The Mets won their home opener yesterday, beating the Braves 10-6. The affable Mike Cameron made a terrific impression on fans and newspaper men alike. Harvey Araton pines for the days of the "You Gotta Believe" Mets during these dark days when the Yankees rule the town.

The Mets can't compete with baseball's money machine, but beyond six summer days, they don't really have to. What they do have is an opportunity to create a very different kind of baseball summer in New York. If they can be competitive, make a run at a wild card or more, then they can pump some fresh air into an atmosphere that has become the stormy, stodgy domain of the blowhard in the Bronx.

Along with George Vecsey and Mike Lupica, Araton often takes shots at the big, bad Bombers. Come August, I wonder what Araton's going to write about the Shea-Hey Mets? We know what he'll be saying about the Yanks.