Declaration of Endy-pendence

It started Friday evening around 7:12pm, Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY. Johnny Damon hit a ball to left and Endy Chavez came up with it. Damon tried to stretch his hit into a double and Endy threw a bullet to 2nd to get the first out of the game; and set the tone for the 3 game set between the Mets and Yankees.

Even the Empire State Building got caught up in the excitement this season. With both teams represented throughout the weekend atop the ESB, the winner of the series had exclusive lighting rights Monday night. The battle for bragging right was officially underway.

Is the Subway Series the most important series of the season? No. But ask anyone in the stands this weekend at Shea Stadium if they wanted to prove a point and the answer was yes. I sat in Mezz 9 Friday night and watched Endy put out Johnny Damon. I watched the Mets trail after Matsui's HR; meanwhile, the Yankee fan next to me did everything to contain himself saying the Mets didn't stand a chance. But then there was Endy...

Endy Chavez has a knack for the dramatic. Extra inning wins, ridiculous catches, game-winning bunts, and a priorty mail message to the Bronx. Move over kids, there's another team in town. His 2 run HR Friday sealed the deal for the Mets. From there Perez pitched another solid game, Joe Smith made Mr. Jeter weak in the knees, and Billy Wagner nailed down the save. It was an intense game to the very last swing and miss from Giambi, but I wouldn't have had it any other way than to see the guy next to me walk out of Shea meekly with his tail between his legs.

Yes the Yankees staged a rally Saturday in the rain, but the Mets held out. At that point we had won the series. Yes the sweep would have tasted sweet, but what maybe felt better was watching the Mets lose Sunday night with a shrug of the shoulders. Eh, we won the series, we've got the lights Monday, had a good homestand. Now off to Atlanta.

Ask any Yankee fan and they won't tell you they lost a series to the Mets this past weekend. They'll tell you how they "almost" came back and a rookie shut the blue and orange down. They can't see the reality of the situation. The Yankees are clawing for every positive they can find right now. I say, let them claw for it.

I walked around Manhattan Friday afternoon and saw a sea of blue and orange. As much as many may say the Yankees are America's team, I truly believe the Mets are turning New York into their city. It's a nice feeling, although one I'm not quite used to yet, to see so many Mets fans to high five on the street. The Mets have finally broke free of the "other team" stigma and it may not have happened if Endy Chavez hadn't set the tone of a chilly Friday at Shea. If you don't believe me, look to the skyline for proof.