First Time Ever: Mets, Yankees Meeting In New Stadium

The first Subway Series in 2009 kicks off in the Bronx this weekend. The Mets will have a chance to prove that the new Yankee stadium IS definitely major league baseball's premier homerun paradise.

So far in 2009, 105 homers have been hit in 29 games in the Yankees new ballpark. If the pace continues almost 300 homers will be hit over the regular season, more than 140 homers more than were hit in the old stadium last year. The record number of homers in a season, 303, was set in the Colorado Rockies Coors Field in 1999.

Back in Queens only 47 homers have been hit, a rate that would lead to season total of 136.

The Mets have been homerun challenged at home in 2009 with just 21 hit. They rank 28th in the majors with a total of 37, only Pittsburgh (33) and San Francisco (31) have less.

The Subway Series will certainly have the fans and players on the edge of their seat but its the Yankees front office who will be biting their nails as they wait for the attendance figures. The Yankees have failed to sell-out any of their home games in the new bandbox.

Joba Chamberlain (3-1) starts Friday night for the Yankees against Livan Hernandez (5-1), Andy Pettitte (6-2) goes Saturday against John Maine (5-4) and A.J. Burnett (4-3) follows Sunday against Johan Santana (8-3).

The Subway Series will be especially important to the Mets as they struggle with baserunning blunders, untimely hitting and shabby defense. A sweep by the Yankees could land the Mets 4 games out of first with the Braves and Marlins on their tails in the NL East.

Playing at Yankee Stadium may give the Mets a chance to see what it's like to hit homeruns, like their division rivals - the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pettitt In Pinstripes Till The End

Andy Pettitt was praying that things would work out with the New York Yankees so that he wouldn't have to play with the Astros in Houston.

One of the few Yankees left from the World Series Teams of 1996-2000, Andy turned down the previous Yankee offer of $10 million dollar offer, which was a pay cut from his 2008 salary of $16 million.

Well, Andy's prayers came through ,as he resigned with the Yankees to a one year $5.5 million deal. Even though the deal is for less guaranteed money, he can make it up with an incentive filled package that could pay him an additional $5 million in bonuses, $4.5 million in innings and $2 million based on days on the active roster.

One of the big reasons he wanted to stay with the Yankees is that he is a Yankee at heart. The other reason, he wants to play in the new Yankee stadium.

If Andy stays healthy and plays like he usually does, he will make more than he did last year.

Andy Pettitt, Derel Jeter and Jorge Posada are the only Yankees remaining from the glory days of winning 4 World Series in 5 years - that ended in YK2.