"This is about playoffs for the Yankees," said Steve Phillips, the Mets general manager when the teams met in the 2000 World Series, "and the Mets want to get home-field advantage [in the NLDS] so, yeah, there are bigger fish to fry than bragging rights right now."
The NL East-leading Mets, who have lost their last two games, entered Thursday with a suddenly not so cozy 7 1/2-game lead over the Nationals, while the Yankees were three games behind the AL East-leading Blue Jays.
"I would definitely give the edge to the Mets," Phillips said, "and yet the Yankees are desperate for wins to keep pace with the Blue Jays.