New York Mets – New York Yankees
History
First meeting	June 16, 1997
Last meeting	July 3, 2011
Next meeting	June 8, 2012
Number of meetings	89
Regular season series	NYY, 49–35
Largest victory
Current streak
Longest NYM win streak	3
Longest NYY win streak	7
Post-season history
2000 World Series	NYY, 4–1

The New York Mets – New York Yankees rivalry is the latest incarnation of the Subway Series, the competition between New York City's Major League Baseball teams, the American League New York Yankees and the National League New York Mets. Until Interleague play started, the two teams had only met in exhibition games. Since the inception of interleague play the two teams have met every regular season since 1997, and since 1999 they have met six times each season, playing two three-game series, one in each team's ballpark. They have made the postseason in the same year three times: 1999, 2000, and 2006, and faced off in the 2000 World Series.

1962–1996: Formation of the Mets, Mayor's Trophy and pre-interleague era[link]

Background and formation of Mets[link]

The Mets–Yankees rivalry has its origins in the histories of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and the Yankees, the three Major League Baseball teams of New York City from 1903 to 1957.^[1] For most of that time, the Giants played in Manhattan, the Dodgers in Brooklyn, and the Yankees in the Bronx.

Throughout their time in New York, the three teams chronicled a fierce intra-city rivalry. The Dodgers–Giants rivalry was formed by both teams' competition for dominance in the National League, exemplified by Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World in the 1951 National League tie-breaker series.^[1] The Yankees, as the city's only American League team, would form the Yankees–Giants rivalry and Yankees–Dodgers rivalry around their multiple Subway Series competitions with the two teams, where the Yankees would compile a 10-3 record in the thirteen all-New York World Series.^[1]

However, in 1958, both of New York's National League teams moved to California, the Giants to San Francisco to become the San Francisco Giants, and the Dodgers to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees were New York City's only Major League Baseball team until 1962, when the expansion Mets joined the National League. The Mets sought to create a fan base from fans of the departed National League teams, and adopted the Giants' NY insignia in the Giant color of orange set against a cap of Dodger blue. They played their first two seasons in the Giants' old stadium, the Polo Grounds, before moving into Shea Stadium in the borough of Queens.

World Series championships[link]

Casey Stengel's number 37 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1970.

Casey Stengel's number 37 was retired by the New York Mets in 1965.

1962 was the inaugural season of the New York Mets and they would post one of the worst regular season records in MLB history, 40-120.^[2][3][4] Meanwhile, the Yankees won the World Series that year, the last such World Series won by the aging lineup of the 1950s dynasty. The Yankees would go to the World Series in 1963 and 1964, but lose both times. The 1962 and 1963 World Series were played against the Yankees' former Subway Series rivals, the Giants in '62 and Dodgers in '63.

The Mets hired former Yankee legend Casey Stengel as their first manager and former Yankee legend and Hall of Famer Red Ruffing as their first pitching coach. Stengel's number 37 serves as the only number retired by both the Yankees and Mets. The Mets emerged as one of the worst teams in baseball for their first seven seasons. In 1966, the Mets bypassed Hall of Famer and future Yankee Reggie Jackson in the amateur draft, instead selecting Steve Chilcott, who never played in the majors. However, behind pitching ace Tom Seaver, the 1969 "Miracle Mets" staged a remarkable turnaround for the franchise and defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

The Mets staged a surprising late season run to capture the 1973 National League Pennant, but lost the World Series in seven games to the Oakland Athletics, particularly due to the efforts in Game 7 of Reggie Jackson. The Mets winning this National League pennant was the only NL East title between 1970 and 1980 that wasn't won by either rival Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates.^[5][6] Those two teams reigned exclusively as NL East champions during that span (Pirates from 1970–1972 and won the 1971 World Series, 1974, 1975, and winning the 1979 World Series, Phillies from 1976–1978 and winning the 1980 World Series).^[5][6] Former Yankee catcher Yogi Berra was a Met coach in 1969 and manager of the team in 1973. Both teams shared Shea Stadium as their home field when Yankee Stadium was being refit during the 1974 and 1975 seasons.

The Yankees returned to the World Series in 1976, but were swept by the Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds. This caused Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to acquire the top free agent for the 1977, Reggie Jackson. Jackson helped the Yankees won their first World Series in 15 years against former Subway Series rival Los Angeles Dodgers, where Jackson earned the moniker "Mr. October" by hitting three home runs off of three different Dodger pitchers, all on the first pitch, in Game 6. That year, future Yankees manager Joe Torre made his managerial debut with the Mets. The following year, the Yankees again defeated the Dodgers in six games in the World Series.

The Yankees again faced the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, but lost in six games in the same way the Dodgers lost the 1978 series (winning the first two games at home, but dropping the next four). This began another long championship drought for the Yankees, 18 years, the longest since they first won in 1923. The 1980s would also be the only decade since their first championship in which they did not win a World Series.

In contrast, the Mets enjoyed success during much of the decade and won the World Series in 1986 against the Yankees' biggest nemesis, the Boston Red Sox, in seven games. The New York Times called the series a "painful series."^[7] Newsday called it "woeful days for Yankee fans."^[8] Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News called the series "the World Series that is the Yankee nightmare."^[9] Both Newsday and The Boston Globe said that there were Mets T-shirts saying "Steinbrenner's nightmare,"^[8][10] referring to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. John Powers of the Globe quoted Claire Smith, who covered the Yankees for The Hartford Courant, as having said that "this really is the World Series of the nightmares."^[11] Yankee fans attended the Mets' celebration parade, saying that "anyone who beats Boston is worth coming down for."^[12] The Mets would also win the National League East in 1988, but fall in seven games to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.^[13]

During the 1985 season, former Met legend Tom Seaver had been acquired by the Chicago White Sox due to the Mets taking a chance and not protecting his contract after the 1984 season. After Seaver's 298^th win, a reporter had pointed out to White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk that following his upcoming start in Boston, Seaver's next scheduled start would be in New York, and that the possibility existed that he might achieve the mark there. Fisk emphatically stated that Seaver would win in Boston, and then would win his 300^th. On August 4, 1985, Seaver recorded his 300^th victory in New York at Yankee Stadium against the Yankees, throwing a complete game. Coincidentally, it was Phil Rizzuto Day – Seaver would later become Rizzuto's broadcast partner for Yankee games. Lindsey Nelson, a Mets radio and TV announcer during Seaver's Mets days, called the final out for Yankees TV flagship WPIX.

The Yankees finished with the best record in the American League in 1994, but the players' strike canceled that year's postseason.^[14][15][16] The Yankees won the American League Wild Card in 1995, but lost the ALDS to the Seattle Mariners in five games. They returned to the World Series in 1996 and defeated the returning champion Atlanta Braves in six games. This was the first World Series victory in a new Yankees dynasty managed by former Met manager Joe Torre and included career-long Yankees Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and then rookie Derek Jeter. It also included future Yankee skipper Joe Girardi. Besides Torre, the 1996 Yankees included several former Met stars, including pitchers Dwight Gooden and David Cone, who played for the Mets in the 1988 NLCS, and slugger Darryl Strawberry, who had been on the 1986 Mets team that won the World Series.

Mayor's Trophy[link]

Before the creation of Interleague play, teams from the National League never played teams from the American League in official games except during the World Series. The Yankees and Mets occasionally met in spring training exhibition games and from 1963 to 1983 played annually in the Mayor's Trophy Game, an in-season exhibition game, where the Yankees posted a record of 10–8–1 over the Mets.^[17]

Mayor's Trophy Game Results

1997–1999: Interleague regular season play begins[link]

1997–1998: First official games[link]

In 1997, Major League Baseball scheduled official regular season games between the American and National Leagues for the first time. On June 16, the Mets and Yankees played their first official game at Yankee Stadium, which the Mets won 6–0 behind Dave Mlicki.^[18] The Yankees won the next two games for a series win. The Mets acquired Mike Piazza for the 1998 season and made a run for the playoffs, but were eliminated in the last regular game series of the season by the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees won that year's interleague series at Shea Stadium two games to one, and would also win the 1998 World Series, the first of three straight titles for them. David Cone won 20 games in 1998 for the Yankees, just 10 years after he accomplished the same feat for the Mets, becoming the only player to win 20 games for both teams.

These interleague games between the Mets and Yankees would come to be referred to as a Subway Series, extending the use of that phrase outside the historical context of an all-New York World Series.

1999: Both teams reach the playoffs[link]

In 1999, Major League Baseball expanded Interleague play, allowing the Mets and Yankees to host a series at their home stadiums. At Shea, the Mets won their first series against the Yankees, 2 games to 1, though the regular season series was tied by virtue of a Yankees series win (2 to 1) at Yankee Stadium earlier that year. That year marked the first time both teams reached the playoffs in the same season, though the Mets needed an extra game for their first playoff appearance since losing the 1988 National League Championship Series.^[19]

Both the Mets and Yankees reached their respective League Championship Series and played their respective rivals. The Mets were defeated by their division rival Atlanta Braves in their LCS,^[20] while the Yankees defeated long time rival Boston Red Sox in that year's ALCS. The Yankees then swept the Braves in the 1999 World Series for their 25th franchise title.

2000: World Series meeting[link]

During the regular season on July 8, 2000, the Yankees defeated the Mets by identical 4-2 scores in both ends of an unusual day-night doubleheader. With the first game played at Shea Stadium and the nightcap at Yankee Stadium, it was the first time since 1903 that two teams played two games in different stadiums on the same day. Dwight Gooden won the first game with a six inning effort in his first start since returning to the Yankees. Roger Clemens won the nightcap.^[21] However, in the second game of that double header, an event occurred that made the rivalry between the two teams more contentious. Clemens hit Mets' star Mike Piazza in the helmet with an inside fastball, causing Piazza to suffer a concussion and placing him on the disabled list.^[22]

The Mets and Yankees returned to the playoffs that year and won their respective pennants, meeting in the 2000 World Series for their first championship contest. It was the Yankees' fourth appearance in five years and the Mets' first appearance since winning the title in 1986. It was the first Subway Series World Series since 1956. Game 1 went to extra innings in what was then the longest World Series game of all time, with the Yankees winning on a walk-off hit by former Met José Vizcaíno.

Controversy ensued in Game 2 when Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens faced Mets catcher Mike Piazza for the first time since the hit-by-pitch earlier that season. In the match-up, Piazza shattered his bat after fouling off one of Clemens' pitches, and the splintered bathead hurtled towards the mound. Clemens threw the bathead towards the baseline and nearly hit Piazza who had been running down the foul line. The incident caused both benches to clear. The Yankees won the game 6-5.

The Mets won Game 3, snapping the Yankees' fourteen game winning streak in World Series play dating back to 1996 and Yankee hurler Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez's previously undefeated postseason record (6–0). However, this would prove to be the only high point for the Mets. Derek Jeter hit a home run on the first pitch of Game 4, immediately shifting momentum back to the Yankees who would win the game. Footage of this home run currently serves as the background for the title screen of YES Network's "Yankeeography" series. Despite no game in the series being decided by more than two runs, the Yankees would only require five games to beat the Mets. Al Leiter, a former Yankee prospect, would take the mound for the Mets in Game 5 and lose. The Yankees clinched their third straight World Series championship when Mariano Rivera got Mike Piazza to pop up for the final out of Game 5.

World Series MVP Derek Jeter said of the Mets: "In my opinion, the Mets were the toughest team we have played in my five years here. Every one of these games could have gone either way. They could have given up after [losing] the first two games, but they never quit. You can't say enough about the New York Mets." ^[23]

This World Series win was sense of revenge for Roger Clemens, because he won the World Series in the same stadium he lost it at in 1986 while with the Red Sox. Members of the Mets' 1986 team threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the clinching game.^[24][25][26]

The 12.4 television rating and 21 share of the 2000 World Series was the worst in history when it was played.^[27] For the Mets, the 12.4 rating was less than half of what they were when during their previous appearance, when Game 7 drew a 38.9 rating and 55 share.

Both teams thanked the St. Louis Cardinals for this series.^[20][28] Their sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS made the Mets' run to the World Series much easier.^[20] The Braves had eliminated the Mets from the playoffs on the final day of the 1998 season and in the 1999 NLCS.^[20]

2001–2008: The rivalry continues in the 21st century[link]

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (June 2011)

Subway Series 2008, Johnny Damon with the Yankees (left) and Brian Schneider with the Mets

A full house at Yankee Stadium for a Subway Series game against the Mets on 6/16/2007.

Alex Rodriguez plays for the Yankees, but grew up as a fan of the New York Mets.

The 2000 championship was the Yankees' last title until their 2009 World Series win. Since their appearance in 2000, the Mets would have several losing seasons until the emergence of David Wright and José Reyes.

• In 2001, there was a moment of peace in the rivalry in the aftermath of the attacks in New York City. During the weekend of September 21–23, Shea Stadium hosted the first professional sporting event in New York City since the attacks when the Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves while Yankee Stadium hosted a special memorial service titled "Prayer for America."

• On June 15, 2002, Roger Clemens faced the Mets for the first time at Shea Stadium since the Piazza controversy. Anticipation mounted about retalliation against Clemens. Mets manager Bobby Valentine chided Clemens by saying he wore a "skirt" when compared to past pitchers who threw hard at people like Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale because Clemens did not have to bat in the American League. When the game arrived, Clemens was forced to bat and Mets pitcher Shawn Estes attempted to hit Clemens in retaliation but instead threw a pitch behind Clemens, prompting the home plate umpire to warn both benches. Estes later homered off of Clemens as the Mets won the game 8-0.^[29]

• 2003 – the Yankees become the first and, as of 2011, only team to sweep the season series, winning all six games, including a two-park day-night doubleheader.

• 2004 – the Mets win the season series for the first time, going 4–2 and sweep the three games at Shea Stadium.

• In 2005, the Mets signed Manager Willie Randolph, who coached with the Yankees for over a decade. Randolph played much of his career with the Yankees and also played for the Mets before retiring as a player. Because of his history with the Yankees championship teams of the 70s (as a player) and the 90s (as a coach), he holds a very cordial relationship with Yankee fans despite his tenure with the Mets organization, as noted by a Subway (a pun on the restaurant's name and the Subway Series) commercial featuring him and former Yankees manager Joe Torre, who had managed the Yankees during their most recent dynastic run. Torre had also been associated with the Mets as they were the last team he ever played for and the first team he ever managed. On August 2, 2008, less than two months after his abrupt and controversial dismissal as Mets manager, Randolph was greeted with a standing ovation by the Yankee Stadium crowd when he appeared in a Yankees uniform for the Old-Timers' Game.^[30]

• On June 26, 2005, the Mets won their first series at Yankee Stadium and were three outs from a sweep when Jason Giambi's bases loaded single off of Braden Looper in the ninth drove home the tying and winning runs for the Yankees, who forced a season series split with the Mets.^[31]

• On May 19, 2006, in the first Subway Series of that year at Shea, the Yankees took the lead three times in the first four innings, but the Mets rallied each time against Randy Johnson and the game was tied 6-6 going into the bottom of the ninth. With two outs and runners on first and second, David Wright drives home the winning run for the Mets with a single off of Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera.^[32]

• On May 20, 2006, less than 24 hours after the Mets' comeback win, Pedro Martinez and Duaner Sanchez kept the Yankees scoreless for eight winnings while the Mets score four runs off of Mike Mussina. In the top of the ninth, however, closer Billy Wagner, who pitched a perfect ninth the night before to get the win, gave up four runs to tie the game and force extra innings. In the top of the 11th, Andy Phillips singled in the go-ahead run for the Yankees while Mariano Rivera pitched two shutout innings for the win.^[33]

• History is made at the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game when two positions on both teams are manned by players from teams of the same city. David Wright and José Reyes started at third base and shortstop respectively for the National League while Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter started at the same respective positions for the American League.

• Both teams in 2006 finished at the top of their division in the same season for the first time in history. For the Yankees, this was their ninth straight division title, while the Mets won their first division title since 1988. Despite sharing baseball's best regular season record (97-65), they would have disappointing postseasons as both lost enroute to the two teams that eventually met in that year's World Series, the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals.

• The teams' inverse success relationship was highlighted in 2007. On May 29, the Yankees were tied for last place and 14.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox while the Mets were in first place ahead of the Atlanta Braves by four games, with the lead being as high as seven in mid-September. A late season meltdown led to the Mets being eliminated from playoff contention, losing the NL East title to the Philadelphia Phillies on the last day of the season. On the other hand, the Yankees, though unable to finish first in the AL East for the first time since 1997, rebounded from their losing ways and clinched their 13th consecutive playoff berth.

• March 24, 2008: In an article written in the New York Daily News, Alex Rodriguez said how he regretted signing with the Texas Rangers (the team the Yankees acquired him from) in the first place and wished he had signed with the Mets rather than Texas. Rodriguez grew up a Met fan and former Met first baseman turned announcer Keith Hernandez.^[34] Rodriguez stated how he listened to his agent Scott Boras about taking more money instead and did not want to make the same mistake of not being on a team he liked playing for by leaving the Yankees.^[35]

• June 27, 2008: In the first game of a two-stadium, day-night doubleheader against the Yankees, Carlos Delgado scores 9 RBIs (including a grand slam) in a 15–6 victory for the Mets, setting a team record for most RBIs in a single game and tying the record for most RBIs in a single game by a visiting player at Yankee Stadium.

• 2008 – For just the second time, the Mets win the season series against the Yankees, 4–2, including the Mets' only sweep at the old Yankee Stadium.

• The 2008 season marked the first time since 1993 that both the Yankees and Mets failed to qualify for postseason, the first time for the Yankees since that year and the second straight year where the Mets were eliminated on the last day of the season. It was also the last year both teams played at their old respective ballparks, Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium. Yogi Berra was present at the closing ceremonies of both stadiums. Both teams finished with the same record (89-73) that year.

2009 to present: New stadiums[link]

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (June 2011)

The 2009 season was the first year that both teams played in their new stadiums, Mets at Citi Field and the Yankees at the new Yankee Stadium. The Yankees took it one step further opened their new stadium with their 27th World Series championship against the Philadelphia Phillies, the defending champions, becoming the first team to inaugurate two stadiums with World Series wins.

• June 12, 2009: Both teams played each other for the first time at the new Yankee Stadium. The game had several lead changes, including Mariano Rivera giving up the go ahead run to the Mets in the 8th. In the bottom of the 9th, after Derek Jeter stole 2nd base and Mark Texiera was intentionally walked, the Mets new closer Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod) paired off against Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod). In what seemed a routine pop with two outs, Mets 2nd baseman and three time gold glove award winner Luis Castillo dropped the ball. Texiera wound up scoring the winning run all the way from first on the error. It would prove to be the Yankees' 7th walk off game that season and the first statistical blown save for K-Rod as a Met. After the game, injured Yankees pitcher Brian Bruney criticized K-Rod and his animated behavior on the mound to reporters. "[It] couldn't have happened to a better guy on the mound, either," said Bruney. "He's got a tired act. ... He gets what he deserves, man. I just don't like watching the guy pitch. I think it's embarrassing." Rodriguez responded, "Instead of sending a message in the paper, next time when he sees me at Citi Field, come up to me and say it. Don't be sending a message to the media. I don't even know who that guy is, somewhere in Double-A and not even pitching one full season." ^[36]

• June 14, 2009 – Francisco Rodriguez confronts Bruney during batting practice and are separated by teammates. The Yankees shutout the Mets 15–0 in the biggest blowout in the history of the series, tagging Met ace Johan Santana for nine runs in 3 ¹⁄₃ innings, the most Santana has ever allowed in his career.^[37]

• June 26, 2009 – The two teams played each other for the first time at Citi Field. Alex Rodriguez hit his 564th home run, moving past Reggie Jackson into 11th place on the career home run list. The Yankees defeat the Mets 9–1 after the Mets had committed three errors that led to four runs in the second inning, the most ever against the Yankees.

• June 28, 2009 – Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who entered the game to face a batter in the 8th inning, bats against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez at the top of the 9th inning. Rivera drew a walk with the bases loaded, forcing home Brett Gardner to earn his first career RBI. Rivera would go on to finish the game and earn his 500th career save as the Yankees swept the series at Citi Field.

• May 22, 2010 - The Mets win their first Subway Series game at Citi Field with a 5-3 victory over the Yankees.

• June 20, 2010 - The Yankees earn their 9,500th franchise victory with a 4-0 win over the Mets. Mark Texiera provided the only runs of the game with a third inning grand slam off of Johan Santana.^[38]

• July 3, 2011 - The Mets, down to their final strike and on the verge of getting swept at Citi Field by the Yankees for the second time in three years, tie the final game of that year's Subway Series against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single from Ronny Paulino. In 23 previous save opportunities against the Mets, spanning the regular season and the 2000 World Series, Rivera had converted 22 ^[39] (his only previous blown save against the team was on July 10, 1999 ^[40]). The Mets would win in the 10th inning on an RBI single from Jason Bay, who had been struggling all season, off of former Met pitcher Luis Ayala.^[41] Manager Terry Collins called the game "enormous."^[39][41] The Yankees still won the season series 4 games to 2.^[42]

• July 12, 2011 - Days after gaining entry into the 3,000 hit club, Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter elected to sit out of the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game citing "physical and emotional exhaustion" and recovery from a recent visit to the disabled list. Jeter, who throughout his career had been praised by people in and out of baseball for good behavior, was criticized by some players and officials including Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. Beltran stated that "I do believe, as a ballplayer, if you have no injuries, you should be here...the fans are the ones that vote for you and want to see you here." Mets shortstop José Reyes, who also was injured, also opined on the incident saying "I want to come no matter what happens."^[43]

Fan demographics[link]

In 1998, the Independent Budget Office of the city of New York published a study on the economic effect of the city's two Major League Baseball teams. The study included an analysis of where fans of both the Mets and the Yankees resided. The study found that 39% of Mets fans lived in one of the five boroughs of New York, 49% in the tri-state area outside the city and 12% elsewhere. Mets fans were more likely to be found in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk, whereas Manhattan, the Bronx, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the counties of Westchester and Rockland, as well as the upper Hudson Valley and the upstate New York region, leaned more towards the Yankees.^[44]

Fans of other New York City teams[link]

Historically, Yankees fans tend to root for the New York Football Giants (who once played in Yankee Stadium) and the New York Rangers (all three being the older, more established teams), while Mets fans tend to root for the New York Jets (who once played in Shea Stadium) and New York Islanders.^[45] However, some Yankees fans root for the Jets (both teams have intense rivalries with Boston, as the fierce Yankees–Red Sox rivalry has led to the rivalry between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots and the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics),^[46] while Mets fans root for the Giants as part of their hatred for their counterparts in Philadelphia (Phillies and Eagles), as well as the rivalry between the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League.^[47]

Rivalry outside of baseball[link]

Outside of Major League Baseball, the teams rivalry has shown passions from fans of both sides.

• In the 1991 movie City Slickers starring Billy Crystal, Crystal's character is seen wearing a Mets hat. Crystal himself in reality is an avid and outspoken Yankee fan, so much that he had a personal friendship with his boyhood idol Mickey Mantle in as much he produced the movie 61* about Mantle and Roger Maris's chase for Babe Ruth's all time record for homeruns hit in a season. Crystal also celebrated his 60th birthday by signing a one-day contract with the Yankees in the 2008 Spring Training.
• In the movie Two Weeks Notice, Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant's characters Lucy Kelson and George Wade attended a Mets game. When an opposing player hit a pop-fly and Mets catcher Mike Piazza went towards the stands to get it, Lucy reached over and stole the pop fly from Piazza, preventing him from getting the player out. Piazza quipped saying she should be a Yankee fan.
• During the 2000 World Series, the Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, showed no remorse in his partisan support of the Yankees despite being the sitting mayor in office, though he had attended Mets games before and after. Examples of this include the Mets opened the 1996 season, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch along with the Governor of New York George Pataki,^[48] during the Mets' season opener in 1998,^[49] and when the Mets hosted the first professional sporting event in New York since September 11, 2001.^[50]
• In 2010, pop star singer and Yankee fan Lady Gaga, attended a Mets game at Citi Field with the San Diego Padres where she gave Met fans the middle finger. Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a Met fan, criticized Gaga for the incident due to children being at the game and became upset knowing that she had done the action from his personal luxury box.^[51]

See also[link]

• Subway Series
• Major League Baseball rivalries

References[link]

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Joe Girardi
New York Yankees – No. 28
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1964-10-14) October 14, 1964 (age 47) Peoria, Illinois
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 4, 1989 for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 2003 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Career statistics (through May 30, 2012)
Batting average	.267
Hits	1,100
Runs batted in	422
Games managed	860
Win–loss record	489-371
Winning %	.569
Teams
As player Chicago Cubs (1989–1992) Colorado Rockies (1993–1995) New York Yankees (1996–1999) Chicago Cubs (2000–2002) St. Louis Cardinals (2003) As manager Florida Marlins (2006) New York Yankees (2008–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2000) 4× World Series champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2009) 2006 NL Manager of the Year

Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals. He also previously managed the Florida Marlins in 2006, where he was named National League Manager of the Year.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Girardi, was born in Peoria, Illinois, and is a native of East Peoria, Illinois,^[1] he attended East Peoria's Neil Armstrong grade school, and Peoria's Sacred Heart/Father Sweeney where he was coached in basketball by his father. He then attended Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute in Peoria, Illinois, where he played quarterback for the football team (coached by Tommy Kahn) and catcher for the baseball team (coached by David Lang). He went on to play baseball at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering. He was the first freshman to be elected president of a fraternity (Alpha Tau Omega) at Northwestern.^{[citation needed]}

Playing career[link]

In 1989, while a prospect for the Chicago Cubs, Girardi played for the Águilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan winter league.^[2] He began his major league career in 1989 with the Cubs, staying with them through 1992. He was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the expansion draft before the 1993 season. Girardi played for the Rockies through 1995. He was traded in 1995 to the New York Yankees for pitcher Mike DeJean.

Girardi as manager of the Yankees

Girardi served as the Yankees' regular catcher from 1996 through 1999, earning three World Series rings in 1996, 1998, and 1999. In 1996, Girardi caught Dwight Gooden's no-hitter and in 1999, he caught David Cone's perfect game. When the Yankees promoted Jorge Posada, a 25-year-old prospect, to serve as his backup, Girardi served as Posada's mentor.^[3] The two catchers split time for the Yankees through 1999.^[4]

In 2000, Girardi left the Yankees and returned to the Cubs, where he was named to that year's All-Star team, his only All-Star appearance as a player (he would later manage the 2010 AL All-Star team). He played with the Cubs again in 2001 and 2002. On June 22, 2002, before the Cubs' game with the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis's Darryl Kile was found dead. When Major League Baseball decided to cancel the nationally televised game, Girardi announced the cancellation to the fans at Wrigley Field without directly mentioning Kile's death. At 2:37 pm, he tearfully told the fans, "I thank you for your patience. We regret to inform you because of a tragedy in the Cardinal family, the commissioner has canceled the game today. Please be respectful. You will find out eventually what has happened, and I ask that you say a prayer for the St. Louis Cardinals' family."

In 2003, Girardi played for the Cardinals.

Broadcasting and coaching career[link]

After a spring training stint with the Yankees in 2004, Girardi retired and became a commentator for the YES Network. He hosted the youth-oriented Yankees on Deck, received good reviews, and was offered a larger role on 2005 Yankee broadcasts.

But he rejected that offer, as well as an offer by Florida Marlins to become the bench coach with a guarantee to become the team's manager in 2006 (he eventually got that job anyway). Instead, he became the Yankees' bench coach. He managed a game during a Joe Torre suspension, a loss to the Kansas City Royals. Girardi remained the host of Kids on Deck in 2005, having shot his shows before spring training. During games, YES promoted Kids on Deck by showing Girardi sitting in the dugout during breaks in the game.^{[citation needed]}

Girardi worked Games 3–5 of the 2006 World Series for Fox as part of the network's pregame and postgame team, along with host Jeanne Zelasko and regular analyst Kevin Kennedy.

After fielding managerial offers for the 2007 season, Joe Girardi instead came to terms with the YES network to return to the broadcast booth for 60-plus games as a Yankees analyst, and co-host a new show on the network, Behind The Plate, with John Flaherty, also a former Yankee catcher.^[5] Girardi also served as color commentator for the No.2 booth (usually with Thom Brennaman) on Major League Baseball on Fox.

Managerial career[link]

Florida Marlins (2006)[link]

After the 2005 regular season, Girardi was named the manager of the Marlins, replacing departed manager Jack McKeon. His first notable action as manager was to prohibit facial hair, a policy similar to that of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, except Girardi prohibited mustaches as well.^[6]

Girardi guided the team into a 78–84 record and a surprising wild-card contention even though the team had the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball.^[7] About $14 million, the Marlins' 2006 payroll was lower than the salaries of several MLB players. But Girardi was nearly fired in early August when he got into a vocal (and visible) argument with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria during a game. According to witnesses and video footage, the Marlins owner was heckling homeplate umpire Larry Vanover. When the umpire warned Girardi about the harassment, Girardi and his bench coach Gary Tuck then turned to Loria and told him to stop. Loria had to be talked out of firing Girardi immediately after the game.^[8]

On October 3, 2006, the Marlins announced that they had fired Girardi, despite him winning manager of the year. Girardi said only that he appreciated the opportunity to manage the club, a move that was seen as classy across the Major Leagues and kept him at the top of many teams' list of manager candidates. Girardi was thought to be among the leading candidates to replace Yankee manager Joe Torre after the Yankees' loss in the 2006 American League Division Series, but Torre remained with the Yankees. He was also a candidate for the Cubs' manager position, to succeed Dusty Baker; he interviewed for the job just days after leaving the Marlins. With his playing experience in Chicago, he was considered a front-runner for the position even before the season was over.^[9] However, the Cubs chose to go with veteran manager Lou Piniella. Girardi took himself out of the running for the Washington Nationals' managerial job shortly thereafter and returned to the broadcast booth for the YES Network in 2007. He said taking another managerial job would have meant a third move in as many years for his family.^{[citation needed]} Despite Girardi's firing, he was rewarded for his achievements with the Marlins in 2006 with the National League Manager of the Year Award and The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award for the National League.

New York Yankees (2008–present)[link]

Joe Girardi with General Ann E. Dunwoody during the Yankees vs. N.Y. Mets game on June 14, 2009.

In June 2007, after the Baltimore Orioles fired manager Sam Perlozzo, Girardi interviewed for and was offered the job, but turned it down, his agent said on June 21.

When the Yankees' managerial position became vacant after the 2007 season, the Yankees interviewed Girardi, Tony Peña, and Don Mattingly. Girardi was reported to be the Yankees' managerial choice on October 29,^[10] and he officially accepted the deal on October 30. He signed a three-year contract, reportedly worth about $7.5 million.^[11]

Girardi chose to wear No. 27 to signify his wish to lead the Yankees to their 27th world championship.^[12] On April 1, 2008, Girardi won his first game as manager of the Yankees, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 3–2. On August 2, 2008, Girardi participated in his first Old Timer's Day, the last such game played at the original Yankee Stadium. Girardi participated in the next Old Timer's Day, on July 19, 2009, the first in the new Yankee Stadium.

Girardi's first year as Yankee manager was the first time since 1993 the Yankees did not reach the postseason (the 1994 season-ending strike came with the Yankees in first place in the AL East.) In 2009, his second year as manager, he led the Yankees to win their 40th AL pennant, leading to their 27th World Series title (defeating the Philadelphia Phillies), his first World Series title as manager, and the Yankees' first since 2000. Before the 2010 season, Girardi changed his number to 28. Newly acquired center-fielder Curtis Granderson had worn 28, but agreed to change his number to 14.^[13]

Following the 2010 season, Girardi and the Yankees agreed to a three-year deal to keep Girardi as the Yankees' manager.^[14]

The 2011 Yankees had predictions about them finishing behind the Red Sox due to Boston's high profile free agency moves and the Yankees lack of action. The Yankees season was plagued by injuries that caused disabled list stints for Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte, with the latter two not playing even one game, in addition to the injuries to other players that did not result in them being placed on the disabled list. Despite the setbacks, Girardi managed to lead the team to the AL East title. Rob Parker of ESPN commended Girardi's performance and felt his efforts were deserving of American League Manager of the Year, but felt he would not get the award due to the Yankees high payroll and what Parker alleges is an anti-New York Yankee bias.^[15] The Yankees were defeated by the Detroit Tigers in the divisional round, 3–2.^[16]

Personal life[link]

Girardi is married to Kimberly Girardi, and has three children. He lives in Purchase, New York. Girardi is the son of Jerry and Angela Girardi, both from Illinois.^[17] Girardi is of Italian descent and is also a devout Christian.^[18]

While driving home after winning the 2009 World Series, Girardi stopped to help a car crash victim on a dangerous blind curve of the Cross County Parkway in Eastchester, New York. Police said he put his life at risk while trying to help the driver who had just crashed into a wall. The driver said she had no idea who Girardi was until the responding officers identified him. The next day, Girardi said, "I think the most important thing is that, obviously, there's a lot of joy in what we do, but we can't forget to be human beings when we help others out."^[19][20]

Girardi is also a known health enthusiast and has banned sweets such as ice cream and soda from the clubhouse.^[21]

References[link]