Yankees in Cleveland on Monday, as he continues his quest for 3,000 hits.</p>
<p>“He’s played well,” Jeter said of Nunez. “I texted him and told him to keep working. It seems like he is very confident. He’s done a great job. He’s gotten an opportunity to play and he’s doing well.”</p>
<p>Activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the contest after suffering a left hamstring strain, Colon (6-3) yielded five hits while fanning six to win his fourth straight start.</p>
<p>“He’s kind of surprised us all year long,” Girardi added. “We weren’t sure what we were going to get out of him in spring training, but he pitched well from then, and that’s what he did today.”</p>
<p><span>Jason Bay</span> and <span>Lucas Duda</span> drove in a run each for the Mets, losers of three straight. <span>Dillon Gee</span> (8-2) was tagged in defeat for seven hits and four runs over seven full frames, striking out seven with three walks.</p>
<p>To make matters worse, shortstop <span>Jose Reyes</span> left the game with a hamstring injury. He is slated to have an <span class="caps">MRI</span> on Sunday and is doubtful for today’s finale.</p>
<p>Getting the call for the Yankees this afternoon will be right-hander <span>Freddy Garcia</span>, who has won his last two starts. Garcia defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Milwaukee Brewers</a> his last time out, as he allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings to run his record to 7-6 while lowering his earned run average to 3.28.</p>
<p>Garcia lost to the Mets earlier in the year despite giving up just two runs in seven innings and is 1-2 in three starts against them with a 2.61 <span class="caps">ERA</span>.</p>
<p>The Mets, meanwhile, will rely on knuckleballer <span>R.A. Dickey</span>, who is 4-7 on the year with a 3.77 <span class="caps">ERA</span>. Dickey won for the first time in four starts on Tuesday in Detroit, as he surrendered three runs and 10 hits in seven innings.</p>
<p>Dickey beat Garcia and the Yanks back on May 20, giving up just a run in six innings. For his career he is 3-1 against them with a 2.39 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in eight games, two of which have been starts.</p>
<p>The Yankees, who are a major league-best 13-4 in interleague play this season, took two of three from the Mets earlier in the year and are 12-5 against them since the start of the 2009 campaign.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/7/3/2257203/reyes-to-have-mri-on-sundayJeff Freier2011-07-02T20:03:24-04:002011-07-02T20:03:24-04:00Reyes Leaves Game With Injury, Colon Notches Sixth Win
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<p>Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – <span>Robinson Cano</span> hit a two-run triple to back six strong innings from <span>Bartolo Colon</span>, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> downed the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>, 5-2, in the second edition of this three-game interleague set.</p>
<p><span>Eduardo Nunez</span> finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and a solo homer, and <span>Curtis Granderson</span> added a solo shot for the Yankees, who have won a season-high seven consecutive games, including the first two in this series.</p>
<p>Activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the contest after suffering a left hamstring strain, Colon (6-3) yielded five hits while fanning six to win his fourth straight start.</p>
<p><span>Jason Bay</span> and <span>Lucas Duda</span> drove in a run each for the Mets, losers of three straight. <span>Dillon Gee</span> (8-2) was tagged in defeat for seven hits and four runs over seven full frames, striking out seven with three walks.</p>
<p>Granderson snapped the scoreless deadlock with a one-out homer to right-center in the sixth. <span>Mark Teixeira</span> and <span>Alex Rodriguez</span> followed with singles and Cano plated both with a triple. <span>Nick Swisher</span>’s sacrifice fly to left made it 4-0.</p>
<p>Nunez clubbed his homer with one down in the ninth against <span>Tim Byrdak</span>, and the Mets came up with two in the home portion off <span>Sergio Mitre</span> on consecutive groundouts by Bay and Duda. <span>Josh Thole</span> grounded back to the mound for the final out.</p>
<p>Both hurlers kept the opposition in check through the first 4 1/2 innings. The Mets loaded the bases in the home fifth thanks to three consecutive one-out singles, but Colon survived the rally by inducing an inning-ending 5-3 double- play grounder from his counterpart Gee.</p>
<p>For Colon, who made his first start since June 11, it was his third scoreless outing in those four wins, and marked the fifth time this season he held the opposition scoreless…The Yankees opened a roster spot for Colon by optioning pitcher <span>Brian Gordon</span> to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre…Mets shortstop <span>Jose Reyes</span> left the game prior to the top of the third inning due to an apparent hamstring injury. He is slated to undergo an <span class="caps">MRI</span> on Sunday.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/7/2/2256510/reyes-leaves-game-with-injury-colon-notches-sixth-winJeff Freier2011-07-02T15:19:00-04:002011-07-02T15:19:00-04:00Bartolo Colon Takes On Dillon Gee
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<p>(Sports Network) – <span>Bartolo Colon</span> returns from the disabled list this afternoon when the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> play the middle test of the three-game Subway Series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> at Citi Field,</p>
<p>One of the more pleasant surprises for the Yankees this season, Colon has been sidelined since suffering a strained left hamstring during a June 11 start against Cleveland.</p>
<p>The 38-year-old right-hander took part in a simulated game on Monday in Tampa and threw a bullpen session before Thursday’s win over Milwaukee. He owns a record of 5-3 with a 3.10 earned run average in 13 appearances, including 10 starts, in his first season with the Yankees.</p>
<p>After missing the 2010 season with arm problems, Colon has displayed the form that won him the American League Cy Young with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> six years ago. He earned his third straight win in the outing against Cleveland and in the three starts before going on the DL he had allowed just three runs on 12 hits in 21 innings.</p>
<p>Colon has faced the Mets four times and is 3-1 against them with a 3.46 <span class="caps">ERA</span>.</p>
<p>The Mets, meanwhile, will counter with a surprising right-hander of their own in <span>Dillon Gee</span>, who is 8-1 on the year with a 3.32 <span class="caps">ERA</span>. Gee defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> his last time out, holding the defending American League champions to three runs in six innings.</p>
<p>He has never faced the Yankees.</p>
<p>The Yankees extended their season-high winning streak to six in Friday’s opener, as <span>Mark Teixeira</span> delivered a two-run double in a three-run first inning, and <span>Eduardo Nunez</span> collected four hits, including a run-scoring single in the eighth, to lead the way in the 5-1 victory.</p>
<p>“The Mets have been playing really well, we’ve been playing well. So it was the immovable object versus the unstoppable force tonight,” Teixeira said. “Something had to give. We got off to that early lead, which was big.”</p>
<p><span>Ivan Nova</span> (8-4) earned the win, surrendering a run and seven hits in five innings.</p>
<p><span>Jon Niese</span> (7-7) was charged with the loss and allowed only five more hits through his six innings of work, while <span>Ruben Tejada</span> put the Mets on the board with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single in the second.</p>
<p>The Yankees took two of three from the Mets earlier in the year and are 11-5 against them since the start of the 2009 campaign.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/7/2/2256229/bartolo-colon-takes-on-dillon-geeJeff Freier2011-07-02T07:46:34-04:002011-07-02T07:46:34-04:00Yankees-Mets Score: Yankees Win Subway Series Opener, 5-1
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<p>Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – <span>Mark Teixeira</span> delivered a two-run double in a three-run first inning, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>’ pitching staff made the early offensive outburst hold up in a 5-1 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> at Citi Field.</p>
<p><span>Eduardo Nunez</span> collected four hits, including a run-scoring single in the eighth, for the Yankees, who extended their winning streak to a season-best six games.</p>
<p>“The Mets have been playing really well, we’ve been playing well. So it was the immovable object versus the unstoppable force tonight,” Teixeira said. “Something had to give. We got off to that early lead, which was big.”</p>
<p>Teixeira lined a two-run double into the right-field corner, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead before Mets starter <span>Jon Niese</span> (7-7) recorded an out. After <span>Alex Rodriguez</span> grounded out, <span>Robinson Cano</span> doubled home Teixeira.</p>
<p>Niese allowed only five more hits through his six innings of work, while <span>Ruben Tejada</span> put the Mets on the board with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single in the second.</p>
<p>The Mets loaded the bases in the fifth after the first two batters were retired, but Yankees starter <span>Ivan Nova</span> (8-4) struck out <span>Angel Pagan</span> to end the threat.</p>
<p>Nova was removed for a pinch-hitter when the visitors loaded the bases in the sixth. Niese struck out <span>Jorge Posada</span> and <span>Nick Swisher</span> grounded out to third to end the inning.</p>
<p>Six Yankees relievers combined to keep the Mets off the board the rest of the way.</p>
<p>There was a controversial call in the bottom of the seventh. <span>Jose Reyes</span> singled to begin the frame and advanced to second on a fly ball to center field. Reyes tried to take third when the shortstop Nunez mishandled the relay throw from <span>Curtis Granderson</span>, but he was tagged out on a close play. Mets manager Terry Collins argued the call and was subsequently ejected.</p>
<p>“You act on your instincts, and his instincts said he should go to third,” Collins said. “Sometimes you can’t corral a guy who plays like that. I had no problem with it.”</p>
<p>With the Yankees leading 4-1, Rodriguez added an <span class="caps">RBI</span> double in the ninth.</p>
<p>The Yankees improved to 12-4 against the National League this season.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/7/2/2255783/yankees-mets-score-yankees-win-subway-series-opener-5-1Ed Valentine2011-07-01T10:48:57-04:002011-07-01T10:48:57-04:002011 Subway Series, Take 2: Yankees Vs. Mets At Citi Field
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<p>The Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets moves to the home of the Metropolitans this weekend, as the Yankees invade Citi Field for three games beginning Friday night at 7:10 p.m. when Jonathan Niese throws the first pitch for the Mets. Ivan Nova will start for the Yankees.</p>
<p>The last time the teams met, back in late May, the Yankees won two of three at Yankee Stadium.</p>
<p>The Yankees are feeling good about themselves as they begin this meeting with the Mets. They have won five straight games and 10 of their last 12, own the best record in the American League at 48-31 and have a 2.5-game lead over the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Red Sox</a> in the American League East.</p>
<p>The Mets (41-40) are also feeling good these days. They are 9.5 games behind the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Phillies</a> in the NL East and 5.5 games behind in the wild-card race with six teams in front of them, yet Mets management has surprisingly been talking as though the team will be a buyer rather than a seller at the MLB trade deadline.</p>
<p>Citi Field's cavernous dimensions should help the Mets against the home run-happy Yankees. Here, by the way, is a look at <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304584004576418142641741566.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">the difference between Yankee Stadium and Citi Field</a> in terms of home runs.</p>
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<p class="game-info"><span>Friday, Jul 1, 2011, 7:10 PM EDT</span><br>Citi Field</p>
<p class="pitchers"><span>Ivan Nova</span> vs <span>Jon Niese</span></p>
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https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/7/1/2337326/2011-subway-series-take-2-yankees-vs-mets-at-citi-fieldEd Valentine2011-06-30T21:01:23-04:002011-06-30T21:01:23-04:00Yankees Starting Rotation: With Phil Hughes, Bartolo Colon Returning, Who Goes To The Bullpen?
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<img alt="<strong>Phil Hughes</strong>. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y6cPYM09NbPlzzeNEWhkgfb9jgw=/0x15:1000x682/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/2362190/GYI0064190933.jpg" />
<figcaption><strong>Phil Hughes</strong>. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>-- See <a href="http://pinstripealley.com" target="new">Pinstripe Alley</a> for more discussion and analysis of the Yankees</p> <p><span>Bartolo Colon</span> will return from the disabled list and r<a target="_blank" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6722789&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines">ejoin the New York Yankees' starting rotation</a> Saturday at Citi Field against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">New York Mets</a>. <span>Phil Hughes</span> was terrific in a rehab start Wednesday for AA Trenton and <a target="_blank" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/HUGHES-ON-THE-RIGHT-TRACK-52907421">would like to make his next start in the big leagues</a>, even though it does not seem that will happen.</p>
<p>Either way, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> starting rotation is about to get reinforcements. When Colon arrives, 32-year-old rookie <span>Brian Gordon</span> will get bumped from the rotation and maybe from the roster altogether. Question is, what happens when the Yankees deem Hughes ready to return?</p>
<p>Assuming everyone stays healthy, the return of the 25-year-old Hughes to New York will give the team six qualified, and quality, starting pitchers. So, what will the Yankees do? Between Hughes, Colon, <span>Ivan Nova</span> and <span>Freddy Garcia</span> somebody is losing a spot in the rotation.</p>
<p>Which one will it be? Your guess is as good as mine -- none of the four truthfully deserves to be bumped. Let's look at the four possibilities.</p>
<p><b>Bartolo Colon (5-3, 3.10 ERA)</b></p>
<p>Might be the most likely to be moved back to the bullpen. That is the role he had when the 2011 season began, only getting his shot in the rotation when Hughes went to the disabled list with shoulder issues following a horrendous start to the season.</p>
<p>The Yankees have seen that Colon's stuff translates to the bullpen, where he had a 3.97 ERA and struck out 13 batters in 11.1 innings before moving to the rotation.</p>
<p>On the flip side, the 38-year-old Colon was 5-2 with a 2.96 ERA as a starter before being hurt, and you can make the case that he had become the team's No. 2 starter. Tough to push your No. 2 starter to the bullpen.</p>
<p><b>Ivan Nova (7-4, 4.26)</b></p>
<p>The 24-year-old right-hander has most likely exceeded expectations so far this season. He has pitched into the sixth inning or beyond in seven of his last eight starts and has won four of his last five decisions, including his last three.</p>
<p>The Yankees have tried mightily in recent seasons to successfully develop some of their own starting pitchers, and it seems unlikely that they would bump Nova when he seems to be gaining confidence and improving steadily. He could be the long man, but bumping him out of the rotation seems counter-productive.</p>
<p><b>Phil Hughes (0-1, 13.94)</b></p>
<p>Forget the ERA, compiled in three miserable starts before Hughes was placed on the disabled list. Hughes won 18 games a season ago, when he appeared on the verge at times of beginning to justify having been called 'The Phranchise' for much of the time he was coming through the Yankee system.</p>
<p>Yes, we saw Hughes pitch very successfully as a late-inning set-up guy for <span>Mariano Rivera</span> in 2009. That is not going to happen this time, however. If the Yankees were going to put Hughes in a bullpen role he would have been back in the Bronx already, not pitching into the seventh inning in AA to build his stamina.</p>
<p><b>Freddy Garcia (7-6, 3.28 ERA)</b></p>
<p>Another guy who has done absolutely nothing to deserve being pushed out of the rotation and into the bullpen. At 34 with a surgically repaired shoulder he is a junkballer who relies on deception and control rather than the dominating stuff he had 10 years ago. Yet, only once in his career (2001, when he was third in the AL Cy Young Award voting) has he pitched to an ERA lower than the one he has now. Garcia has not pitched to an ERA below 4.20 since 2005 (3.87).</p>
<p>How do you bump him from the rotation when he is pitching as well as he has in six or seven years? Complicating the decision when it comes to Garcia is that he does not possess power stuff that would translate to him being of any real value coming out of the bullpen. All he could really do is mop up occasionally or chew up innings.</p>
<p>So, if you want to bump him from the rotation what do you do -- designate him for assignment and trade or release him? He really doesn't deserve that.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-yankees/2011/6/30/2253319/yankees-starting-rotation-phil-hughes-bartolo-colon-ivan-nova-freddy-garciaEd Valentine2011-06-30T10:55:27-04:002011-06-30T10:55:27-04:00A Mets-Yankees Preview
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<p>For complete Mets news and analysis check out SB Nation's <a href="http://www.amazinavenue.com/">Amazin' Avenue</a>, and for all things Yankees go to <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/">Pinstripe Alley</a>.</p> <p>Another Subway Series is upon us, which means we'll need some type of preview. In just about any kind of matchup we attempt, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> will come out on top, as the Bombers just have (and have had) more talent than the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">New York Mets</a>. We can go the historical route, and we'll find that the Yankees are leading the Mets in all-time regular-season interleague play, with a 45-33 record, including a 2-1 mark this season. The Bombers, of course, won the only World Series matchup between the two teams, in 2000. And the Yanks even won the old Mayor's Trophy series, with a 10-8-1 record from 1963 to 1983.</p>
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<p>There's not much of a point in doing one of those head-to-head position-player matchups, so we'll cut right to the chase: The Mets will come out on top in only two of those, at shortstop with <span>Jose Reyes</span> and right field with <span>Carlos Beltran</span> (well, maybe three, at catcher, as well). Baseball games aren't won by positional matchups anyway, but do we need to go into detail why <span>Mark Teixeira</span> is better than <span>Daniel Murphy</span> or <span>Lucas Duda</span> at first base? Fielding-wise, the Yankees easily lead the way at the corner infield spots. When Ruben Tejada is manning second base for the Mets, they have the edge at second and short. The weakest link of the six starting outfielders is <span>Nick Swisher</span> (though he's having a not-so-bad year out there), but the two teams are pretty even, strong in center and average to above-average in the corners. And catching is probably close to even, as well, with neither team quite featuring Johnny Bench behind the plate.</p>
<p>Bullpens? <span>Mariano Rivera</span> and <span>David Robertson</span> are more of a sure thing than Francisco Rodriguez and <span>Jason Isringhausen</span> in the late innings, and the middle relievers for both teams don't inspire a lot of confidence. With no <span>CC Sabathia</span> in the upcoming series, starting pitching is where the Mets may have a slight edge or are at least even with their big brother. On Friday, the matchup is <span>Ivan Nova</span> against Jon Niese. Niese's 3.67 ERA and 1.35 WHIP trump Nova's 4.26/1.45, so advantage goes to the Mets. Saturday pits <span>Bartolo Colon</span> (probably) vs. Dillon Gee. Gee's 3.32 ERA and 1.18 WHIP are slightly above Colon's 3.10/1.07, but with the aging Yankee coming off the DL without a rehab start, who knows how he'll fare? And Sunday has <span>Freddy Garcia</span> (3.28/1.31) facing <span>R.A. Dickey</span> (3.77/1.36). This one may be a wash, but should certainly be fun watching the two wily pitchers battle it out. And lastly, what about the managers? While neither Joe Girardi nor Terry Collins have the in-game acumen of a Bobby Valentine, Collins has his team overachieving and is putting his stamp on the Mets, while Girardi's team is just doing what they're supposed to do, nothing more or nothing less, so Collins is the winner.</p>
<p>But all of those comparisons are on paper. When the two teams take the field against each other anything can happen. And anything usually does happen. Dave Mlicki can pitch a complete-game shutout. The Mets can get walkoff wins against Mariano Rivera, with a sub (<span>Matt Franco</span>) or a star (<span>David Wright</span>) being the hero. Rivera himself can drive in a run with a bases-loaded walk. <span>Carlos Delgado</span> can rack up nine RBIs in one game. The Yankees can win a game on a dropped pop-up. And something we've never seen before will probably take place this weekend. Whatever the records of the two teams coming into a series (and both of them are coming into this one red hot -- 52 runs in four games for the Mets? Who saw that coming? Though the Mets ran into a brick wall named Justin Verlander on Thursday), the games seem to exist in a vacuum -- slumps are broken, good players make bad plays and bad players have games of a lifetime. We'll borrow a quote former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> and A's pitcher Joaquin Andujar because it could have been said about any Subway Series that has taken place the past decade-plus, "There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, ‘You never know.'"</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/6/30/2252270/a-mets-yankees-preview-subway-series-jose-reyes-carlos-beltran-mariano-riveraJeff Freier