Port Washington's Len Berman Talks Playoff Baseball

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — It's the tale of two baseball seasons in New York. The Yankees are basking in the glory of Aaron Judge's home-run record as they surge into the American League Division Series. The Mets, on the other hand, fell at home in the Wild Card series.

"Just because a team has the home field or they're favored, [in] baseball it doesn't matter," Len Berman, the longtime sportscaster and Port Washington resident, told Patch. "You have to get hot at the right second. The Mets went cold."

The Mets got only one hit against the Padres, who took the series in three games.

As for the Yankees, they open the post-season against the Guardians on Tuesday at the Stadium.

"I have friends who are huge Yankee fans and they're worried," he said. "They think the team stinks."

Berman, who spent 27 years as weeknight sports anchor on WNBC, says we may not know much about Cleveland, but "don't take them lightly."

While the veteran broadcaster doesn't like to predict, Berman thinks, "If you did it on paper, you say it's going to be Houston and the Yankees in the ALCS, and it's going to be the Dodgers and Braves in the NLCS."

However, Berman, who co-hosts the WOR Radio morning show, doubts those four teams will advance.

The Yankees, of course, have the long ball at their disposal, led by Judge's AL record-setting 62 homers. His feat eclipsed the 1961 record of former Yankee Roger Maris.

Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds had higher season totals, but were tainted by steroid use.

"If you want to ask me who the honest home-run champ is, I agree with Roger Maris' kid." Berman said that Judge's record should be the only legitimate one.

Judge passed on a multi-year contract with the Yankees in the off-season. Instead, he will become a free agent. The Mets, and other teams, are making overtures. But Berman doesn't expect Judge to leave the Bronx.

"He's the face of the Yankees," he said. "Do you know how a generation would be absolutely crushed?"