MLB

Yankees’ Rivera shares memories of past Subway Series with Mets fans

The thought of the Mets and Yankees meeting for another Subway Series this October is impossible to imagine, but Mariano Rivera still recalls not just the deep fly ball Mike Piazza hit to center for the final out of Game 5 of the 2000 fall classic, but also Benny Agbayani’s prediction the Mets were going to win the Series in five games on Howard Stern’s show.

“Benny was the one who stirred everything up,” Rivera said after bringing up Agbayani’s remarks in a meeting with Mets employees and season-ticket holders at Citi Field before the Mets’ 2-1 win in the Subway Series opener.

“He said they will beat us in five games. I do remember that,” Rivera said. “You should never stir up things. I don’t care what he said. When you play sports, you should never say, ‘You’re gonna do this.’ If you’re gonna say it, you better do it.”

Agbayani did knock in the winning run during the Mets’ lone victory against the Yankees in that series, but Rivera and the Yankees had no trouble dispatching the Mets for their third straight championship.

“Play the game. Rivera said. “If it happens, it happens. You don’t want to motivate other people or give ammunition to the other team.”

VOTE: WHAT WAS THE BEST SUBWAY SERIES MOMENT?

PHOTOS: METS NIP YANKS IN OPENER

While Rivera recalled Agbayani’s prediction, which came only when Stern repeatedly asked him to pick a winner, Piazza’s final out to give the Yankees the championship — their third straight — stands out in Mets’ fans memories even more.

Rivera, who threw the pitch, said he never thought Piazza’s shot had a chance to get out of Shea Stadium’s deep center field.

“I know it didn’t hit the sweet spot,” Rivera said. “As a pitcher, you know. And the hitters know, too.”

Rivera, who will be honored by the Mets before tonight’s game, has met with team and stadium employees in each city the Yankees have visited in his final season and he said he has been treated well — including by Mets fans.

“Playing here for so many years against each other, we’ve had some good times and some tough losses here,” said Rivera, who also displayed how he throws his infamous cutter, which is actually a four-seam fastball, but moves differently. “They’ve always been respectful.”

They usually bring up the 2000 World Series, which Rivera enjoyed, also — but for different reasons.

“It was big for the city,” Rivera said. “It was good because we played here in New York and stayed in New York. That was the best. It was good for the fans and it was fun because we didn’t have to travel.”

As for his future and the future of the game, Rivera said he hoped his final appearance comes in the World Series and baseball is cleaner now than it was for much of his career.

“People are always going to try to beat the system,” Rivera said. “But I don’t recommend it.”

Rivera will have his next chat when the Yankees head to Seattle next month.

“All they want to do is thank me,” Rivera said of the people he meets. “Thank me for doing my job, I guess.”