NY old and new: Mets streaking, Giants rising, Dodgers slumbering, Yanks sliding

Once upon a time, not long ago - geologically - New York City dominated baseball and football, then graciously stepped back to let the goonies of fly-over America have basketball and hockey. This era is chronicled in Kevin Baker's wonderful book, The New York Game. (I don't know who this Baker fellow is, but the young pup is onto something.) 

To ponder the modern NY game, we must consider four components: The Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and Mets. For decades, pitiful Boston - through sheer bile and hatefulness - sought to join the crossfire. Sorry, but I cannot be bothered. The Redsocks should fire up a rivalry with - I dunno - Salt Lake City or Dayton - some place with the measles. Or just be happy with Ben Affleck and Louisa May Alcott. 

Today's NY game concerns four vestigial franchises who wanna be what the Yankees once were: The gold standard of America's traditional pastime. 

Two weeks into the 2025 season, let's consider the New York Four, in their quest for old-time Yankeehood. Forget trying to be the new black. Who is the new midnight blue?  

1. Obviously, it's the Dodgers (9-4) - the overwhelming combination of money and acumen, with a Japanese pipeline that matches the 1960s underground railroad that ran from Kansas City. LA won their first seven games, then - frankly - just got bored. That was generous. It creates the pretense of a pennant race. Also, Blake Snell - last winter's free agent steal - has a bum shoulder, a reminder that nature and juju can still upend a season. But until Trump starts putting tariffs on Japanese pitchers, the Dodgers are the new Bombers. Not even close.

2. The Mets (8-3) - a crosstown version of what the Yankees should be - have won six in a row. Juan Soto - Mr. $765 Million - is hitting .308. He spends most of each game on base, waiting for Franciso Lindor to awaken. They too have pitching injuries - (who decided to sign Frankie "the Yankee" Montas?) And it's worth wondering how long before Clay Holmes reaches his innings count. But, honestly, look at their lineup. Unless somebody gets shipped to an El Salvador prison, they are a better team than the Yankees, and everybody knows it.

3. The Giants (8-3) are off to their best start since the era of Barry Bonds. Trouble is, they don't have Barry - or his modern counterpart, the great Aaron Judge. It cannot be forgotten that SF once offered Judge more money than the Yankees, but he considered loyalty and tradition above the mighty coin. We host the Giants this weekend - the last phase of our NL-leaning schedule. Coming next, it's the Royals, Rays, Guardians, Jays and O's. The American League awaits. 

4. The Yankees (6-5) - frankly - have sucked since the opening series, when they pummeled Milwaukee  (also 6-5.) Carlos Carrasco is pitching like - surprise! - a 38-year-old. Marcus Stroman and Carlos Rodon remain shaky, and there is nobody in sight at Scranton, where the main cog is old Charlie Liebrandt's kid, Brandon, who himself is now 32. As for our bottom of the order hitters? Nobody's screaming about the torpedo bat anymore. 

And Toronto leads the AL East. April is crazy, eh? And what if we catch the measles?