posted on November 16, 2000 05:53:10 AM new
Subject: World Series Not Over Yet
NEW YORK (AP) --The New York Mets announced today that they are going to
court to get an additional inning added to the end of Game 5 of the
World Series. The batting, pitching, and bench coaches for the Mets held
a press conference earlier today. They were joined by members of the
Major League Players Union.
"We meant to hit those pitches from the Yankee pitchers," said the Mets
batting coach. "We were confused by the irregularities of the pitches we
received and believe we have been denied our right to hit.
One claim specifically noted that a small percentage of the Mets batters
had intended to swing at fast balls, but actually swung at curve balls.
It was clear that these batters never intended to swing at curve balls,
though a much higher percentage were not confused by the pitches.
Reporters at the press conference pointed out that the Mets had
extensively reviewed film of the Yankees pitchers prior to the World
Series and had in fact faced the Yankees in inter-league play earlier in
the year.
"The fact remains that some of the pitches confused us and denied us of
our right to hit," said the Mets batting coach.
"The World Series is not over yet and the Yankees are celebrating
prematurely."
Major League Baseball has reviewed the telecast of all the World Series
games and recounted the balls and strikes called by the umpires of each
game.
"While some of the strikes called against the Mets were, in fact, balls,
there were not enough of them to change the outcome of the World
Series," the commissioner said.
Another portion of the Mets legal claim stated that, based of on-base
percentage, the Mets had actually won the World Series, regardless of
the final scores of the games.
"It's clear that we were slightly on-base more often than the Yankees,"
said a Mets spokesman. "The World Series crown is rightly ours." The
manager of the Mets has remained in relative seclusion, engaging in some
light jogging for exercise. He has stated that he believes "we need to
let the process run its course without a rush to judgment."
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