Copyright 2005 Daily News, L.P.

Daily News (New York)
June 10, 2005 Friday
SPORTS FINAL EDITION
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 84

LENGTH: 820 words

HEADLINE: THEY'LL PLAY ROLE WITHOUT THE CALL

BYLINE: BY LISA OLSON

BODY:


The infielders were primed, the outfielders set. But the chants never gained speed; in fact, they never even took off.

Maybe it was a one-game deal, a spoof. Some would call it blatant theft of obvious genius. Where's the tampering police? The copyright infringement cops? Bleacher Creatures in the Bronx might even label it gauche, if they knew how to pronounce the word.

Relax, Yankee fans. The roll call is safe. Dwellers in the orange seats at Shea tried it on for size the other night, but apparently didn't like the fit. The Mets weren't sure how to react. Most touched the brims of their hats when their names were called in a simpatico style. Others, like Jose Reyes, either didn't hear the chorus, or chose to ignore it. Reyes promised to be ready in the future, just in case a Bronx tradition made the trek to Queens.

"There's nothing wrong with it coming here. It's a New York thing," David Wright was saying before collecting two of the Mets' anemic six hits in a 6-3, 11-inning loss to the Astros.

The Yankees were off last night, meaning unless a big-time athlete did something monumentally stupid and pulled a Russell Crowe, the Mets would have New York mostly to themselves. Of course, this would be a perfect time for George Steinbrenner to issue one of his missives from the mount - there are people in the Mets organization who swear the Boss sometimes speaks for the pure joy of messing with the Mets' karma - but for once, there was no blustering chatter emanating from Tampa.

There was, however, a certain ex-Yankee lefty on the mound at Shea, and another ex-Yankee keeping his managerial skills cool in the home team dugout. Even if his changeups are no longer so deceptive, Andy Pettitte remains a reminder of the grace that defined the Yankees through a decade of dominance. The Mets' manager is another component of those good times; earlier in the day, he journeyed back to the old 'hood for Willie Randolph Day at Floyd Patterson Field in Brownsville. A Met win would have been a fine topper to Randolph's trip through nostalgia.

Despite Heath Bell's 11th-inning collapse, the Mets were still guaranteed to lead the local sportscasts, and briefly own the headlines. Because in general, even when the Yankees lose, they win, at least in the race for New York back pages.

It can be argued that misery makes for more compelling copy than mediocrity, that the Yankees have too much goodwill and too many trophies in their coffers to push to the inside pages. The people who decide what words you'll see first with your morning coffee obviously believe a sinking $200 million ship filled with mega egos makes for a better story, at least on days when Pedro Martinez isn't pitching. Here's an insider secret, for those who wonder how the news is shaped: if it bleeds, it leads, and there is no doubt the Yankees lately have been slicing their own arteries.

That's been one of the Mets' problems in recent seasons. Sometimes it seemed as if they were a team of androids; cut them open and you'd find straw, not life. That culture has changed, almost as quickly as Reyes heads for third base.

"We're trying to put a product out there that the fans can grow with. It's all about energetic, young guys playing aggressive baseball," said general manager Omar Minaya.

The addition of Martinez and Carlos Beltran, along with the arrival of Minaya and Randolph, changed everything but the size of Mr. Met's head. For the first time, the Mets contracted a large advertising firm - Ogilvy and Mather - to create a quirky, off-beat brand name. The goal is to win hearts subliminally and blatantly, through ads on billboards and kiosks, at bus stops and on TV. Comedians Ray Romano and John Leguizamo were recruited as pitchmen. Everybody might not love the Mets, but at least they are no longer vulgar punch lines.

The club has already exceeded last year's advertising budget, according to Dave Howard, the vice president of business operations, a push that has translated into 2.3 million tickets sold before Memorial Day, surpassing last season's overall total. It's not all because of a hip campaign. Considering surliness is so often an athlete's personality of choice, the sight of Wright sweating profusely before the first pitch yesterday seemed like a mirage. Wright figures he signs close to 100 autographs on home game days, a conservative estimate to anyone who has watched his hand cramp around pens while the grin never fades.

"We know New York is a what-have-you-done-lately-for-me town," Wright said, once he removed himself from the throngs. "To be the best we have to beat the best."

Then he smiled and nodded at the pile of newspapers scattered across a table in the middle of the clubhouse. Pictures of Alex Rodriguez jumped off the well-thumbed print. "That's fine," said Wright. "Maybe at the end of the season and we're champs and they're not, we'll get the back page that day." lolson@nydailynews.com

LOAD-DATE: June 10, 2005