In New York, the cleat's on the other foot

For years the New York Metropolitans were the face of baseball in New York City. Guys by the names of Tom Seaver and Darryl Strawberry ruled the city, making fans easy to forget there was another team who played in the area. The Yankees were terrible, and for a long time, a laughing stock of Major League Baseball. They had an egotistical owner, lousy players and a never-ending list of managerial failures. In the fall of 1986, the Mets did something that put the staple on their presence in both Major League Baseball and in New York City. Yes, the Yankees still had more championships, but the Mets were the talk of the town. It was not until the mid-90s when baseball in the Bronx became relevant again. Young faces by the names of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada were new to the city. The spotlight shown brightly on the Yankees, and the Mets' existence was beginning to fade. 2000 was the last time these two teams were on an even level of dominance. The Yankees, coming off of three championships in four seasons, and the Mets, returning to the World Series for the first time since 1986, were finally distinguishing the city for having two powerhouses in professional baseball. I don't have to explain the rest, but from 2000 to today, there is absolutely no doubt which of the two teams has had more success. This rant is not about the successes and failures of the Yankees and Mets over the past three decades, but is more of the realization that soon enough, New York City will be painted blue and orange once again. The Mets simply have better talent in their farm systems and more promising young pitching than their cross-town rivals. The Yankees, on the other hand, seem to add another 37-39 year old washed up veteran every year in hopes of "revitalizing that one's career in pinstripes." For years it has failed them. I am certainly not saying the Yankees have no chance for success in the near future. There are too many teams around the league in better situations than the Yankees right now, and one of those teams is the Mets. David Heim is a sophomore journalism major from Roselle Park, N.J. He can be reached at heimdavi@shu.edu.