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Look back at: Divisional Playoffs |
League Championship
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Friday, October 20
Piazza is Mets' DH in opener
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Even when he stepped into the batting cage,
there was no escape for Paul O'Neill.
Because there it was, in huge letters on the center-field
scoreboard at Yankee Stadium: "Next Stop ... Subway Series."
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Game 1 starting lineups
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New York Mets
RF Timo Perez
2B Edgardo Alfonzo
DH Mike Piazza
1B Todd Zeile
3B Robin Ventura
LF Benny Agbayani
CF Jay Payton
C Todd Pratt
SS Mike Bordick
P Al Leiter
New York Yankees
DH Chuck Knoblauch
SS Derek Jeter
LF David Justice
CF Bernie Williams
1B Tino Martinez
C Jorge Posada
RF Paul O'Neill
3B Scott Brosius
2B Jose Vizcaino
P Andy Pettitte
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"Being in New York, you can't get away from it," the Yankees
right fielder said Friday. "I mean, you turn on the television,
you turn on the radio, you walk into the restaurant, you walk into
the grocery store, that's all people are talking about."
"How much can you hype a World Series?" he said.
Plenty.
Especially with the two-time champion Yankees just one victory
away from winning their record 13th straight World Series game.
"As a player, it's kind of fun, especially in New York," Mets
star Mike Piazza said. "I've seen it on smaller levels in other
cities, but it's fun to get into the rivalry thing and experience
it."
All over the city, there were signs the New York Mets and
Yankees were about to meet in Game 1 Saturday night.
In Rockefeller Center, near the famous skating rink, there was a
giant pep rally. In the subway stations leading to the Bronx, there
were "wet paint" placards. In the streets, the most popular
phrase was, "Got any tickets?"
Managers Bobby Valentine and Joe Torre were preparing, too, for
the opener at Yankee Stadium. Al Leiter will pitch for the Mets
against Andy Pettitte.
Valentine decided to pick Piazza, the All-Star catcher, as the
Mets' designated hitter and put Todd Pratt behind the plate.
"I think he's our next best right-handed hitter and there's a
left-handed pitcher tomorrow," Valentine said. "Todd Pratt's been
a big part of our team for two years and more."
"I think he's as deserving as any person who's ever put on a
uniform to play in a World Series game, and this might be his only
opportunity," he said.
|  | | Mets manager Bobby Valentine and Game 1 DH Mike Piazza like what they see in BP Friday. |
Pratt also is better at throwing out runners. He caught 39
percent of would-be basestealers while Piazza nailed only 23
percent.
Valentine also moved up Todd Zeile to the cleanup spot. Zeile
hit there only 11 times this season, but is 7-for-20 (.350) with
two home runs and three doubles against Pettitte.
In a surprise, Torre chose Jose Vizcaino as his starting second
baseman over Luis Sojo, who had been there in every AL playoff
game. Chuck Knoblauch will remain the DH until, possibly, the
Series shifts to Shea Stadium.
Torre picked Vizcaino because he's 10-for-19 (.526) lifetime
against Leiter.
"He and Sojo are interchangeable for me, as far as
defensively," Torre said. "What I think jumped out at me are the
numbers that he's had against Al."
The Mets and Yankees are extremely familiar with each other,
having met for four years in interleague play. The Yankees went 4-2
against the Mets this season and hold an 11-7 edge overall.
"We're the defending champs," Pettitte said. "I think a lot
of people, or most people, expect us to win or say we should win
because we have the experience and stuff like that. If we win, we
were supposed to win. If we lose, then the Mets did an unbelievable
job."
"So I think we really don't have a lot to gain _ except another
World Series title, which would be awesome, and a threepeat," he
said. "They've got a lot to gain."
So does Valentine. He's in the World Series for the first time
while Torre is trying to win his fourth title in five years.
The two managers have their own history. In 1978, when he was an
outfielder for the Mets, Valentine was cut by Torre, the manager.
"I probably got some of my style from him because he really let
me get close to him for a little while. And then like most
managers, as I grew closer, they decided it would be best if we had
a lot of distance, and then he released me," Valentine said,
laughing.
Several years later, when Valentine was managing the Texas
Rangers, he asked Torre, who was a broadcaster for the California
Angels, to join his staff.
Once again, Valentine was rebuffed.
"`What are you, crazy?"' Valentine recalled Torre telling him.
"He said, 'With the money I'm making, I'm going to go and be a
coach for you in Texas?"'
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