L.A.-N.Y. rivalry is for the ages

As the Dodgers and the New York Mets embark on a new episode in their far-reaching saga, what are the greatest moments in the history of the Los Angeles-New York sports rivalry?

It depends on which coast is your vantage point.

L.A. remembers: Sandy Koufax striking out 23 Yankees in two starts as the Dodgers swept the 1963 World Series.

New York remembers: Reggie Jackson striking three home runs in Game 6 as the Yankees defeated the Dodgers in the 1977 World Series

L.A. remembers: Bob Welch striking out Reggie Jackson to win Game 2 of the 1978 World Series.

New York remembers: Jackson taking Welch deep in Game 6 to wrap up the same World Series for the Yankees.

L.A. remembers: Three Dodgers sharing the World Series Most Valuable Player Award after beating the Yankees in 1981.

New York remembers: Yankees championships in 1998, 1999 and 2000, while the Dodgers were then toasting their most recent postseason victory ... from 1988.

L.A. remembers: Mike Scioscia’s home run against the Mets helping send the Dodgers to the 1988 World Series.

New York remembers: Mike Piazza helping send the 2000 Mets to a place he never visited with the Dodgers: The World Series.

L.A. remembers: Jerry West sinking a 60-foot shot at the buzzer against the Knicks in Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals.

New York remembers: The Knicks winning in overtime.

L.A. remembers: West finally winning his only NBA championship by defeating the Knicks in five games in the 1972 Finals.

New York remembers: The Knicks delaying that moment two years when Willis Reed hobbled onto the court to defeat the Lakers in Game 7 in 1970.

L.A. remembers: The Rams going on the road to beat the Giants in overtime to reach the 1989 NFC championship game.

New York remembers: The Giants going on the road to beat the Rams in the 1984 NFC playoffs.

L.A. remembers: “We had Gretzky when he was still great, before he limped off to New York.”

New York remembers: “We had Namath when he was still great, before he limped off to L.A.”

Trivia time

What position player appeared in the 1986 World Series with the Mets and the 1988 World Series with the Dodgers?

He’s sorry he made these predictions

Despite having no more books to sell or baseball apologies to ink, Pete Rose made an appearance on Monday night’s “Late Show With David Letterman,” where he told Letterman he took “greenies” during his playing career, claiming they were nothing more than “diet pills.” Actually, “greenies” is slang for amphetamines, which did not appear on baseball’s list of banned substances until last year.

Rose said he did not take steroids. “If I took steroids,” he said, “I’d have gotten 5,000 damn hits.” Letterman asked Rose who he liked in this year’s playoffs.

“You sound like you’re betting on baseball,” Rose quipped. “You know, baseball’s going to hate me -- the two teams I like are San Diego and Minnesota.

“And I liked the Yankees until they lost Randy Johnson. I liked the Mets, who’ve had a fantastic year, until they lost [Pedro] Martinez. St. Louis is going into the playoffs playing as bad as you could play. Detroit, I don’t think they have the experience.”

Rose said he can’t bet on baseball anymore “because I know too much about it.” Or maybe not. So far in these playoffs, San Diego and Minnesota have played three games, all at home, all of them defeats.

Trivia answer

Utility player Danny Heep was a member of both World Series champions. He hit .091 in 11 at-bats with the Mets in the 1986 Series and .250 in eight at-bats with the Dodgers in the 1988 Series.

And finally

Chicago Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly, who managed the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2001 to 2004, sounds as if he’s eager to get back in the game. Talking to the Chicago Tribune about the Cubs’ managerial vacancy, Brenly said, “If you win it all with the Cubs, they’ll rename the lake after you.”

mike.penner@latimes.com