New York simply has too much talent on its squad to lose. It has as good a starting rotation as any in baseball with Mike Hampton, Al Leiter, Rick Reed and the new hero of the hour, Bobby J. Jones. And you better pray that you get to the starters because the bullpen is airtight with lefties at every turn.

The really scary part is that the Mets dispatched the NL's best regular season team in its divisional series without Mike Piazza or Robin Ventura having anything close to a good series.

It's called being the best team money can buy and the Mets' only competition in this department shares their address. In baseball, when you're the best team money can buy, that means you're the best team.

Ask the San Francisco Giants. Or the Oakland A's. Nice guys finish last.

Pity the poor midwest.

Really, how can St. Louis be a champion of all baseball? Sure it can have its Central Division title, a competition between New York wannabees (Chicago), never-beens (Cincinnati), redneck dairy farmers (Milwaukee) and just plain rednecks (Houston). And fuhgedabout the Pirates.

Championships simply belong in New York. The city knows how to appreciate a title. Its victors receive a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes, worshipped by millions.