By BART HUBBUCH
Last updated: 6:57 am
June 27, 2008
Posted: 3:52 am
June 27, 2008
So much has happened to both teams in the past five weeks that the Mets' two-game road sweep of the Subway Series in May is almost irrelevant as the Yankees and Amazin's prepare to meet again.
The Yankees, who were 20-24 at the time, got Alex Rodriguez back from the disabled list two days after the Amazin's departed Yankee Stadium and have played nearly .700 baseball since then.
As far as the Mets go, what hasn't happened since then? They immediately lost six of their next seven games, Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson got fired and they still can't climb over .500 despite the NL's highest payroll.
Here is a closer look at the series, which begins today with a day-night doubleheader at both parks:
FIRST BASE
Jason Giambi has rebounded brilliantly from an awful April and May and ranks tied for second in the league in homers with 7. Carlos Delgado found his power stroke again recently but remains an expensive drag, both offensively and defensively. Edge: YANKEES
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano is off to a brutal start and needed back-to-back three hit games in Pittsburgh this week just to get up to .241. Oft-injured Luis Castillo has almost as many as many errors (four) as he did in 135 games last year (five). Edge: EVEN
SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter had a 13-game hitting streak through Wednesday and his errors are way down, but Jose Reyes has been playing like an All-Star over the past six weeks. Reyes' defense remains spotty, but he is a force at the plate and on the basepaths. Edge: METS
THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez has been sensational since coming off the DL on May 20 and was second in the league with a .324 average through Wednesday. David Wright had two homers in the win over the Mariners on Wednesday but isn't having a typical season. Edge: YANKEES
LEFT FIELD
Johnny Damon has been on fire over the past month and is in the AL's top 10 in both average and on-base percentage. This is a black hole for the Mets thanks to the brittle Moises Alou's constant injuries. Trot Nixon is the latest stopgap. Edge: YANKEES
CENTER FIELD
