There's no need for introductions -- not this weekend, not between the Mets and Yankees, who are preparing for New York's interborough apocalypse. This isn't just a series, it's the most intense baseball war in America.
When the Mets set foot in the Bronx tonight, for the first of a three-game series, they'll be in enemy territory. Upstarts, looking to bring down the Yankee empire, which, for four years, has ruled both the City and the big leagues.
But the winds of war are blowing in a different direction in 2000. The Yankees are more vulnerable now than at any time since the beginning of their renaissance in 1995. And while the Mets still haven't found a way to catch and pass the Braves, they actually have more wins than the Bombers (33-32) and, position by position, are at least the champs' equals.
Still, baseball's universe is ruled by pitching. So in order to gaze at this weekend's crystal, we need a clearer picture of who's who and what's what on the mound.
Friday:
Al Leiter (6-1. 3.23) vs. Roger Clemens (4-5. 4.18)
Leiter is finally turning into the ace the Mets envisioned when they signed him to that four-year, $32 million contract in 1999. He's holding opponents to a .164 average with runners in scoring position, and didn't lose his first game until May 29.
|  | | Roger Clemens is 4-2 at Yankee Stadium this season. |
The secret to Leiter's success is his willingness to finally pitch to the outside corner against right-handed hitters. That's made his famed cut-fastball that much more effective, although left-handed batters are practically invisible against Leiter, hitting just .121.
Clemens is a much bigger mystery. How can the same pitcher who practically matched Pedro Martinez, inning for inning, strikeout for strikeout two weeks ago in a 2-0 loss, have a sub.500 record?
Opponents are batting .294 against the Rocket, an increase of 65 points from a year ago. His stuff is still impressive, which is why the Yankees are so mystified. Actually, it's Clemens psyche that might be in need of repair.
Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said, "sometimes Roger doesn't know how good he is. He pitches thinking he doesn't have great stuff, and makes mistakes trying to compensate for that."
The Mets have seized on that insecurity. Last year, they pounded Clemens in a 7-2 rout, as he was thoroughly out-pitched by Leiter. The Mets hinted that they picked up a flaw in Clemens' delivery, knowing when he was throwing his slider.
Saturday:
Bobby Jones (1-2, 9.64) vs. Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.56)
If there's one weak link in the Mets' rotation, it's Jones, who through his inconsistencies have kept the Mets hungry for Brad Radke and/or Andy Ashby. Jones is starting because the Mets don't have any real alternatives, which means all they can do is cross their fingers and hope his big looping curveball finds its bite.
If it doesn't, it could be a long day for the Mets, especially with the Yankees' right-handed power. Righties are batting a whopping .431 against Jones, which means that, without his best stuff, it could be an awful mismatch against Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada.
Pettitte has had some brilliant moments in 2000 -- throwing a two-hitter against the A's on May 29, for example, allowing just one earned run -- but his ERA is even higher than Clemens'.
Pettitte's strength used to be devouring right-handed hitters with a cut-fastball similar in philosophy to Leiter's. But righties are batting .266 against him, with a .503 slugging percentage that includes nine home runs.
Still, Pettitte is a tough, mature pitcher who does his best work at Yankee Stadium, where he's 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA. This could be the easiest game of the series for the Bombers.
Sunday:
Mike Hampton (6-5, 3.98) vs. David Cone (1-6., 6.49)
This has already been a tale of two seasons for Hampton, who was 2-3 with a 6.99 ERA in April, then was undefeated in May with a 1.85. The explanation may be as simple as the weather: as soon as it became warm enough for Hampton to sweat, he was finally able to get a feel for his change-up.
Remember, Hampton had been used to the perfect conditions at the Astrodome, and literally went into shock in April, when every start was made in 50-degree weather. Hampton is now having his customary success against righties (.243), thanks to his change-up and down-away movement on his two-seam fastball.
Cone's troubles are less easily explained, unless you believe age has simply defeated him. At 37, the right-hander has lost something off his fastball, but even more troubling for the Yankees is the disappearance of Cone's slider.
Without it, he's naked against right-handed hitters, which explains why they're batting .326 against him. With just one victory in 12 starts this year, Joe Torre actually considered holding Cone out of the Mets series, which would've revealed just how worried the Yankees are.
Ultimately, Torre relented, banking on Cone's ability to rise to big-game challenges. But there's no question Cone's problems are one reason why the Yankees have struggled to dominate the East -- and why the Mets could be ready, once and for all, to close the talent-gap on their crosstown rivals.
Bob Klapisch of the Bergen (N.J.) Record writes his Baseball in the Big Apple column throughout the season.
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