There is so much more at stake for these Yankees — who are out of excuses

At Yankee Stadium, Cam Schlittler concluded a pre-Game 1 news conference for the Yankees, while at Citi Field, David Stearns addressed reporters for the Mets. This geographical and competitive separation highlights the stark contrast between the two teams' success. The Mets' struggles over the past two seasons despite a large payroll underscore the remarkable consistency of the Yankees since the mid-1990s, even during periods without championships. Being a perennial high-level contender year after year for decades is an impressive feat. However, it's better to be like the Patrick Ewing-led Knicks, who frequently made deep playoff runs but never won titles, than to experience prolonged failure as the Mets have recently. The current Knicks, who won a title last season after returning to prominence, represent the ideal balance of consistent success and eventual triumph.