NEW YORK, NY — New York City has not witnessed a major championship among mainstream sports leagues since the Yankees 27th World Series title in 2009. Though there have been two, NYCFC taking the MLS Cup in 2021 and a Liberty WNBA championship Sunday evening.
However a center of attention this October, the Yankees and Mets, two starving fanbases seeking that World Series championship. October and baseball in New York is mainstream, though no disrespect to NYCFC and the Liberty, deserving of their accomplishments.
Baseball, though, the American pastime. More than my passion for boxing and other sports, it’s baseball, the Mets and Yankees have provided thrills with October baseball this MLB postseason.
Yankees-Dodgers World Series is a revival of a great NY sports revival, that memorable time when baseball in New York was consumed with three teams including the Giants. You could walk across a bridge and attend a Giants game at the Polo Grounds in upper Harlem during the day. Cross the bridge and brief walk, the Bronx and Yankees under the lights.
Then it all changed 67 years ago, the Dodgers relocating to Tinsel Town and a valley known as Chavez Ravine. The Giants followed and went to San Francisco Bay.
Much has changed since, baseball has expanded to new lengths and heights, though New York City with a passion for two teams can never be better.
Who would have envisioned, 24-years since the Yankees and Mets would be competing at the same time for a chance to play in the Fall Classic?
We almost got another revival of the last Subway World Series in 2020, the Yankees beating the Mets and continuing their dynasty of winning four World Series championships with guys named Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada, Williams, and Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre.
But any revival of a Subway Series suddenly came to a halt Sunday evening, the Mets magical run concluded in Los Angeles in Game 6 of the NLCS, pitching obviously was their knockout. But the Yankees move on, a World Series their goal since assembling in mid February and not complete unless the Bronx Bombers win it all.
More this week about the Yankees-Dodgers revival in the Fall Classic, there are tons of storylines including two potential league MVP’s, the Yankees Aaron Judge (AL) and Shohei Ohtani (NL).
Both with a tendency to score runs and a World Series that could be a classic.
And watching Juan Soto, always a difference in the Yankees lineup, enjoy him now Yankees fans because the lure of a potential $600 million contract could land him out of the Bronx, speculation of going across town to the Mets and a bidding war.
This World Series that will revive memories of a different era when the Yankees and Dodgers were a rivalry in September and not October, remember the expansion era and billion dollar televised revenue changed the complexion to early November.
A World Series was this mega event on a sports calendar, whether it be Yankees-Dodgers. First place finishes in the AL and NL were the World Series entrants, no wild card, division series, or league championship series.
The Mets were formed in 1962, expansion team that brought NL baseball back to New York, a combination of Giants and Dodgers colors, though the new team in town. The Yankees always with their pinstripe whites and history that struggled and became a billion dollar so-called “Evil Empire.”
But ask New York baseball fans over the past month. The unexpected magical season of the Mets continued and the Yankees established their supremacy as the best team in the American League, top three teams in baseball. Visions of another Subway Series were not not of the question
It has to wait again until next year, the Mets go home and with a short offseason have decisions. Obviously the Mets ran out of gas, a pitching staff that fell short, a relentless lineup that never quit. The Dodgers at-bats scoring a postseason record for runs in a NLCS were too much to handle.
Owner Steve Cohen, David Stearns (Director of Baseball Operations) and rookie manager Carlos Mendoza have put the Mets in a proper direction, a nucleus for winning baseball with proper chemistry. Pete Alonso and signing the homegrown Met to a long term contract are the emphasis for this continued winning attitude.
An 0-5 start, 11 games under .500 in mid May, a team meeting and from June to end of September a Mets team with the best record in baseball. Francisco Lindor with an MVP season, Mark Vientos matured quickly and became a rising star as their future at third base, “OMG” and José Igelesias became a sensation.
So it is, a Yankees-Dodgers World Series. For Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, his fourth and calls this epic. He said for the Dodgers franchise and for sports fans, it’s what everyone wanted. For the Yankees and Boone, his first one as manager, this can also be epic and for fans in New York. Two teams with the highest payrolls in baseball, rosters of all-stars, offense, though the Yankees could have the edge in their starting rotation, a key factor in a best four-of-seven series.
The World Series that began in 1903, the Yankees and Dodgers with the best records in baseball this year have played in 63 combined. The 13th time we see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series. There were Giants-Yankees: seven times, Cardinals-Yankees: five.
And Mets-Yankees in 2000, almost possible in 2024. Regardless, a successful and unexpected season of thrills for the Mets. The expected place for the Yankees, a World Series and attempts for a 28th championship in their illustrious history that begins Friday night at Dodgers Stadium.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X( Twitter)@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content
Instagram: @latinosportsoficial
Facebook: Latino Sports
Twitter: @latinosports