At this point, with the Subway Series a bored 17-year-old, only new blood can pump fresh life into this rivalry. The Yankees will fully deliver. The Mets? Sort of, as their most prominent newcomers have Subway experience in a Yankees uniform.
Here’s a position-by-position look at the New York neighbors as they kick off their four-game showdown — the first two at Yankee Stadium, the next two at Citi Field — Monday night.
Catcher
Choose your disappointment: Would you rather have the veteran All-Star who looks nothing like an $85 million player? Or are you more interested in the high-end prospect who has dramatically underwhelmed to date? Maybe Brian McCann, who established his reputation with the Mets’ National League East foes in Atlanta, and Travis d’Arnaud, who raised his stock in the minor leagues of the Yankees’ American League East neighbors Toronto, can benefit karmically from crossing paths in the baseball universe.
Edge: Yankees
First base
The only mistake the Mets committed in choosing Lucas Duda as their everyday first baseman was dragging the competition (and Ike Davis) into the regular season. On the Yankees, meanwhile, Mark Teixeira has displayed glimpses of his All-Star self at a time when the team desperately needed some offensive pop.
Edge: Yankees
Second base
The Mets haven’t prevailed at this position since Robinson Cano toiled in the minor leagues, and with Cano in Seattle, this one is closer than you might think this season, as Brian Roberts is a superior defender to Daniel Murphy. Nevertheless, Murphy’s offensive consistency trumps Roberts’ durability issues.
Edge: Mets
Third base
David Wright is awakening from his early season slumber. While Yangervis Solarte has been one of the industry’s most pleasant surprises, we’re relying heavily upon track records and projections here (see catcher and first base), so Captain America prevails for now.
Edge: Mets
Shortstop
If the Mets had spent the money necessary to procure Stephen Drew, they’d very likely pace ahead of the Yankees here, as Derek Jeter’s final lap has featured minimal displays of power at the plate and range in the field. But Ruben Tejada played his way out of full-time work for the Mets, and Wilmer Flores enters the hot seat years after the Mets had given up on him as a shortstop.
Edge: Yankees
Left field
The Mets are giving Chris Young more time at left field now, which makes sense in theory — except Young is slumping so badly now that Terry Collins asked him to bunt Saturday night in an obvious RBI situation. Brett Gardner is playing like his old self after a slow start.
Edge: Yankees
Center field
Who’s to say whether Juan Lagares can maintain even a healthy semblance of his current offensive contributions? This is a guy who quickly graduated from nonentity to core piece of the Mets’ future. At the moment, Lagares is outperforming even Yankees newcomer Jacoby Ellsbury, who still has to prove he can stay on the field for a full season. Ellsbury obviously owns the superior resume, though.
Edge: Yankees
Right field
The Yankees employ a former Met in Carlos Beltran, while the Mets employ a former Yankee in Curtis Granderson. Beltran has faded after a fast start, and Granderson warmed up following an absolutely brutal beginning. Granderson, despite being younger and more athletic than his Yankees counterpart, remains the greater question mark after missing so much of last year.
Edge: Yankees
Designated hitter
In the two games in the Bronx, the Mets will presumably utilize someone out from Chris and Eric Young, Granderson, Duda or maybe even Anthony Recker, given his production this season. The extra slot actually could prove an asset for the visitors. The Yankees’ ultra-streaky Alfonso Soriano, meanwhile, is in a valley right now. When the peak comes, you’ll know it.
Edge: Yankees
Starting pitching
It’s Hiroki Kuroda, Vidal Nuno, Masahiro Tanaka and probably Alfredo Aceves going up against Bartolo Colon, Zack Wheeler, a pitcher to be determined (maybe Jenrry Mejia, maybe Rafael Montero) and Gee, in that order. If you were to rank them one through eight, you’d top the list with the guy owning the least major-league experience, right? At this juncture, Tanaka is the one frontline starting pitcher slated to go in this series, with Wheeler possessing that sort of potential and others still (Kuroda and Colon) formerly elite.
Edge: Even
Bullpen
Both teams entered spring training with myriad question marks surrounding this unit. So how is it that the Yankees’ relief corps has caused minimal headaches while the Mets’ group is once again the Cardiac Kids? There’s no logical explanation — no prevailing theory or philosophy — behind the clear result. Let’s face it, you’ll be shocked if the Mets’ bullpen doesn’t blow up at least once this week.
Edge: Yankees
Bench
In whichever outfielder sits plus Bobby Abreu, along with Eric Campbelland Recker, Terry Collins can deploy some late-inning weapons. So can Joe Girardi, though, with a revitalized Ichiro Suzuki, whichever infielder he doesn’t start (plus Brendan Ryan available for defense) and John Ryan Murphy.
Edge: Even
Manager
In his fourth year leading the Mets, Terry Collins still gets judged on qualities like interpersonal skills and game management because we all know he hasn’t once enjoyed the benefit of a full cupboard. On the other side, Joe Girardi is in year one of a lucrative, four-year extension because he excelled last year with his barest cupboard to date.
Edge: Yankees
Prediction
A Subway Split. The Yankees will win Monday and Wednesday, and the Mets Tuesday and Thursday.