Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Here they come! Watch out Red Sox fans, the Yankees --yes, that team that apparently "sucks" -- are starting to play real consistent baseball and have overtaken first place in the AL East (by a half game) for the first time since 2006.
Will it last? Hard to tell because it's so early, but one thing is for sure: The Yankees should be considered a dangerous club and shouldn't be overlooked.
The Nation has gotten a little too big for its own britches --the Sox have some major issues with their club just like everyone does, but they're still content with taking the first five games against the Yanks this year (the next Sox-Yanks series is in Boston on June 9-11).
Big deal, move on. It's not like they play the Yanks 162 times during the regular season. After a series is over you move on. The players do it, but the Nation always likes living in the past.
But on the field, New York is pretty scary with a staff of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, but its weakness is the bullpen (except for closer Mariano Rivera).
Boston's got a great bullpen, but everyone should and is questioning its starters. Besides Josh Beckett, is there a guy that you're comfortable with every time he takes the mound? No.
Jon Lester has been real inconsistent (although I think he'll find last year's form soon), Dice-K is a mess, Tim Wakefield has come back down to earth with some real shaky starts and then there's Brad Penny. I know he hasn't completely imploded like I thought he would, but do you trust him? Oh, wait, John Smoltz is working his way back to health in the minors ... he'll be the Nation's savior in a month or so.
Don't bank on it. He's not the 22-year-old Smoltz anymore with a power fastball, slider and nasty split.
With Alex Rodriguez back in the Yankee lineup, it's become a much more powerful and productive team. Mark Teixeira, who the Nation said couldn't handle the pressure of New York after his slow start (do you finally believe that Tex is a notoriously slow starter?) has been a monster with the stick lately.
Can the Sox keep pace all season with David Ortiz hitting under .200? It's hard to believe that they can. Mr. Mango Salsa, who was all smiles when he could hit a few years back, is now his worst enemy. He's snapping bats in the dugout after striking out and he's even riding the pine at times? Is he washed up? It looks like it, but he can't be this bad all season, right?
Good thing Jason Bay is playing like an MVP candidate and Jason Varitek has delivered with his bat -- who would have predicted that in the offseason?
The Sox can still hurt opposing pitchers with Jacoby Ellsbury -- he's not a superstar Nation so stop putting him in the elite category -- Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell (he's just a solid all-around player that you can't hate), but Ortiz is really killing that team.
It's still too early to crown the Yanks or the Sox -- I'm still not counting out the Tampa Bay Rays -- but did you really think the Yankees wouldn't compete in the division?
I know the Nation says the Yankees suck, so what does it say about its own team since the BoSox are trailing their hated rival?
The nation likes living in the past?
ReplyDeleteSorry, after decades of failure and abuse coming at the hands of the Yankees, can you really blame Red Sox fans for being cocky after what happen in 2004 and 2007.
When I went to a conference for work in New York back in March, I sat with a guy who was a huge Yankee fan. When he brought up things like Bucky Dent, and Bill Buckner, it sure was nice to bring up 2004. He just gave me a blank stare. He couldn't figure out what to say, and changed topics to the New York Jets. (And you wouldn't believe how much he thought the Pats were getting screwed by the whole Spygate thing. Not what I expected to hear)
Anyway I like living in the past. The 2004 Red Sox were one of the greatest, if not the greatest baseball stories ever. There is a part of me that wishes I could have stopped watching sports after that. No matter how many championships my teams win from now on, it will never mean as much to me as the 2004 Red Sox. It doesn't get any bigger or better than 2004.
See, I guess I'm completely different. Once my favorite teams wins a title (Yankees, Patriots, USC), I savor the title through the rest of the offseason and then focus on the next season (exactly like winning a fantasy football championship). It's a nice memory of winning a championship, but that's all it is ... a memory.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I can't stand living in the past ... but that's just me. I like concentrating on the here and now and the future ...
But congrats on the 2004 title, I'm focusing all my energy on a title in 2009!
But here's to the Yankees being on top right now!!!!!
Dan,
ReplyDeleteDo you still think about Mark Rypien and Doug Williams every day and live in the Redskins past!
All I am saying is that after years of having to listen to Bill Buckner and chants of 1918, it sure is nice to bring up 2004 and remind the Yankee fans out there of it. And looking back, of all the championships my teams have one, the 2004 Red Sox was the best one.
ReplyDeleteI too focus on winning now. Otherwise I would have stopped watching sports. If people didn’t like to think about the past form time to time, then there would be no ESPN Classic or the MLB network would not show games from the past.
Jimmy, I usually don’t like to bring up the Redskins because no one outside of Washington cares. But since you did, do you expect me to get excited about this upcoming year? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, as long as Dan Snyder owns the team they will never win again. Thinking of 1991 is the only thing I have right now.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI pretty much agree with what you said in the previous comment. I was just throwing in a cheap shot on the Redskins. Dan Snyder doesn't know what he's doing.
Direct quote from Dan, "Anyway I like living in the past."
ReplyDeleteObviously you still watch sports, but now doesn't mean a thing, because the past is what you like (2004) ...
26 championships. How many for the Red Sox? But I'm more focused on THIS year!
So do you still have the "Curse of the Bambino" plaque hanging in your basement? How is that not living in the past?
ReplyDeleteI think you missed my point. I should have said I like the memories rather than live in the past. I like thinking about 2004 because it was a great moment, and finally provided a chance to stick it to Yankee fans. Prior to that, Red Sox fans just had to sit there and take it. We had nothing. But I do find it ironic that after 2003 when we talked after the ALSC, you brought up "The Curse" and 1918. Yankee Stadium was always filled with chants of 1918 for years and Yankee fans were always more than willing to bring up the past. But now that 2004 and 2007 have happened I should not be allowed to enjoy them or mention them, and I should only be focused on the present. Because I want to remind Yankee fans that they are the owners of the biggest choke in sports history, doesn't mean I don't enjoy winning or hate losing now. It just fun to give Yankee fans a hard time about it. But you moved on. I happy you didn't feel angry about it. It took 18 years for me to get over 1986.
So if I understand your point, your question about the Yankees Championships and how many have the Sox won doesn't really matter because it happened in the past.
But to answer your question, the Yankees have 26, the Red Sox have 7. It you are going to count the 20 the Yankees won between 1923 and 1962, than I can count the 5 the Red Sox won between 1903 and 1918.
To sum up. I should be allowed to bring up 2004 and 2007 after having to put up with being reminded of Red Sox failures for years.
One thing off topic. I have tried posting several comments on this or other blogs, but have kept getting an error message saying "Your comment cannot be published at this time." I was wondering if anyone else had this issue. I know Jimmy was looking for some feedback several blogs ago, so I thought I would just bring this up.
ReplyDeleteMemories and history ...I also enjoy those, but still don't "live" in the past. Totally off the topic about the plaque, but yes, it still hangs in my basement because it's history ... I don't go down there and relive the "Curse of the Bambino" though ...you have every right to enjoy those titles, but my point is you should be proud of those past titles, but need to move on on.
ReplyDeleteI also have autographs of Ty Law, Adam Vinatieri and Lawyer Milloy after the Pats first Super Bowl win vs. the Rams, should I take those down?
Come on Dan. ... you totally missed the point, it's about "living" in the past, not cherishing history ... big difference ... but I do still get goose bumps looking at the memories!!!
*****that error message, try posting again after it says that, it happens to me all the time, but when I do it again, it always works ... love to hear your ideas on how we should improve. Thanks for reading and supporting FFS!
I guess we can finally agree. I think cherishing is the best way to put it. The weird thing is once you win, and get a taste of it, you want it more and will always chase it.
ReplyDeleteThat error message does get a little annoying. I guess I'm just lazy and don't like to click twice.