THE WORLD SERIES : New York Mets vs. Boston Red Sox : World Series Notebook : McNamara’s Other Decision as Easy as NBC

Giving the people what they want is the name of the game, and Boston Manager John McNamara has played it to perfection by keeping Roger Clemens on a four-day work schedule.

By pitching Clemens for the third straight time on three days’ rest, McNamara has made NBC’s day. Tonight, in Game 2 of the World Series, we have The Matchup. The New York Mets will send Dwight Gooden, a/k/a Dr. K, against Clemens, Boston’s Lord of the K’s, in front of a national television audience during prime time.

Gooden, 24-4 in 1985, against Clemens, 24-4 in 1986.

“I’m sure this is what everybody’s been waiting for since the All-Star game,” said Clemens, referring to the pitchers’ first meeting in July, a 3-2 victory by the American League.

But when given the chance to help whip up some hype for the tabloids, both Clemens and Gooden played it bland.

Gooden took the podium first and, at the time, McNamara hadn’t named his starting pitcher for Game 2. Gooden was asked about the prospect of opposing Clemens.

“Whether it would be Clemens, (Dennis) Boyd or (Bruce) Hurst, I’ll approach the game the same,” Gooden said. “I’ll let my hitters worry about Clemens . . . I’m hoping (it will be) Clemens. It may help our hitters if he has to come back earlier.”

Then Clemens entered the interview, after McNamara announced his decision.

“It won’t be me against Dwight,” Clemens offered. “The only time I’ll have to face Dwight is when he’s batting or he’s pitching to me. I’m going to be facing the Mets’ lineup.

“It’s going to be like any other game I pitched in the playoffs. I’ve had to reach back for a little extra and this won’t be any different.”

OK, so what about the other matchups? How about a scouting report on Pitcher Clemens vs. Hitter Gooden and Pitcher Gooden vs. Hitter Clemens?

Said Gooden: “It’s a challenge. I’ll go up there like I do against (Floyd) Youmans or (Nolan) Ryan, somebody who throws a good, hard fastball.”

Said Clemens: “I don’t want to tell you about my hitting . . . because there’s nothing to it. I had one swing at him in the All-Star game, if that’s what you want to call it. It was a nice foul into the photo well.

“Everybody was razzing me about the All-Star game, but I came out about the same as a few others did against him--.000.”

After tonight, Clemens and Gooden are scheduled for one more start in the World Series--Clemens in Game 5 and Gooden in Game 6. Both were asked if they could later be used in relief, if needed.

Gooden: “Well, right now I’m scheduled to start Games 2 and 6, so it would be tough to come back and pitch in Game 7. I’ve never pitched in relief before.”

Clemens: “I’ll come in whenever they want me to get an out. This is the final step of the season. You’re gonna be used and you’re gonna be used a lot. Sure, you’re tired, but you just pitch om emotions and adrenaline. When I was in college, I’d pitch Friday and come back Saturday in relief.”

Good Morning, goodby: McNamara was a not-too-pleasant guest on “Good Morning America” Friday morning. Host Charles Gibson asked McNamara about the pressure, noting that the last time the Red Sox won a World Series (1918), Woodrow Wilson was president.

“Hey, you’re not funny,” McNamara responded. “Seven o’clock in the morning, that’s not funny.”

Later, Gibson brought up the Red Sox’s “68-year wait” again. Again, McNamara didn’t care for the subject.

“You want to persist on that, don’t you?” McNamara said. “No, it doesn’t put any pressure on us.”

One of the disappointments of this series is the unavailability of Tom Seaver, sidelined with a knee injury. Tom Terrific back in Shea Stadium would have been something to see, especially considering the reaction Seaver received during pregame introductions Saturday. Seaver was the only player on either team to be welcomed by a standing ovation.

Fly the Too-Friendly Skies: The plane trip back from Houston after Game 6 of the National League playoffs was an expensive one for the Mets. United Airlines sent the Mets a $7,500 bill for damage done to the plane. Carried away with their pennant-clinching victory, the Mets sprayed champagne and threw food all about the plane, among other things.

“That plane had to be taken out of service,” pitcher Bob Ojeda said. “We were pretty tough on that plane. I think they’re going to make it a restaurant. They’re not going to take it up anymore. We’d like to apologize.”

Dept. of Quirks and Omens: The Shea Stadium scoreboard showed footage of the final pitch of the 1969 World Series, when the Mets won their only world title. Who made the last out?

Davey Johnson, then a second baseman with the Baltimore Orioles, now the manager of the Mets.

Just before the first pitch of Game 1 was thrown, Sparky Anderson, doing color commentary for CBS radio, surveyed the scene and said, “It’s just a shame Gene Mauch doesn’t have the opportunity to be here.”

According to the oddsmakers, the Red Sox are the biggest World Series underdogs in the last 36 years, which doesn’t sit particularly well with Clemens.

“I don’t care what the odds say, there have been a lot of people who have beat the odds,” he said. “The Mets think we’re just another team putting the uniform on. But there is a reason we are here. We’ll show them that reason.”

Wearing his custom designed high top baseball shoes, Bill Buckner was able to open at first base for the Red Sox despite a strained right Achilles’ tendon and bone spurs in his left ankle.

This put designated hitter Don Baylor on the bench, where he is likely to remain until the Series moves to Boston for Game 3 Tuesday night. The DH will be used only in the American League park.

Said Buckner, before the opener: “I’ve been using ice, ultrasound and anti-inflammatories. A cousin wanted to send over an acupuncturist, but this is the type injury you don’t want to mask the pain (for fear of aggravating it). It’s better, but I’d love to have a couple more days (to get it well).”

Baylor continued to mask his emotions. Asked if there was disappointment when he confronted the reality of the lineup card, he said, “No, because I really expected Buck to start. This game got him well overnight.”

No disappointment then? “If I don’t have to pinch hit here for two days it will be fine,” Baylor said, “because that means we’re winning.”

Met pitcher Ron Darling was backing up the plate. Red Sox center-fielder Dave Henderson, the on-deck batter, was racing into position to signal to base-runner Jim Rice whether to slide.

Darling and Henderson never saw the other, and both went down in a seventh-inning collision that may have been the most exciting action in Game 1 of the World Series.

“He’s bigger than I thought,” Darling said of Henderson. “I’ve had harder collisions but they were while I was playing football.”

Said Henderson: “I talked to the umpire (John Kibler) right after that. It freaked him out, too.”

Staff writer Ross Newhan contributed to this story.