By Ronald Blum
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Minutes after beating the New York Yankees on Saturday, the Oakland Athletics were already looking ahead to the series finale, which features Barry Zito and Roger Clemens.

Clemens, three wins short of 300, has six Cy Young Awards. Zito won the award for the first time last year.

"These are special games that seem to be more magnified here," Oakland's Scott Hatteberg said, "Cy Young vs. Cy Old."

Adam Piatt, watching the crowd of reporters around Hatteberg from his adjacent locker, then said: "They're going to print that."

"That's not that he might not be Cy Young again," Hatteberg said quickly.

Zito, standing across the clubhouse a few minutes later, wanted to make sure Clemens didn't misinterpret anything going into Sunday's start.

"I wouldn't say Cy Old because I won't want to show any disrespect to Roger," Zito said.

Zito admitted that winning 300 games is one of his goals. The left-hander, who turns 25 on May 13, was 23-5 last year and is 4-2 this season, raising his career record to 51-19.

"With the five-day rotation, it seems a lot tougher," he said of the task of reaching 300. That's what makes Clemens' feats all the more amazing to him.

"Just going and grinding every outing, every year," Zito said. "He's in amazing physical condition and prepares himself."