The $106 Million Underdog?

Only in New York could a team with a payroll of $106 million be considered the underdog. The New York Mets, usually second-class citizens in this town, living perpetually in the shadow of Steinbrenner's Yankees, are the most exciting team in the baseball this year. In the extremely insular world of New York sports, however, what is even more important is that they are the most exciting team in town. Going into last night's game, the $229 million Yankees were 6-7, in the cellar of the AL East, playing uninspired and inconsistent ball all year. As has been the trend the last few years with this team, they look old, predictable, and creaking under the weight of the monumental pressure put upon them by their salaries and their pinstripes.

The Mets, on the other hand, were 10-3, at the top of the NL East, and playing an exciting style of baseball, combining great pitching with a productive, small-ball style National League offense. While the Mets have their share of Forbes 500 players, like Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, they also have some of the most exciting, young, home-grown talent in the league in pitcher Brian Bannister, shortstop Jose Reyes, and, most specifically, stellar third baseman David Wright. Wright is off to a torrid start, batting .391 through 13 games, with the New York fans chanting “MVP” almost every time he steps to the plate. While the Mets have their flaws (most noticeably a weak pitching rotation and some shaky middle relief pitching), they are an intriguing mix of high-price free agent superstars (since, after all, this is New York) and wide-eyed, idealistic young prospects who have worked their way up to the big leagues.

With the Mets at 10-3 and the Yanks at 6-7, it feels like Rudy is running toward the end zone for the game winning touchdown. Perhaps it's a New York thing. The Mets have always been seen as lovable losers, as pull-up-bootstraps go-getters, valiantly trying to fill the baseball space left vacant by the departed Giants and Dodgers. And though they now spend almost as much money as anyone, have their own cable network like the Yankees, and are planning an expensive and breathtaking new ballpark to open in 2009, which will bring in even more cash, they still retain that underdog status, at least in the five boroughs. The baseball season is long and a lot can change, but at least for now, the Mets are the kings of the New York sports world, and I can't help but be happy for them.