It seems I can't post a comment in response to John Keller's diatribe (entitled Boston Red Sox: Masters of the Mediocre) because I'm not a member of the New York Yankees site, and I refuse to defile myself in such a way as to sign up for it. So here is my simple response to his over-caffeinated, ill-timed (given the Yankees utter futility this season) and strangely aggressive post.
Anyway, as I was saying ...
Guys you've heard of (IE legit Major Leaguers) produced and not "purchased" by the Red Sox - Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester (and you could throw in Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson) - a list, by the way, that includes two MVP candidates (Youk and Pedroia), the best closer in baseball (sorry Mariano "Skeleton Face" Rivera) and a potential future Cy Young winner (Lester).
Guys you've heard of (IE legit Major Leaguers) produced and not "purchased" by the Yankees - Derek Jeter, Andy Pettite (who did leave town for awhile, by the way), Robinson Cano.
Quick math: Which list is longer? Right. So which team appears to be buying all it's talent?
It also should be noted that the difference in payroll is rather significant, and that Boston traded IT'S petulant, over-paid star to improve the team while the Yankees handed A-Rod the biggest contract ever. All that for a .150 average come October. At least it looks like that won't matter much this year.
And last, but certainly not least, isn't it a gratifying moment that the roles have, finally and officially, been reversed. Isn't it supposed to be Red Sox fans blubbering about respect and firing off insulting comments without being prompted? It's a fine moment in Major League history when a cowering Yankee fan has to play the "26 Championships" card just to remind everyone the Bombers were once great. So yes, you are right, the Yankees have 26 titles. And good for them. But there's been little to celebrate in the Bronx during the A-Rod era. And there is nothing - NOTHING - anyone in Pinstripes can do or so to deny the fact that Boston has become baseball's model franchise. Quite simply, they are going to have to deal with it.
And get used to a familiar refrain that used to hibernate in Beantown: Wait til next year.
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