Shane Spencer

Every time New York Yankee left fielder Shane Spencer stepped to the plate during the American League division series against Texas, a 45-year-old man in Winter Haven, Fla., called to his wife and said, "Come here, honey, you've got to see this." And together, Brian and Connie Doyle would gaze at the television, watching this strange and wonderful "This is Your Life" episode unfold before their eyes.

The New York Mets rushed out of the dugout and mobbed Shane Spencer at first base, jumping in jubilation. It could have been a scene after the final out of the World Series. This one Saturday merely put the Mets in position to win the regular-season Subway Series for the first time. Spencer's bases-loaded dribbler between the mound and first base drove in the winning run against his former team, giving the Mets a 10-9 victory over the New York Yankees at Shea Stadium.

Yankee owner George Steinbrenner told reporters he has never seen anything like this Shane Spencer craze in 20 years. "It's a phenomenal thing," he said. This isn't the first time Steinbrenner has seen Spencer, though. The two met in Tampa Bay several years ago, when Spencer was participating in a mini-camp and Steinbrenner--what else?--was in town to fire the team's minor league coordinators.

Late in the game, crowd going crazy. The Arizona Diamondbacks trying to protect a lead at Yankee Stadium. It happened again--only this time Arizona didn't need closer Byung-Hyun Kim to blow it. Shane Spencer hit a two-out grand slam in the eighth inning Monday night and the New York Yankees rallied past Arizona, 7-5, in a rematch of last year's World Series. "Yeah, it's weird," Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. "It really is weird."

The quality of umpiring has been a hot topic in the playoffs--so hot that it got Yankee owner George Steinbrenner a $25,000 fine from the league American League office for criticizing game officials. With so many slow-motion television replays shown from so many angles, it's only natural more calls are being questioned, and Marty Springstead, executive director of umpires for the league, wonders how human eyes can keep up with the eyes of multiple cameras.

Lost in the late-inning Game 4 heroics was the second superb defensive play in as many nights by Yankee left fielder Shane Spencer. Spencer, whose diving catch of Matt Williams' liner in the sixth inning of Game 3 saved two runs in an eventual 2-1 Yankee victory, threw out Tony Womack at the plate in the fifth inning Wednesday night, preserving a 1-1 tie. Womack was trying to tag up on Luis Gonzalez's medium fly to left. Spencer had an accomplice.

The New York Mets rushed out of the dugout and mobbed Shane Spencer at first base, jumping in jubilation. It could have been a scene after the final out of the World Series. This one Saturday merely put the Mets in position to win the regular-season Subway Series for the first time. Spencer's bases-loaded dribbler between the mound and first base drove in the winning run against his former team, giving the Mets a 10-9 victory over the New York Yankees at Shea Stadium.

Late in the game, crowd going crazy. The Arizona Diamondbacks trying to protect a lead at Yankee Stadium. It happened again--only this time Arizona didn't need closer Byung-Hyun Kim to blow it. Shane Spencer hit a two-out grand slam in the eighth inning Monday night and the New York Yankees rallied past Arizona, 7-5, in a rematch of last year's World Series. "Yeah, it's weird," Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. "It really is weird."

The Yankees reshuffled their left fielders after Sunday's game, sending slumping Ricky Ledee, 25, to triple-A Columbus and recalling Shane Spencer, 27, from the International League club. . . . First baseman Jeff King of the Kansas City Royals was activated from the disabled list and was in the lineup for the Royals against the Minnesota Twins. King, 34, had been on the disabled list since April 19 because of soreness in his back.

Outfielder Shane Spencer, sidelined because of an irregular heartbeat, rejoined the New York Yankees on Tuesday and came into the team's 5-3 victory at Chicago as a pinch runner in the second inning. He finished the game. Spencer, 27, was re-evaluated July 12 and declared in stable condition with a normal heart rate. He went seven for 16 in five games with triple-A Columbus during a rehab assignment before being activated.

Lost in the late-inning Game 4 heroics was the second superb defensive play in as many nights by Yankee left fielder Shane Spencer. Spencer, whose diving catch of Matt Williams' liner in the sixth inning of Game 3 saved two runs in an eventual 2-1 Yankee victory, threw out Tony Womack at the plate in the fifth inning Wednesday night, preserving a 1-1 tie. Womack was trying to tag up on Luis Gonzalez's medium fly to left. Spencer had an accomplice.

The quality of umpiring has been a hot topic in the playoffs--so hot that it got Yankee owner George Steinbrenner a $25,000 fine from the league American League office for criticizing game officials. With so many slow-motion television replays shown from so many angles, it's only natural more calls are being questioned, and Marty Springstead, executive director of umpires for the league, wonders how human eyes can keep up with the eyes of multiple cameras.

Yankee owner George Steinbrenner told reporters he has never seen anything like this Shane Spencer craze in 20 years. "It's a phenomenal thing," he said. This isn't the first time Steinbrenner has seen Spencer, though. The two met in Tampa Bay several years ago, when Spencer was participating in a mini-camp and Steinbrenner--what else?--was in town to fire the team's minor league coordinators.

Every time New York Yankee left fielder Shane Spencer stepped to the plate during the American League division series against Texas, a 45-year-old man in Winter Haven, Fla., called to his wife and said, "Come here, honey, you've got to see this." And together, Brian and Connie Doyle would gaze at the television, watching this strange and wonderful "This is Your Life" episode unfold before their eyes.

New York Yankee leadoff batter and left fielder Chuck Knoblauch, who failed to reach base in 12 plate appearances in the first three games, was benched in favor of Shane Spencer for Game 4. Manager Joe Torre used Derek Jeter at leadoff, followed by Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez. That gave New York four different No. 3 hitters in four series games. Knoblauch hit .

* The Yankees made the biggest splash, signing Jason Giambi to a seven-year, $120-million contract (Story, D10). They also traded for outfielder John Vander Wal, who will form a left-field platoon with Shane Spencer, and are close to signing outfielder Rondell White and re-signing starter Sterling Hitchcock. * The Mets continued an overhaul, signing free-agent outfielder Roger Cedeno and pitcher David Weathers (Story, D10).