The past few nights in the Bronx, we learned more about the two local teams.
The Mets lineup is deep, the Yankees are in a swoon and continue to struggle. The result was a Subway Series sweep for the Mets.
Right now, the Mets are a better baseball team. The Mets got their first sweep over the Yankees in more than a decade, and it was complete as their hitting and pitching were better. The managers in different modes. Carlos Mendoza of the Mets was more than satisfied, Yankees manager Aaron Boone venting with frustration after the Yankees’ 12-3 loss.
“Nobody has higher expectations than us in that frickin’ room.” Boone said. “We’re pissed off. We’ve got to play better. This has gone on long enough. It’s very frustrating to go through. We’ve got to walk in with the right level of edge and willingness to compete, because no one is going to pull us out of this but us.”
Boone said the Yankees were competing “our tails off.” Yet he was agitated, a Yankees manager known to keep his composure. Even last year when they fell out of contention and missed the postseason, he had a calmer demeanor.
But this was different, almost like Boone was fighting to keep his job. And if the Yankees continue this swoon (11-23 since June 23) perhaps his job is in jeopardy. Then again, he says his team is right there as other teams struggle including the AL East leading Orioles who could’ve been running away with the division but continue to flounder.
The Yankees have to play better and quickly. Three games up in Boston beginning Friday night, against a Red Sox team that is on their tail with three games separating the two in the loss column. Then three more with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, a team with the best record in baseball. Not too long ago, the Yankees and Phillies had the best records in baseball, and many were projecting these two teams meeting in October for all the marbles.
But the Yankees are hardly resembling a team headed to the World Series. They were outscored 36-14 in four games with the Mets dating back to last month. The ace, Gerrit Cole gave up seven home runs in two starts against the Mets, three Wednesday night and four at Citi Field in June.
“From a reality perspective, we’re not getting what we want,” Cole said. “I see the clubhouse, the preparation there. People here early, working on things. People staying in Tampa or getting in the cage. Those are the things you look to see in situations like this, so I think the effort is there. But this is the big leagues. You’ve got to perform.”
Though nobody is disputing the effort. It’s a team failure and a swoon that continues with frustration. Blame the analytic approach of the Yankees strategy, something they dispute. Or is it a lineup and roster that is not made to win after a marvelous start that had the Yankees projected to win as many as 110 ball games.
‘You’ve just got to see what we were doing at the beginning of the season,” Juan Soto said. “I think that tells you that we have everything we need to go out there and dominate.”
Except for Aaron Judge and Soto, the Yankees are helpless since becoming the first team to win 50 games on June 15. Soto has been consistent, 2-for-3 last night including his 26th home run and he also robbed Jeff McNeil of a home run with a leaping catch at the right field wall to end the second inning.
The Mets are on that victory lap (26-13) the past seven weeks. That’s the best in baseball and they embarrassed the Yankees in their yard. For years it’s always been the Yankees in the Subway Series and during the Mets early season swoon, a look at the schedule said this series would not go their way.
“The vibes are completely different than when we were losing,” Francisco Lindor said. “Right now, we understand that we have a good team. We have great players and great people in this clubhouse, and we’re all playing for each other.”
Lindor homered twice, as he continued to silence the skeptics who bashed his early season swoon. Since moving to the leadoff spot Lindor is batting .308 (12th in MLB), 14 home runs (9th), 39 RBI (15th). The Mets getting production up-and-down a lineup that is difficult to control.
“Look we played well,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “Not an easy ballpark to come in and take two out of a good team, obviously, it says a lot about this group.”
And says a lot about the Yankees who continue to struggle. The Mets got bragging rights of New York and are the better team. When was the last time that was said after a Subway Series?
Said Lindor, “We are home. We’re in New York.” And if this consistency of wins continues the Mets will own baseball in this town. Better than expected they are. Not playing to expectations are the Yankees.
“We want to win games,” Soto said. “We want to go out there and dominate.” But right now, the Yankees are one of the worst in baseball and not the Mets.
Rich Mancuso: X (Twitter @Ring786_ Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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