The Mets and Yankees closed spring training against each other on April 4 in Tampa. That day Andy Pettitte threw his first competitive inning since he retired. Michael Pineda announced his right shoulder was feeling much better. Ike Davis homered for a second straight game and declared, “I am ready for the season to start.”
Was that two months or two years ago?
The teams seemed as if they were heading for two different seasons — the Mets attempting to avoid fifth place and humiliation; the Yanks toward familiar contention. In anticipation of those disparate seasons, I hunted common ground and a way to tie New York to New York. So, I devised a series of over/unders in areas of similarity.
Lo and behold we have reached the first Subway Series of 2012 and both New York teams are contenders. Still, I thought it might be fun and illuminating to reflect on the over/unders — and add a few more with the knowledge accrued from one-third of a season. The numbers in parentheses represent the over/under number established in spring:
Andy Pettitte vs. Johan Santana (20 starts) — Neither lefty pitched in 2011, yet both have been invaluable in 2012. Santana makes his 12th start tonight, his follow-up to the first no-hitter in Mets history. His surgically repaired shoulder remains a worrisome undercurrent to the season. But so far Santana has been an All-Star ace who enlivens a whole organization with his competitiveness.
The Yankees rotation has pitched markedly better since Pettitte entered, which is probably no coincidence. He has provided quality innings that have reduced the stress on others. Pettitte has worked at least 6 1/3 innings in each of his five starts. If he makes it six on Sunday against the Mets, it would mark the longest streak by a Yankee not named CC Sabathia since, yep, Pettitte did it in 2010.
Phil Hughes vs. Mike Pelfrey (4.20 ERA) — Both homegrown, first-round righties followed strong 2010s with miserable 2011s. Pelfrey managed just three 2012 starts before needing elbow surgery. His Mets tenure is now likely over.
Hughes’ 4.96 ERA ranks 94th out of 117 qualifiers. But going into tomorrow’s start, he’s permitted two or fewer runs in five of his last six outings, including one in his first-ever, nine-inning complete game Sunday in Detroit.
Derek Jeter vs. Ruben Tejada (.360 OBP) — Who would have believed the Mets shortstop situation would get more brittle after Jose Reyes’ departure? Tejada’s .360 on-base percentage last year (.362 in 2012) encouraged the Mets he was ready for the shortstop job. He has been out a month with a right quad injury, keeps suffering setbacks that have raised concerns about his ability to heal, and his injury triggered a plague at the position for the Mets.
Jeter has cooled considerably after a back-to-the-future April (he’s hitless in his last 13 at-bats). Still, he had a .371 on-base percentage and his .319 average was 14th in the majors. It was .263 on this date last year, 87th in the majors.
Alex Rodriguez vs. David Wright (25 homers) — The duo combined for 30 homers and just 201 games last year.
A-Rod is on pace for more than 25 homers, but with limited impact. He is at .167 with runners in scoring position and has more steals (six) than doubles (five), which explains a .430 slugging percentage, 80th in the majors.
Wright might not get to 25 homers (he has seven), but his impact has been huge. He has re-established both his stardom and that the Mets will have to pay big to retain him long term.
Nick Swisher vs. Lucas Duda (25 homers) — Swisher, in his walk year, wants to be paid big long term. Duda is attempting to prove he is a long-term Mets solution. Swisher (eight homers) has dimmed after a fiery start and his usual plate patience has not been as evident. Duda, meanwhile, has hit five of his team-leading 10 homers in the past seven games, including a two-run shot to help beat Washington yesterday.
THREE NEW ONES
Manny Banuelos/Dellin Betances vs. Matt Harvey/Zack Wheeler (Top 25 Baseball America 2013 Prospect List) — This is a blowout so far. Banuelos (29th on BA List in 2012) has been hurt most of this season and is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. Betances (63) has 52 walks in 58 innings. Neither is close to helping the Yanks raise rotation quality while lowering payroll.
Meanwhile, Harvey (54) is having a solid year at Triple-A while Wheeler has so dominated at Double-A (1.66 ERA after seven more shutout innings last night) that he is part of the best-pitching-prospect-in-the-minors conversation. The Carlos Beltran deal, thus, has a chance to be one of the best in Mets history.
Brett Gardner vs. Jason Bay (.800 OPS/100 games played) — Neither left fielder has played since mid-April. Bay is active and will play this weekend. Gardner is getting close. Both could enhance offenses; Bay if he can rediscover his power, especially with those pulled-in Citi fences; Gardner with his speed and on-base skills.
CC Sabathia vs. R.A. Dickey (20 wins) — Dickey won his NL-leading ninth game yesterday. Sabathia’s seven wins are among the AL leaders. If Sabathia even gets to 19 wins, it would mean he has done that four straight years, something only three other Yankees (Jack Chesbro, Red Ruffing, Vic Raschi) have done.
Frank Viola won 20 in 1990. No Met has done so since. No primarily knuckleball pitcher has won 20 since Joe Niekro in 1980.
joel.sherman@nypost.com