|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Pinstripes remain in style
Updated: Saturday October 28, 2000 9:33 PM
The Subway Series was quite a ride. And like the strap-hangers at rush hour -- very close. The Yankees won the series four games to one. But in the five game set, they only outscored the Mets 19-16. So the Yankees savor another victory while the Mets will think about missed opportunities in the 2000 World Series. CNNSI.com's Vince Cellini and baseball insider Ozzie Smith got together at Shea Stadium following the Series to offer some final thoughts on what was, and maybe what could have been. Vince Cellini: Ozzie, there were missed opportunities for the Mets that they'll ponder through the winter, and beyond. Ozzie Smith: Certainly, and if you look back, this being a game of inches for the Mets -- the fly ball that Todd Zeile hit in the first game that appeared to be out of the ball park, stayed in the ball park. In Game 2, Todd Zeile hits a ball to the wall, Clay Bellinger catches it just at the wall. And if that ball goes out, the three-run home run by Jay Payton in the ninth inning ties the game up. Cellini: Also in the final game of the series, Al Leiter remains in the game, [manager] Bobby Valentine does not make a change and that turned out to be a key. Smith: It certainly did. You could see Bobby trying to pull his lion to the finish line. [Leiter} gave [Valentine] everything he had. But the thing that will be questioned here is why didn't [Valentine] have a right hander up in the bullpen. Cellini: That may be Bobby Valentine's final non-move as a manager of the Mets. He is soon to be a free agent manager. As for Joe Torre, certainly the Yankees would love to have him back. But that is going to be Joe's choice after a very, very stressful campaign. Smith: Well having spent some time with Joe, I could tell that this year was probably one of the most taxing, both physically and mentally for Joe. And as he talked about it in the post-game interview, it was really tough right from spring training on. But here again, he managed the way he had to manage here in the World Series to get the Yankees another world championship. Cellini: David Cone may have pitched his final game as a Yankee. Tino Martinez, there's talk he may be traded. And if this was Paul O'Neill's final World Series as a Yankee, he'll go out in style -- nine hits in the World Series and a gutty performance. Smith: It was a gutty performance because we know he had the bad hip. But he was the only guy who had two triples in the World Series. He exemplified what the Yankees are all about. Cellini: Could we see the Mets and Yankees back in the World Series again next year? Smith: Well I think that depends on whether or not the New York Mets can get Alex Rodriguez. Cellini: Hmmm. He'd be a huge trump card. Well everything old was new again for this week in New York City. We had a Subway Series for the first time in 44 years. And all this time later, pinstripes remain in style.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
