On the Mets beat

The Italy-USA World Cup soccer game was a big deal at Shea Stadium on Saturday. Paul LoDuca, whose grandparents were from Italy, said he was rooting for the U.S. but also had strong feelings for Italy, so a tie was the perfect outcome for the Mets' catcher. During batting practice, the live telecast of the soccer game was broadcast on the scoreboard's giant screen. It was also on one of two flat screen TVs in the Mets' clubhouse before BP. What was on the other screen? The Yankees-Nationals game. When the Mets left the clubhouse for pre-game stretching and batting practice, the Yankees led 9-2. Wonder how the Mets would have reacted if they had been watching as the Yankees blew the game to Washington, 11-9. By the time the Mets returned to the clubhouse after BP, the Yankees' game and the World Cup contest were over and the TVs were tuned to the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.