The Mets have clearly demonstrated their superiority of talent over the past month. Piazza is stinging the ball again, hitting everything hard and far. After a season-long absence, Robin Ventura has found his stroke, giving protection to the great Piazzaman in the lineup. And sparkplug Timo Perez is always on base. Always.

The real strength of this ballclub is its pitching. The lefty-lefty duo of NLCS MVP Hampton and Leiter is dominant. When it's time to go to the bullpen, nobody is deeper than the Mets, who can toss out Rick White, Turk Wendell, John Franco and a surly Armando Benetiz to slam the door.

This is a team worthy of a baseball championship. They have been through ordeals of every sort throughout the 1990s. They have overcome their test of fire(works) in Vince Coleman and their test of stupidity in Kenny Rogers.

The Yankees have demonstrated that they are ripe for assassination. The lineup that used to work the count so carefully and nickel-and-dime teams to death is no longer so consistent. Joe Torre cannot throw out Pettite, Clemens or El Duque and always receive a command performance. Their once-mighty bullpen is down to Jeff Nelsen and the great Mariano Rivera.

In other words, the Amazin's can do this. Ya Gotta Believe. Will, you can be a part of this. Heck, you Red Sox fans should be a part of this too.

Because believe me, Piazza has a little treat prepared for Roger Clemens. Just pray that he starts at Shea.

And so I write before you a vindicated baseball fan. I promised last week that the Mets would advance. They have. Now I ask for your support in our most sacred quest.

Let us all give the Yanks a real Bronx cheer.