WORLD SERIES

PADRES AT A GLANCE

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Pos. Player 1998 Playoffs 2B Quilvio Veras .267 .205 RF Tony Gwynn .321 .220 LF Greg Vaughn .272 .304 3B Ken Caminiti .252 .222 DH Jim Leyritz .266 .273 1B Wally Joyner .298 .273 CF Steve Finley .249 .258 C Carlos Hernandez .262 .367 SS Chris Gomez .267 .194

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* Analysis: Gwynn, the only holdover from San Diego’s 1984 World Series team, said if you compare the Yankees and Padres on paper, “We have no chance.” But the Padres are not just a prop for the Yankees to toy with on their way to coronation as the greatest team in baseball history. They were underdogs against Houston and beat Astro ace Randy Johnson twice in the division series. They were underdogs against Atlanta and beat the pitching-rich Braves in a six-game league championship series despite a crushing loss in Game 5. “We have a lot of confidence,” Gwynn said. “We believe in ourselves.” It all starts with Kevin Brown, who, with the exception of the three-run homer he gave up to Atlanta’s Michael Tucker in a relief appearance, has been virtually untouchable. If Brown’s sinking fastball is as nasty against the Yankees as it was against the Astros and Braves, and if he can make three quality starts in the series, the Padres like their chances. They would feel better about their offense if Gwynn didn’t have a sore Achilles’ tendon and Vaughn a sore thigh muscle, but each had two hits in a 5-0 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night, and Vaughn ran the bases fairly well. Leyritz, the former Yankee, has provided playoff punch with four homers and nine RBIs, but the Padres will need more production from Gwynn, Caminiti, Joyner and Finley. Key reserves: Outfielder John Vander Wal (.279, .400), outfielder Mark Sweeney (.234, .000), infielder Andy Sheets (.242, .000), catcher Greg Myers (.246, 1.000).

* Team batting: .253, 12th in the National League, .240 in the playoffs.

* Team pitching: 3.63 ERA, third in the National League, 2.39 ERA in the playoffs.

YANKEES AT A GLANCE

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Pos. Player 1998 Playoffs 2B Chuck Knoblauch .265 .167 SS Derek Jeter .324 .176 RF Paul O’Neill .317 .306 CF Bernie Williams .339 .250 DH Chili Davis .291 .250 1B Tino Martinez .281 .167 3B Scott Brosius .300 .333 C Jorge Posada .268 .154 LF Ricky Ledee .241 .000

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* Analysis: Manager Joe Torre, figuring the weather will be much warmer in San Diego than New York, shuffled his rotation so that David Cone, who has experienced numbness in his fingers in cold weather since having shoulder surgery in 1996 and ‘97, will start Game 3. Orlando Hernandez, the Cuban refugee with an assortment of arm angles and deceptive breaking pitches, was so impressive in his league championship series start against Cleveland, pitching seven shutout innings, that he was moved up to Game 2 and probably will start twice if the series goes six or seven games. Torre’s only other tough decision was left field, where he will go with Ledee, the rookie speedster who bats left-handed. One no-brainer for Torre: If the Yankees have a lead in the ninth or with two out in the eighth, he will summon closer Mariano Rivera, who has been dominant in the playoffs, giving up one hit in nine shutout innings. “I think his stuff right now--and I knock on wood, not that I’m superstitious, but I don’t want to take a chance--is probably as good as it has been all year,” Torre said. “He is mixing some pitches, doing different things with his fastball. I go to him with a great deal of confidence.” The Yankees still haven’t hit in the playoffs the way they are capable of, but they showed against Cleveland that they are able to manufacture runs, stealing 11 bases in six games.

* Key reserves: Catcher Joe Girardi (.276, .333), outfielder Chad Curtis (.243, .286), outfielder Tim Raines (.291, .143), outfielder Shane Spencer (.373, .250).

* Team batting: .288, second in the American League, .229 in the playoffs.

* Team pitching: 3.82 ERA, first in the American League, 2.27 ERA in the playoffs.

KEYS TO THE SERIES

Pitching is the most important factor in almost every playoff series, but not just starting pitching. The bullpens will play prominent roles, and even though San Diego has the major league save leader in Trevor Hoffman with 53, the Yankees may have a better closer in Rivera and a more talented bullpen overall. With sidearm-throwing Jeff Nelson and sinker ball-throwing Ramiro Mendoza from the right side and distinctly different left-handers in the 6-foot-1 Mike Stanton and 6-foot-7 Graeme Lloyd, the Yankees can present a lot of different looks late in the game. Dan Miceli, Donne Wall and Randy Myers, the primary set-up men for the Padres, have been inconsistent. But if the Yankees are to win their 24th World Series, they must have some success against Brown, whose hard sinker is even more difficult to hit than Baltimore right-hander Scott Erickson’s. “You don’t know which way [Brown’s] ball is going to go,” Yankee first baseman Tino Martinez said. Whichever way it goes, Padre fortunes will go with it.

* Records: Yankees 114-48, Padres 98-64.

* Head to head: First meeting.