The Subway Series is a major event in New York baseball that takes place twice a year. Every year each team gets amped up and fans go crazy for these six games. There is trash talking between Mets fans and Yankees fans, and the two teams battle for bragging rights.

But what else is there really? Yes the two teams get excited to play each other and yes the fans love it. But what impact do the Mets and Yankees have on each other? They play each other six times a year, and that's it. They are not in the same division, and they aren't even in the same league.

The truth is, as much as the media hates to see it, there is no rivalry between the Mets and the Yankees. There might be a rivalry between fans, but out on the field it's still the same game with a little more excitement.

The Yankees are not the Phillies, Braves, or hell, even the Marlins. Those games are the ones that really matter. How the Mets play and how the Yankees play have no impact on each other. Sure the media will compare the two and the Mets will always be the other team in New York, but out on the field it's just six more games played to a team not in the Mets division.

Don't get me wrong, the games are fun to watch and I enjoy the sitting down with my Yankees fan friends and trash talking each other. But there is no rivalry. The only reason this is a big event is because the hype the media puts on these games. The level of play is also under a much finer microscope because the entire state is focused on this one game; and that's a lot of media coverage.

Do you think if Castillo's dropped ball happened against the Arizona Diamondbacks it would have been made into such a big deal? Not at all. If it happened against the Philadelphia Phillies would it have mattered more? Absolutely.

Looking at the season as a whole, these are just six more games. Of course they want to win these game, like they should every game, but it really doesn't have a big impact on season or the standings.

These Met/Yankee games are fun. But to suggest that there is a rivalry between two teams that play each other six times a year, and are in different leagues, is a ridiculous thought.

The Texas Rangers are looking for help behind the plate, and Rod Barajas could be their answer. T.R. Sullivan reports that the Ranger had interest in Barajas in the off-season but only offered him a minor league deal.

The Rangers have a bunch of catchers in their organization like Matt Treanor, Max Ramirez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden, but none of them are really producing.

Sullivan writes, "the Rangers have been making a number of calls to other clubs in search of possible catching help as Barajas' name has come up. If the Mets do sell, Major League officials said it won't be until much closer to the trade deadline."

Still way too early for the Mets to throw in the towel, but Barajas would certainly be a player the Mets could trade if they were to go into sell mode. I would love to get Saltalamacchia, Ramirez or Teagarden from the Rangers. One of them in tandem with Josh Thole next year would be very solid.

Mets Merized wonders if Mets fan are willing to wait five years in order for the Mets to be competitive. The author writes, "are we willing to wait? Are we willing to lose the short term for possible long term gains? How would we feel if the Mets GM, whoever it may be, said that we will not be legitimate contenders until 2016? Are we willing to concede the next 5 years and sit idly by listening to the trash-talking Phillies? Are we okay with battling the Nats for 4th place for the next half-decade?"

This would be true for most teams if they wanted to rebuild. However, the Mets aren't like most teams. The Mets are one of the richest teams in baseball and they have the money to spend.

So if the Mets really wanted to, they could rebuild by trading Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, and Johan Santana. They would be dumping $66M in salary for the 2011 season just by getting rid of those four players.

Rebuilding doesn't mean you have to have a low payroll if you are a team like the Mets. The free agent class in 2011 is very good, so the Mets would be able to replace these players, though they wouldn't be as talented.

At shortstop they could look at Cristian Guzman or Miguel Tejada, or they could try to solve the problem within the organization with Ruben Tejada. At third there is Jorge Cantu and Brandon Inge. In center field they could stick with Angel Pagan or call up Fernando Martinez and just hope he stays healthy. To replace Johan as the ace there is Cliff Lee.

Of course all of these players aren't as good as the guys the Mets have now, but it would certainly change the entire look of the Mets. The Mets could trade Jeff Francoeur, somehow dump Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, to finish the rebuilding of the team.

Pagan (CF) – R. Tejada (2B) – Davis (1B) – Bay (LF) – Werth (RF) – Cantu (3B) – M. Tejada (SS) – Thole (C)

Lee – Pelfrey – Niese – Mejia – Gee/Holt

Even with that team the Mets' payroll would be lower, and they would still be able to compete (not sure on what level though).

All of this is very unlikely, but the point is, if the Mets were to rebuild it wouldn't have to mean throwing the next five seasons away. They could get some great prospects for their players, plus bring in some solid players so they can still compete.

 

Daniel Murphy started his minor league rehab assignment tonight for the St. Lucie Mets. The Mets lost the game 5-4, but Murphy went 2-3 with a home run, two RBI and a walk.

I really hope Murph can find a place on the Mets. I just love the guy's work ethic and willingness to do anything to help the team win.

Other significant notes from the minors today:

• Jeurys Familia (A): five innings pitched, one run.
  
• Nick Evans (AA): 3-4, HR.
• Brad Holt (AA): 2.2 innings pitched, seven runs, eight hits, four walks.
• Josh Thole (AAA): 3-4, HR, 2B, two RBI.
• Andy Green (AAA): 3-4, two 2B, two RBI.
• Ruben Tejada (AAA): 2-4, two RBI.
• Bobby Livingston (AAA): seven innings pitched, one run, to hits, one walk, six strike outs.

The New York Mets (20-23) fell to the New York Yankees (26-16) in the first game of this Subway Series by the final score of 2-1. The Mets couldn't get any offense going, only getting four hits and one run in the ninth off of Mariano Rivera.

Hisanori Takahashi started the game and pitched outstanding. He threw 101 pitches in six innings of work, giving up no runs on five hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. He pitched great, keeping the Yankees off balance all night, and working out of jams in the third and fourth inning.

In the seventh inning they Mets brought newly called up Elmer Dessens, then things got out of hand from there. Nick Swisher lead off the inning with a single, then Francisco Cervelli hit a ground ball to Alex Cora, who tried to turn two, but threw the ball into the outfield. Swisher moved to third and Cervelli went to second base, with no one out. Kevin Russo, making his first career, hit an opposite field, two run double to right field to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Javier Vazquez then came up to move Russo to third with a sacrifice bunt, but on the sac bunt the ball hit off his finger, which lead to him leaving the game. Derek Jeter then came up with the infield in, and hit the ball up the middle which Jose Reyes was able to get to, and Russo did not break home from third. Ollie Perez then got Mark Teixeira to fly out to center field to end the inning.

Alex Cora lead-off the inning with a single, then Jason Bay flew out to center field, just missing the pitch. Ike Davis then hit a cue shot in front of the plate, which the catcher Cervelli threw to first, and hit Davis in the back with the ball. Cora was safe at second, and Davis was safe at first. David Wright came up to the plate and did was he's done all season in big spots; struck out. Angel Pagan followed likewise, striking out on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning, and the threat.

In the ninth inning Mo "The Best Pitcher Ever" Rivera came in and got the first two out. Bay then hit a double off The Great Wall of Flushing, a ball that would have been a home run in most ballparks. Davis then doubled to right center field, to score Bay from second. Wright then came up and swung at the first pitch, and grounded out to the second baseman to end the game.

To view the full box score, click here. To discuss the game in our forum, click here.

 W: Vazquez (3-4)   L: Dessens (0-1)   S: Rivera (8)

Hitting:

• Not much to talk about here, but the Mets went 1-4 with RISP and left four man on base.
• Ike Davis had the only RBI of the game. Alex Cora had a nice game, going 1-2 with two walks.
• Jason Bay had a double, which would have been a home run in most parks.

Pitching:

• Takahashi pitched great for the Mets and gave them everything they could have asked for. Six fantastic innings and no runs.
• Elmer Dessens came in and maybe had some jet lag, but the poor defense behind him didn't help. He went 0.2 innings and gave up two runs on two hits.
• Pedro Feliciano and Manny Acosta both threw scoreless innings tonight.

MVP:

• Hisanori Takahashi. Just look at his pitching line.

Next Game:

• The Mets will try to even the series tomorrow against the Yankees, as Mike Pelfrey (5-1 3.02 ERA) takes the hill against Phil Hughes (5-0 2.25 ERA). Game time is set for 7:10 P.M. and the game will be aired on SNY.

Pervious Mets' Records:

• 2009: 22-19
• 2008: 22-23
• 2007: 28-16
• 2006: 26-17