METS' IMAGE AS BAD AS THEIR RECORD

Everything's up to date in New York City. The Yankees win another division
championship, and the Mets plunge into another embarrassing situation. The
Mets just cannot win, whether it is on the field or off.

Marijuana, a 15-game home losing streak, Bret Saberhagen and bleach, a
12-game losing streak, Vince Coleman and a firecracker, last place, Dwight
Gooden and cocaine. Mix and match. The Mets have done them all. An entire
platoon of Madison Avenue image makers could do no better right now than
all the king's horses and all the king's men.

The Mets (74-81) have challenged the report that they have a widespread
marijuana problem, but public perception does not bother with what might
not be accurate or what might be embellished.

"I'm a little bit concerned about the fact that there has been
sensationalism involved with the reporting," Mike Piazza, a senior member
of the Mets, said yesterday.

Piazza could have easily been talking about a gossip-column report earlier
this year that he believed was aimed at him. Because of that report, he
felt compelled to affirm his sexual orientation publicly. That was another
element of the Mets' embarrassing, image-wrecking season.

"If you look at the structure of these situations, there's been some sort
of embellishment," Piazza said, continuing his discussion of the problem du
jour. "That's not to deny a problem or an issue, but there's been some
other embellishment involved and I think that's reflective of the
expectations of the season."