By Geoff Walter / SNY.tv

 

 

If a poll was taken a few years ago that asked New Yorkers what their favorite team was, the Yankees would have probably won hands down. Mets fans back then would perhaps have sheepishly hung their heads, murmured their team's moniker and scampered out of sight faster than the subway rats. Cut to last year, and any new Gallup conducted would invariably reflect the monumental paradigm shift occurring within the city limits. Mets jerseys and caps are just as plentiful as their interlocking NY cousins from the Bronx, and the team has made strides in shedding that "second team" image from their cleats. For any of you who forgot, last year the Yankees and Mets finished with identical records, and split the Subway Series, with each taking two of three games at the other's ballpark.

 

But this is not last season, nor is it the time you want to go into cold. You want to go into Rivalry Week hotter than the sun, or at least as warm as possible. On the one hand you have the Yanks, who have been consistently inconsistent, both in terms of hitting and pitching. They lag eight games behind the first-place Red Sox, and face them on Monday for the first of three games in the Bronx, right after squaring off against the Mets. Speaking of that team across the river, the Amazins have been strong and steady, and as of today, sit half a game ahead of the Braves in first place.

Believe it or not Mets fans, this weekend will be your best chance to sweep the Yankees this year. The opening series will be at Shea. That means no DH, which can only add to the hitting woes the Yanks have been facing recently, and allows the Mets a break in a lineup of heavy hitters. If the Yankees' behavior holds through the weekend and into next week, they could be sitting on a 10 or 11 game deficit in the standings behind Boston. They will send their best possible starters against the Mets in Andy Pettitte on Friday to start the series and a tentatively scheduled Chien-Ming Wang for Sunday's day game. Sandwiched in between for Saturday is Darrell Rasner, who has been good on the mound and very consistent, but is far from being called an ace of the staff. Facing the Bombers this weekend will be Oliver Perez, Tom Glavine (who will probably notch win No. 295), and John Maine, respectively. When round two is played at Yankee Stadium, you can rest assured that Roger Clemens will pitch a game, and you can't expect the Yankees to remain in their hitting slump for too much longer.

The Amazins had their chance to sweep at Shea in 2006 and in the Bronx in 2005, but late inning heroics and miscues led to a couple of Yankee victories. The question is, will the third time be a charm?

Wanna argue with the Ref? Don't like the call? Go ahead and make your own!