Despite a rocky 2015 that saw the Mets capture the NL Pennant, it is the New York Yankees who still own the majority of the hearts in NYC.
By Robby Sabo
Did we suddenly fast-forward to a time that is witnessing the New York Yankees as a sub-.500 club?
Unless I’m very wrong, I don’t think we did.
The Yankees finished with an 87-75 record a season ago, making the postseason as the first wild card team. OK, so while they were easily handled by Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card Game, the point still holds true: The Yankees qualified for the playoffs.
In searching for the last time the Bronx Bombers finished with a losing record, you’d have to scroll all the way down to the 1992 campaign (76-86).
Let’s not be delusional, though. We all know why we’re here.
The rise of that team from Queens is the reason for such a controversy.
With the New York Mets shocking the world by capturing the NL Pennant last fall, much has been discussed about the landscape of New York baseball.
Let’s slam on the brakes.
One season doesn’t change a city’s colors so drastically and so quickly. There are many reasons for this, even coming from a guy who saw this Mets success coming prior to the 2015 season:
A Body Of Work
Unless I’m very wrong, one year doesn’t make a career.
One rousing season of success doesn’t make a franchise suddenly rise from the depths of mediocrity.
This is what the New York Mets will face in 2016.
Despite their postseason success in 2015, and despite a young, promising personnel grouping that has everybody and their mother excited, they’ll still have to prove it on the field. Multiple seasons of success and championships to boot will be the only thing the doctor can prescribe in order to allow New York City to change its color from Navy Blue to a lighter shade.
For too many years running now, it’s been the Yankees, not the Mets, who’ve strung along years of raging success.
The Biggest Star Resides In The Bronx
The tag-line of “The Dark Knight” is one hell of a thing. There’s no question about that. This is especially the case considering The Dark Knight rose from the Tommy John surgery that halted the superhero.
And thanks to Matt Harvey taking center-stage (sorry Michael Kay) in Game 5 of the World Series against the eventual champion Kansas City Royals last season, he’s been more noticeable in the media than that of Donald Trump during the GOP run.
However, there is one baseball player in New York who is still a bigger star than Harvey.
His name is Alex Rodriguez.
A-Rod is the quintessential baseball star. He’s the all-time great, the Hall of Fame-caliber player.
He’s the guy who’s only 27 round-trippers away from tying Babe Ruth on the all-time standings – a mark that is very realistic to reach in 2016.
Alex Rodriguez is the biggest star in New York baseball until further notice.
Money
If recent baseball history has told us anything about the landscape of the game, it’s that money is becoming less relevant.
Look no further than the World Series a season ago. The Royals and the Mets, who’ve never prided themselves on spending big, were battling for the top crown in the game.
Major League Baseball has done a tremendous job of making sure parity exists and small-market teams can throw their own weight around in a very unique style.
Still, having money provides a leg up on the competition. While it doesn’t guarantee championships – nor ever has – it does allow a destination of the playoffs to become a real possibility each and every season.
With only that crazy ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers topping the Yanks whopping payroll of $221 million, it’s clear the Bombers are still very rich.
Besides, the Yankees never have to hear the name Bernie Madoff, which is always a tremendous positive.
Yankee Stadium
The Stadium, the Baseball Cathedral, the House that Ruth Built – those are only a few of the many well-deserving nicknames Yankee Stadium has compiled over the years.
There’s very good reason for this. It’s the place magic happens.
It’s the place Game 4 and Game 5 of the 2001 World Series provided magic unlike anything baseball fans have ever witnessed before:
It’s the place Donnie Baseball hit his one and only postseason home run, nearly bringing the house down:
While, of course, it’s now a New Yankee Stadium, the sentiment that this place is the place to be and be seen in baseball and in the city, still holds true.
Until the Metsies rack up a couple World Series titles and give a little more prestige to Ebbets Field Citi Field, New Yorkers understand Yankee Stadium is the place to be seen.
The Yankees Will Always Be The Yankees
The number 27 might be the most annoying number to any fan of the Amazins’.
No. Mets fans don’t initially think of closer Jeurys Familia when that number is uttered aloud. They don’t think of the total number of outs that exist in one complete baseball game.
They, along with so many others who hate the Yankees, think of the number of championships the most winningest professional American sports team has compiled in its illustrious history.
And until further notice, the Yankees will be the Yankees.
Yes, the Mets are close. They have completely turned over a terrible roster into a young, exciting group who has now stolen the majority of the New York City baseball headlines.
Sandy Alderson and company have done their job.
Now the only thing that remains is proving it over a consistent period of time, and until that happens, it will be the New York Yankees who own the Big Apple.