It's only May

Hey, did anybody think that at any point during the 2004 season the Tigers would have a better record than the Yankees? I know the Evil Empire shows signs of snapping out of their slump - even though Jeter still isn't hitting, Bernie appears to belong in an old-age home, and Travis Lee may be out for the season (which makes room for Kenny Lofton when he comes back which should provide plenty of fun for our readers, no doubt) - but I can't let this pass without a pointed "HA!"

It's only April, but...

I can't believe I'm going to say this. This goes against all common sense, all of history, all of nature as we know it.

The Red Sox are better than the Yankees.

Just looking at those words makes me cringe. I'm going to be struck by lightning, I just know it.

I keep trying to twist the facts and look at this from a different perspective. It's only April, I tell myself. Alex Rodriguez is the best player in the game. Jason Giambi will hit 40 homers, like always. Javier Vazquez and Kevin Brown are improvements over Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. The Yanks bullpen is way better this year than it was last year. Derek Jeter is just in a mini-slump. Come September, the Yankees will be flying five games ahead of Boston, as always.

But it ain't addin' up.

The Red Sox have won six of seven games against New York, including a sweep on the road in hostile Yankee Stadium. And they've done it without Nomar Garciaparra or Trot Nixon. (Granted, they did it without Byung-Hyun Kim too, which was probably why they won.)

It's only April, I know, I know.

But here are the facts: Mike Mussina, shelled again last night, is very, very wrong. Jose Contreras should fear for his life if he loses today against Oakland. Vazquez gives up a lot of home runs, which is a big problem in close games. The team doesn't even have a fifth starter at this point. And Mariano Rivera looks more and more hittable each year. He's off to a good start, but he can be had.

We all know pitching wins championships, unless you're the Oakland A's or the L.A. Dodgers. We all know defense is important come playoff time. But it's the Red Sox this year who have the edge in both categories.

Jeter should not be playing shortstop. Bernie Williams should not be playing the outfield under any circumstances. Giambi can barely move at first base. Jorge Posada is a below-average defensive catcher.

Compare this to the Red Sox. Pokey Reese should be called Reesamus, or maybe Pokeyhauntus, the God of Defense. He'll shift over to second base with the return of Nomar, who we all know has fantastic range at short. Bill Mueller is a rock at third, Johnny Damon, dead arm and all, patrols centerfield like a pro and Jason Varitek is outstanding behind the plate.

In a seven-game series, who would you take? Pedro, Schilling and Lowe or Mussina, Brown and Vazquez? You have to go with the former. And without Aaron Boone, the Yankees could be beaten by Tim Wakefield. Alternatively, Mr. Contreras should never pitch another ball to a Red Sox player again. Jose, can you see...your future? It rhymes with "Shmankees Mullpen."

Are we in bizarro world here? Since when are Yankees pitchers psyched out by Boston? Jose, your team is the good one, remember? The one that doesn't fold under the pressure. Theo didn't end up signing you, buddy. You're a New York Yankee. You're supposed to be at your best against the Red Sox (see Ramiro Mendoza). Where is Mendoza, by the way? I'm convinced that if he and Kim come off the DL, the Red Sox will find their way back to second place in no time.

But the most interesting guy to come off the DL will be Nomar. Could Reese actually be the better option at shortstop? It seems silly but, in worst case, Boston has shown that winning is possible without Garciaparra. No one wants a guy who gets hurt every year, and even though Nomar is the heart and soul of the Red Sox, if Boston can win without him, he won't be back next year.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's only April. But you know what's eerie? I know another word that starts with the letters AP. Apocalypse.

As always, This is the Year.

This story also ran in the Harvard Crimson on April 28, 2004

Torre Doomsday Clock

You could almost smell Joe's fear this past weekend. When's the last time he had Mariano pitch three straight innings in non-save situations? During the regular season?! Of course, to this point it's been anything but a regular season for the Yanks.

With the heart of the order in need of a defibrillator, they've given a whole new meaning to the nickname Bronx Bombers. And no one dropped a bigger bomb than the former Mr. Clutch: Derek O-Fer. It's no wonder Joe brings in his saves specialist in games that are far from salvageable; he's desperate to have somebody do something right.

Subtract two minutes for this woeful weekend sweep by the Bosox. Joe, it's 13 minutes till the ditching hour.

Lupica: "Crying Shame"

Of all the sports columnists in America, Mike Lupica has to rank at the top. Whether you agree or disagree with what he says, he has a way of keeping his eye keenly focused on the ball - and hitting it right over the fences as well as any seven-figure slugger.

In this recent column he questions how valuable the additions the Yankees made last year will prove to be. He then wonders if many of the players are just a year or so past their prime.

Could it be, we ask, could it be that, maybe you don't always get what you pay for? Is it possible that there is a law of diminishing returns at work when the money pile gets so high that it's in danger of toppling? Is it possible that money isn't everything - or that it can only get you so far in the game? It remains to be seen whether the empire will be able to come up with some other strategies for winning besides "pay them more." A little time will tell.

In the meantime, we quote to you some of Lupica's wisdom from his NY Daily News column:

"$190 million doesn't buy you nearly what it used to in sports."

"As good as these Yankees are, as many games as they will eventually win before this is over, how many of them have already seen their best days?"

Then he goes on to mention something about George crying his eyes out.

"This is an April not even Yankee Haters could have seen coming."
The Article

Pointing the Finger

Dear Surfers:

What will Steinbrenner blame the Yankees slow start on?

A) Joe Torre's handling of the nine center-fielders and 17 firstbasemen on the club?
B) Irreparable damage done by Don Zimmer?
C) Bill Lee's new book?
D) A total lack of respect for Kenny Lofton?
E) Yankee fans who boo a sub-.500 team?

I can't wait.

All Star Ballot

MLB has officially opened up All Star voting. (I personally voted for all the Red Sox and wrote in Bellhorn and Ortiz at the bottom. I think Bellhorn should be able to walk on a national stage. And Ortiz, well, deserves it.)

So vote now and remind your buddies to vote, too. Anything you can do to get your guys in and those damned Yankees out! If you want to campaign for your favorite players, YankeesSuck.com has a special part of The Clubhouse set up to lobby for your guy.

Click here to vote!

An artist?

It's been said that ARod is a baseball artist. Well, after he gets booed during the embarassment on Friday, he says the Bronx cheers are a tribute to Yankee fans because it shows how much more they want to win in NY. As if they don't want to win anywhere else? He's an artist alright - a BS artist.
32 million bucks for Contreras? (Or the Pinstripe Pinata as he is so eloquently called elsewhere in this website) Oooh Boy. Georgie must be steaming. Even if Contreras rights himself - and he might, for some of his pitches look deadly - it's worth 32 million to wonder how crabby Steingrabber gets when somebody brings up this to-date defective defector. Anyone out there in cyberspace find any evidence of Steinbrenner's first outburst, send 'em in - maybe you'll get a free hat or something.
Filip Bondy article in NY Daily News on Yank's pitching woes - Does a 185 million team really need to pitch starters on three days rest in April? Even money says the outburst comes on Monday.

Pinstriped Pi�ata

Jose Contreras, (0-2), confirmed our suspicion that, whichever delivery he chooses, he is now the official “Pinstriped Piñata” of the Boston Red Sox. It only took 5 hits from the mighty Boston sticks to brake the Piñata on this Friday night game in the Bronx. He also allowed four walks and five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. The short outing meant he was well rested when he spoke to the press. “Of all my outings, this is the worst I’ve felt after one,” Contreras is quoted as saying in this game story by Tyler Kepner on the New York Times website. Kepner goes on to say that in a season in which many Yankees are struggling, Contreras seems to be their biggest disappointment.

Gotta love those Yankee fans. Exhibiting True Yankee Class (TYC) they booed Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriquez and Jason Giambi in the sixth inning of Friday's 11-2 loss to the Sox. These days, I guess it's not just Red Sox fans who think the Yankees suck!

Red Sox fans, you’ll enjoy this “Box Score” provided by Yahoo!

Contreras vs. Lowe

The last time the Bosox visited the Bronx, Aaron Boone ended their season in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the ALCS when he homered off Tim Wakefield, causing Red Sox fans to resort to their trusted refrain of “Wait till next year.”

Well boys, it’s next year.

The Jose Contreras vs. Derek Lowe matchup today pits one man, Lowe, trying to redeem last Sunday’s embarrassing outing against the Yankees, and one man, Contreras, needing to rise above an historically dreadful performance against his rival. Red Sox hitters view Conteras as some sort of a pinstriped piñata - they can't wait to take their big sticks and swing and swing until he breaks apart.

Contreras knows the batters he will face are batting a combined .467 (14 for 30) against him. He knows he was awful in relief during Game 6 of last years' ALCS - in which he allowed the Sox to come from behind and win. He also knows his 7-3 3.89 ERA career stats are meaningless against Boston, in which case he is 0-2 with a 20.25 ERA.

Here's a look at tonight's face off:

Globe Preview

Yahoo! Preview

Looking Back

On this date in the 1975 season, the Red Sox beat the Yankees 11-7. Even though Yankee switch-hitter Roy White hit a homer from each side of the plate.

So, baseball addicts, if your boss isn't onto you yet and you still look busy at your desk, check out what else happened on this date in baseball history at baseballlibrary.com.
And remember April 23, 1933 when…

Keep Talking

Jorge Posada’s bat is keeping the Yankees respectable. His seventh homer helped boost the Yankees above .500 (8-7) with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox Wednesday. But New York Times writer, Tyler Kepner, reports that when Posada is hitting well, he does not like talking about his hitting. When asked about his strong hitting he said “I don't know what I'm doing, so don't ask me."

So, let’s talk about Jorge Posada’s hitting, shall we.

The Article

Baseball and The Generous Tree

An adaptation of Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree:"

There once was a young boy named Bud who lived near a generous tree. When Bud's friends wanted to play, the tree made a great jungle gym... when the summer days were hot, the tree gave Bud and his friends shade... when the kids were hungry, the tree's apples kept them nourished. Bud loved the tree and the tree felt much love for the boy as well.

As Bud grew his uses for the tree changed. When his siblings wanted new baseball bats, the tree offered its branches. When he needed money, the tree suggested he sell its apples to his friends. When Bud needed more money, the tree recommended that Bud raise the price of apples to $5.75 a piece. Bud loved that old tree, and the tree loved him.

Days came when Bud's friends stopped coming around, Bud asked the tree for help. The tree first suggested placing cork in his sibling's bats for more excitement. That worked for a bit, but Bud's friends had A.D.D., and it was hard to keep their attention. The tree loved Bud, and told him to build a new stadium out of its trunk. Bud's friends thought it was really cool, but there were other, more exciting things to do, plus the cost of apples was now so high that his friends couldn't afford to bring their children and business associates by anymore.

Bud was saddened, so he went back to ask the tree for help... but when he returned he realized there was nothing left but a stump. His friends were gone and he had exploited the tree until it was no longer a tree, but a rotten old remnant of the fun they used to have. If only Bud had taken seeds from the tree and planted a forest. If only he had kept the price of apples low so that his friends could show their children how fun Bud was. But it didn't happen, and eventually Bud and his siblings were forgotten.

Poor Bud, had he looked to the future, his friends would still be around having fun, and that generous tree would be standing taller than ever. The End.

The Boss & His "Buddy"

So, Boston fans – read this. You’re not alone in your sentiments towards “the Boss.” Justin Einerson from Milwaukee writes that there’s not a lot of love for Steinbrenner in the heartland either – or Buddy Selig, for that matter. Here’s what Justin thinks – any comments on this conspiracy theory?

"The Milwaukee Brewers... my first love and life-long obsession. Let me tell you, it's been a tough run, especially since they have not had a winning season since I started watching them in 1993. The reason is not because Milwaukee is a little big city or because the town is cheap and has a bad fanbase. We actually have a very healthy fanbase, almost fanatic. The reason is because we have an owner that doesn't want us to win just to prove that he is a good commissioner. This commissioner is named Bud Selig, a.k.a. "Steinbrenner's bitch." Mr. Selig does not run baseball. Steinbrenner runs baseball and with … George raising his flag over what was once a proud nation - a proud game, teams like my beloved Milwaukee Brewers wait in the wings for someone to stop teams like the Yankees and Chicago Cubs. These are evil organizations. So I decided to make a new-years resolution in January... to say "Yankees suck" to everyone that I saw in Yankees apparel all season long. Fortunately, most people in Wisconsin despise this "proud" franchise that loves to take the fun out of baseball. I would like to propose this idea to fans of all teams... baseball may not need a salary cap, but they do need to do something. If we all band together, maybe we can defeat this evil empire once again."

Uh-Oh.

A great weekend for Yankee haters. But, apparently smoke from a nearby building fire entered the park in the top of the ninth yesterday. Hate to bring this up, but smoke from a nearby fire entered the park in the ninth inning of the seventh game of the 1967 World Series (no need to explain the result). Hope it's not an omen. By the way, the Sox have taken three of four from the Evil Empire three of the last four years and that hasn't helped much. Well, I'm off to cruise the net to look for evidence of Georgie's impending explosion.

Spring Forward!

April powers bring October honors. April hollers bring fall dollars. Spring forward, fall back. Umm, I should have quit while I was still ahead.

Beating the Yankees when fall leaves are drifting downward is better than when the buds are blooming. Still, with the running of America’s proudest marathon, the Bruins loosing a heartbreaking seventh game, and the Super Bowl Champion Patriots making player moves, the Red Sox owned this Patriots Day.

They owned this day because they fought back. They came back from a 4-1 third inning lead to knock Yankee ace Kevin Brown out of the game. Gabe Kapler came back from early Alzheimer’s base running to deliver the game winning RBI. David McCarty was in scoring position because he hustled an ordinary pop-up into a double on a Hideki Matsui macular moment for his first hit of the season. Manny Ramirez bounced off the wall to send Bernie Williams whimpering back to the dugout.

The Yankees will not loose three out of four too often this season, and it’s unlikely Alex Rodriquez will go 1 for 17 much as well. But this isn’t about them anymore - whatever the Yankees do, the Sox need to go forward with the kind of winning attitude they showed this past weekend - making a strong, steady run to the series. Bear the heat, conquer Heartbreak Hill, then it's full speed ahead. Yankees be damned.

Relief!

Even though his Yankees lost to the Red Sox this Patriots day by a score of 5 to 4, “Bossman George” has one good reason to smile. Alex Rodriquez went 1 for 5 to raise his batting average four points to .164 when you round up.

And the Sox have a reason to smile as well. It looks like they finally have a stopper!

This Sproting News article by Stan McNeal some great insights. The Article

It's All About the Sox

Look, the Evil Empire will produce soon enough. Just think back to Giambi's arrival in New York - slow start, eventually produced and plenty enough, too. Played in October, too. Yesterday was all about the talent of the Red Sox, who showed that they have acquired a good player over the winter too. Schilling struck out Jeter three times and A-Rod twice. He allowed only one-run over six innings to a line-up of all-Stars. Here's the question for the day: Which three starters would you rather have on your team? Pedro-Schilling-Lowe or Mussina-Brown-Vazquez? This is one argument that might not be settled until the end of October.

Waiting to hear from the convicted felon?

Click Here

Check out the Fenway taunt used yesterday for Giambi:

Click Here

Game 8

WAKEFIELD AVENGES GAME 7 LOSS! SCHILLING TO GO IN DECIDING FINAL CONTEST!

Oh well... What a Yankee-hater could do with a really good time machine! (Actually, I believe it was Sox reliever Alan Embree who called last night's contest game 8, but it was such a good line, I couldn't help using it.) Once again we balance the euphoria evoked by the sights of the ball going through Jeter's legs and A-Rod looking at a called strike with the concern caused by some flashes of talent and toughness by Javier Vasquez (will he be another Clemens?) and another example of Yankee depth as Posada keeps up his hot hitting with his sixth homer of the early season. But, if you have the time this pleasant Saturday, check out some of the best baseball coverage in the country:

Dan Shaugnessy's piece in the Boston Globe, "Could It Be The Start of Something Good?"The Article

An excellent blog by Eric Wilbur as well:The Blog

And say what you will about April baseball, but could this be a preview of the highest paid team not to win the World Series four years in a row? And when can we start with the Buffalo Bills comparison?

P.S. and if there was a really good time machine it would probably cost a lot of money so we all know who would end up with it.

"Do or Die" Season

Does anyone else find it just a little bit ironic that the quintessential Red Sox diary of the 2004 season is to be co-written by horror novelists Stephen King and Stewart O’Nan?

Tragic, bloody car wrecks. Rabid foaming beasts. Prom dates gone really, really bad….On second thought, these are absolutely the right guys for the job! Who better than to chronicle the game-to-game, deal-to-deal adventures of a band of brothers and their die-hard loyal followers on a noble quest to overcome an ancient curse and win it all?!

That this still-untitled book, due out in the fall by Scribner, is in the works for this particular season is, to us, another sign that the stars are aligning to make Summer, 2004 truly remarkable. (Dare we say, a history-making season? Even a winning season?)

Just listening to him, we can tell O’Nan – who lives in Connecticut and has been a baseball fan all his life – has the combination of faith, hope and angst that being a New Englander , a Red Sox fan and a literary artisan all require. "This is the year," says O’Nan in a press release from his publisher. "I just got back from Spring Training and the guys are ready. I’m ready. Everyone’s ready. It’s do or die time." But when we spoke to him on the phone, O’Nan acknowledged feeling that heady, queasy sense of anticipation for this season with which we are all too familiar. "If you’re a Red Sox fan, you know that the team can be infuriating. I’m already a little bit worried . . . but then all good fans are managers."

According to the press release, it was with this sense of exhilaration and frustration that O’Nan fired off an e-mail to fellow writer and well-documented Red Sox fanatic Stephen King "who responded with his thoughts on Pedro, Nomar, Manny, Mueller and Theo"…and their mutual project was conceived.

Throughout the season, both writers will keep independent diaries while following the ups and inevitable downs of the team, the temperature of the fans, and the way it all fits into the way we live now. O’Nan tells us he intends to explore the way fans go through the season fitting baseball into our daily lives – the emotional "connection and disconnection with the team —the way it serves as the soundtrack to summer."

O’Nan and King plan to go to some games together and will share their discussions and opposing viewpoints on plays and trades. They will be the Red Sox fans of record – hopefully capturing for posterity the hopes and fears of us all. O’Nan admires a committed, philosophical quality he sees in the typical member of Red Sox Nation – as opposed to Yankee Fans, who he says seem to "show up when the team is doing well. When the Yankees aren’t doing well, there are a lot of empty seats. They’re more fairweather fans."
Red Sox fans, he says "have learned to appreciated the whole of the season. They are serious about analyzing the team." Perhaps championships can be bought but, O’Nan believes, "even if we got A-Rod it wouldn’t really count. Turning ourselves into the Yankees wouldn’t be good. We have our own identity."

Speaking of loyal fans, one of the first things O’Nan is writing about will be his difficulty getting tickets at Fenway. As of this writing, many games are already sold-out.

So look for Stewart and Stephen in the bleachers at Fenway this summer. And check back here for more of their thoughts as YankeesSuck.com will check in on their progress again as the season heats up.

For more works by Stewart O’Nan go to http://www.stewart-onan.com/

For more information about Stephen King go to http://www.stephenking.com

Rejected!

We love you, Jim!

Staff writer David Heuschkel reports on the sports cover of today's Hartford Courant that Jim Calhoun, coach of the mens' National Championship UConn Huskies Basketball team, has snubbed the Yankees. He said "No Chance," to the Yankees' invitation to throw out the first ball at an upccoming game in the Bronx. This boy from Braintree and lifelong Red Sox Fan told The Courant, "Sixty years of torment is enough."

Just for that Jim, I may go ahead and switch my bank account!

This article is worth signing up for a free ctnow.com account to read.

The Article

Tickets Vs. Bill's Bar

A few years ago the choice would have been easy. I'd call a couple of friends and get the best tickets possible to the opening game of the Red Sox vs. Yankee series tonight at Fenway. An online tickets search at ShowMeTickets.com found 2 decent seats for $470.00. Two bleachers would cost $260.00. I could get a parking pass for another $65.00, I'm told. Switch to Plan B.

A new browser window now aims at redsox.meetup.com loaded with the Zip Code for Fenway Park, 02101.
Bills Bar at 5.5 Lansdowne St. in Boston, just beyond the Green Monster, looks appealing.

I sell Plan B to myself by remembering how a rich, amber lager, Samuel Adams Boston Lager of course, tastes washing down peanut salt. I remind myself of the new childrens' college fund I’ll start by not spending $535.00 irresponsibly on one night's selfish entertainment. I promise myself I’ll take some of that money and donate it to Curt's Pitch for ALS. I think back to the 1994 strike and how I lived without the choice. This all works. We’re going to have a great time at Bill's Bar.

Wanted: "Yankee Killers"

Michael O'Keefe of the daily News published this story back in July, before it all went bad for the Sox and Cub fans - and before we knew those wild Marlins would be heroes to us all.

Anything can happen - no matter how much money you can throw at a situation. A quarter-trillion-dollar player's bone and muscle and grey matter, although they may be assembled into one very talented player, can break and tear and crack like the rest of us slobs. So there's always hope. "Next year" is here.

It's time for a new set of Yankee Killers to step up to the plate, or the mound. Who's it going to be? Read O'Keefe's story and offer your comments.

The Yankee killers
All-Time Yankee Team

By MICHAEL O'KEEFFE

Ken Griffey Jr.
Frank Lary was an average pitcher on a mediocre Detroit team in the 1950s, but for some mysterious reason, the Alabama-born righty turned into Superman when he was on the mound against the Yankees.

Lary compiled a 128-116 record during his 12-year career but he was 28-13 against the Yankees. In 1958, when the Tigers were 77-77 and finished 15 games behind the first-place Bombers, Lary went 7-1 against the Yanks - and 9-14 against the rest of the American League.

"There's no secret to it," Lary said in 1977. "The Tigers just played their best baseball when they were playing the Yankees."

Hall of Fame researcher Bill Francis says Lary may have found great success against the Yankees because the American League only had eight teams in the 1950s. Clubs played each other 16 times every season, which helped pitchers become familiar with their opponents' lineups.

"Still, the Yankees had a killer roster, with a number of future Hall of Famers," Francis says. "That makes Lary's accomplishment all the more impressive."

Lary's nickname was "The Yankee Killer," but he's not the only player who racked up big numbers against the most storied team in sports history:

Lew Burdette

In 1957, Burdette led the Braves to just their second championship in 43 years by pitching and winning three complete games - including two shutouts - against a fearsome Yankee team. "The only thing I can say," says Burdette, who now lives in Orlando with his daughter and her family, "is that I threw 'em where they weren't swinging."

The former Yankee farmhand pitched Game 7 on two days' rest because Milwaukee ace Warren Spahn was benched with the flu. "It wasn't the first time I had pitched on two days' rest," Burdette says. "I don't know how pitchers do it these days with four or five days of rest. I lost my sharpness after three days."

Among the fans who packed Yankee Stadium for Game 7: Joe Torre, who was there to cheer his big brother Frank, the Braves' first baseman.

George Brett

The Kansas City Royals were an expansion team created in 1969, but it didn't take long for them to become one of the Yankees' biggest rivals, thanks to Brett, the Hall of Fame third baseman who hit .358 in four postseason series against the Yanks.

The Yankees beat the Royals in the ALCS in 1976, 1977 and 1978, but in 1980, Brett's three-run homer off Goose Gossage in Game 3 put the Royals in the World Series for the first time.

Brett, of course, will always have a special place in Yankee history after the game in July 1983 when he threw a major league tantrum after umpire Tim McClelland discounted a home run, saying the pine tar line on Brett's bat exceeded the 18-inch limit. A few days later, AL president Lee MacPhail said the homer should have counted and ordered the game resumed. This time, the Royals won.

Walter Johnson

The Big Train notched 60 of his 417 wins against the Yankees - the most by any opposing pitcher. What makes Johnson's record remarkable is that he won those games with the Senators. "What makes his record so special," says Francis, "is that he played on so many bad teams."

In 1908, Johnson pitched three shutouts in four days against the Yankees, then known as the Highlanders. In 1923, he gave New York its first defeat at their new park, Yankee Stadium, a 4-3 loss before 70,000 fans.

"When Yankee Stadium was built, it was showtime, the place to play - and it still is," says author Hank Thomas, Johnson's biographer and grandson. "I'm sure Walter put a little extra on the ball, especially against Babe Ruth."

In 1924, with his career winding down, Johnson led the Senators, picked by The Sporting News to finish seventh, to the pennant in a photo finish with the Yankees.

Ken Griffey Jr.

When Griffey was a kid and his dad was a Yankee, Billy Martin kicked Junior out of the clubhouse because the child was noisy and boisterous.

Junior has made the Bombers pay: He's a lifetime .312 hitter against the Yankees, with 33 homers and 92 RBI in 447 at-bats.

Kevin Brown

Brownie has thoroughly owned the Yankees over the course of his career, posting a 2.50 ERA and 12-3 record in 16 starts. Fortunately for the Yankees, Brown was not so dominating in postseason play. Brown started two games in the 1998 World Series, going 0-1 and giving up seven earned runs over 14.1 innings.

Scott Fletcher

Fletcher played for six teams and hit .262 during a 15-year career as an infielder and DH. But Fletcher hit .335 against the Yankees before retiring in 1995. "It's hard to explain why I was able to hit better against certain teams," Fletcher, best known for stints with the Rangers and White Sox, told the Akron Beacon Journal in 1996. "But I'm proud of the fact that I did hit well against a team like the Yankees, with all their tradition and everything."

Bill Lee

The Spaceman went 12-5 against the Yankees for their archrivals, the Red Sox. One reason for his success, Lee admits, was the Yankees weren't very good in the early '70s, when he began his career. As a lefty, he acknowledges he benefited from the old Yankee Stadium's deep right field. But mostly, he says, it's because pitchers are smarter than hitters.

"Hitters are Neanderthals," Lee says. "Pitchers are smarter than hitters - except for Roger Clemens."

Lee is the author of the recently published "The Little Red (Sox) Book," an alternate-universe history of the Sox. In Lee's book, Babe Ruth - another Yankee-killer who went 17-5 as a pitcher against the Bombers - never leaves Boston. That means the Red Sox win dozens of World Series titles, while the Yankees limp along as their title-less rivals. Lee's book, obviously, can be found on the fiction shelves.

"There's nothing in the world like the fatalism of the Red Sox fans," Lee writes. "All this makes Boston fans a little crazy, and I feel sorry for them."
Originally published on July 14, 2003 - The Daily News

Yanks Buy Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI
It was a sad day in the world of Major League Baseball yesterday as commissioner Bud Selig announced the sale of the Milwaukee Brewers to pinstriper Alex Rodriguez. The Brewers, who had been on the MLB selling block for 4 months, said they were "pleased with the league's decision" to allow the sale, stating that "the Yankees own all of the worthy players in the league" and "there is no feasible way of being competitve without the monetary backing of a wealthy owner." For the record A-Rod's contract pulls in nearly as much as the Brewers' total payroll each year.

As for his plans with the team, Rodriguez says, "Wendy Selig was 100% correct - the Yankees DO own all of baseball's top players. Milwaukee doesn't need a baseball team, what they need is parking - that's why I've teamed up with the Miller Brewing Company to announce "Miller Parking," the world's first retractable roof parking facility."

The fifteen remaining season ticket holders at Miller Park will not receive refunds, but will have 'first dibbs' on the prime parking spots.

Joe Torre Doomsday Clock

First Installment:

April 14:

It's 15 minutes till midnight, Joe. Do you know where your owner is? The good news for Joe: His recently inked three-year, $19 million contract extension gives him a little more cushion than he had last year. How long will the glad tidings continue? Considering the Yanks' mediocre start (4-4), a bad showing in Boston this week could easily put The Boss back on the warpath.

Signs

Signs You Are A Hardcore Yankees Hater:

You root for them to make the playoffs because you prefer to see them humiliated in front of a national audience.

Mets Lead Yanks!

The Mets are better than the Yankees, at least for today.

With their .571 winning percentage to the Yankees average .500, the Mets used their home opener to make their statement that they are New York�s best team. Even without Mike Piazza, sore right elbow, and Cliff Floyd, on the DL for strained right quadriceps, they beat the Braves 10-6 at Shea.

Let's go Mets!

Yahoo! � Game Recap

Boston Reality

Red Sox fan Chad writes;

I admit it, they have a good team, and in fact the best team that money can buy. However, I don't think that us Red Sox fans can really complain about the money factor. We have the second highest payroll in baseball, granted its about 80 million short of the Evil Empire, Its like Dunkin Donuts complaining that there is a Starbuck's on every corner.

Besides despite the difference in money, I think we have a better ball club. The Yankees are a team of individuals; they have a lot of super stars and no team chemistry. A-Rod and Jeter don't like each other, and it is only of matter of time before that blows up and A-Rod is playing Short again. The Red Sox have chemistry, they have fun when they are out there, when is the last time you saw all the Yankees, in regular season play, jumping up and down at home plate after a spectacular 12th inning home run? It just doesn't happen down there, I don't know whether it is Steinbrenner running things or just the players lack of love for their uniform and fans, but everything is too serious in the Bronx.
The Sox love this city and its fans, not necessarily its press, but 2 out of 3 isn't bad. They play for each other as well as the fans, and this is why I think the Sox are a better team than the Evil Empire.

Hating Yankes in NY

Just a New Yorker who is sick and tired of the "we love a winner attitude." How about "we love our team?" or "we love our players?" Just seems to me that in NY where Pennants (god knows we cant win in another sport) are bought with $6.50 beers and the ever-famous $7.00 hamburger (if its even beer.) At least we could go to the game to see our favorite players, or just to support our team.

But don’t get me started on that, or I will never stop....

New Yorker Cartoon

"Steroids — They're not just for athletes anymore," says this illustration on "The Back Page BY Barry Butt" in the April 12, 2004 issue of The New Yorker titled

Click on the graphic below to enlarge.

Bubba who?

He homers in his first Yankee at bat. He crashes into fences making spectacular plays. He hits a three-run homer to single-handedly provide the spark Mike Mussina needs on his fifth attempt to win his 200th game. No we’re not talking about the $250 million dollar A-Rod. We’re talking about the $300,000 Bubba Crosby.

The Yankees acquired the former Rice University star from the Dodgers in the Robin Ventura deal at the 2003 trade deadline, after the dodgers made Crosby their first round draft pick in 1998. Crosby is filling in for Kenny Lofton who was dropped from the lineup the last couple of days with tightness in his right quadriceps. Crosby hit .357 this spring to surprisingly make the club. His name is actually Richard Stephen Crosby. Anyone know why he goes by Bubba?

More Convicted Felons

Drunken driving charges dismissed against former Yankees pitcher

   KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - A drunken driving charge against former New York Yankees pitcher Steve Howe has been dropped after prosecutors decided his blood test was improperly obtained.

  City Attorney Glen Neier said prosecutors concluded they did not have probable cause to subpoena hospital records on Howe's blood test. Municipal Judge Heidi Ulbricht dismissed the charge Wednesday.
   Howe, 39, of Whitefish, was charged in an Aug. 19 motorcycle accident on Kalispell's north side.
   Howe reportedly slid his motorcycle on gravel and hit a fence, sustaining serious injuries. He managed to get to the nearby home of Dick Stotts, a former city detective who worked for Howe as a private investigator when the baseball player was facing drug charges.
    Stotts took Howe to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where he remained for a week. However, the accident was not reported to police, and it was several days before officers learned of it.
    Prosecutors subpoenaed hospital records that showed Howe's blood alcohol level at 0.16, well above the 0.10 level considered legally drunk.
    "If the accident had been reported, as it legally should have been, we'd have asked for blood tests ourselves and wouldn't have had to rely on medical records," Neier said.
    "Even if anyone who knew anything about the accident or Howe's actions just before or after the accident had given us information that indicated alcohol was a factor, then that would have been probable cause to seek a blood test. But no one did, so we had to try this route."
    Stotts and family members told investigators that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
    Howe was suspended seven times from baseball for drug or alcohol problems, and he was convicted of possessing cocaine in Kalispell in 1992.
    The Yankees released him on June 22, 1996, and he was arrested two days later at a Delta Air Lines terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport when a loaded .357 Magnum was detected inside his suitcase.
    Last November, the left-hander pleaded guilty to gun possession and was placed on three years' probation and given 150 hours of community service.
    Earlier this summer, Howe had been pitching for the Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent Northern League, but returned home to Montana after injuring his arm.

HOOORAY!

How nice.... Our first losing streak. It's true the serious baseball analyst will dismiss the rantings herein with a look of disdain, a wave of the hand, and a curt "it's April." But let's face our fears right now. The Evil Empire may not have too many losing streaks this year, and who among us wasn't worried after the performance of Mr. Vazquez the other day? So crack open the Easter wine, snitch a piece of candy and dial up New York's other baseball team. Let's see now....

ARod, Jeter, Bernie, Posada, Matsui, Sierra, and possibly Sheffield aren't batting their weight. The Pinstripers will not have a winning series against two of the weaker sisters of the AL. Matsui runs the bases like a Met. Do the feds have a certain first baseman's urine in their custody chain? Contreras will be the highest paid Cuban in Ohio by July. Of course, the Yanks may be in first place by that time, because like the serpents they are, Steinbrenner's mercenaries will be much less sluggish when the sun gets warmer. Remember last spring Red Sox fans?

Yankees Curse

There is a new curse in town known as the Ted Williams Curse.
That's right Yankee fans, the pin stripes are officially cursed. Time to cowboy up boys and girls because the Injury Prone Yankee Curse has arrived. Let me explain how this curse works.

It started when Aaron Boone hit a dong in game 7. Some said the BABE would show up, but others thought that TED Williams was seen in the clouds writing the next chapter to the rivalry. Soon after the off-season started Boone would play a basketball game and would break his leg.

The Yankee's have continued to sign big names while Ted decides their fate. 1. Sheffield suffered a fractured thumb. 2. Lieber Sufferd a pulled groin 3. A-Rod took a slap in the face from a flying object. That's right, Golden Glove no more. The guy can't even catch a fly ball he called for, it landed on the opposite side of the mound from where he was standing. Balls have gone strait through his legs. It's been said that Ted Williams has his eye on their ace. Brown has not finished a season in 7 years and if the TWC says jinx then Brown going down again. Don't take it personal Brown it's not us saying this, it's the curse.

TWC has a message for the Yankees! The Evil Empire is going to fall; The Return of the Jedi is upon us. Tune in to the YES ("Yankees Entertainment Sucks") network to see curse take hold.

This Is Lucas from Red Sox Nation

Cautious Optimism?

The more prudent YankeesSuck.com reader will pause before giving it to our misguided friends, family, and colleagues about paying 180 million for a team that loses two out of three to Tampa Bay. Yes, Mussina has an ERA of 11.00, but do can we really expect that to continue?

If it does, the evil empire will just pick up some serviceable starter from a team that needs money. (The Mets will have a ton of veteran starters ready to move once they are out of contention in late May.)

Do we really expect Jeter to continue hitting below .200? No, and even if it did, the Yankees could carry a .150 hitter for a long time before we’d notice a drop off in their offensive statistics. Does this remind the baseball historians among us of the 1960 World Series where the Yankees bombarded the Pirates by ridiculous scores in three wins and lost pitchers duels in four losses? Maybe, but look at how far the Red Sox got last year with an impressive eight hitters and one or two quality starters and a bullpen by committee; the Yankees of 2004 might be an interesting comparison to last year’s Sox team.

No, if you are going to needle Yankee fans today consider this - yesterday’ Yankee heroes - Sheffield and Rodriguez- both carry the stamp of Steinbrenner meddling - maybe he’ll think he knows more than his GM and start making more moves. Then we’ll get somewhere and stop cursing Aaron Boone.

Game 4

Blogging after a Yankee win is like having to cut the grass, so first two points on the great articles (read em!) by Vescey and Gammons.

- Watching Benny Agbanyi play (at least after his first two months) was never "appealing" - I've never seen a professional athlete who bounced so much. Who was running the Mets and thought this guy was a necessary part of the team? No wonder the Yankees win - they look at guys like that and release them.

- Taking the time to read or listen to Peter Gammons is another one of those lazy yet enjoyable ways to spend time during summer. However, I wonder if he owes too much loyalty to Boston; in his post-season predictions he has the Bosox dispose of the Yankees in seven without comment and picks their supernaturally burdened cousins the Cubs to take it all.

- With game four completed, those of us who root against the Pinstripers have to balance concern and small rays of hope. We're concerned that ARod, Sheffield, and Wilson all made some impressive defensive plays today - most of which Soriano wouldn't have made. We're concerned that Brown is 2-0 and unhittable so far. There is a ray of hope that this team might night be the offensive juggernaut we think it is - only once in four games have they scored more than four runs. There's also a ray of hope that Mariano had a small Benitez-esque moment and actually allowed a runner to score in the ninth.

Let's just hope they can't play winning ball outside a dome either.

National League Who?

George Vecsey of the New York Times had this sobering commentary today. Mets Fans - what do you think? Extraneous? Irrelevant? Say it's not so! We'd like your comments:

"In all my born days, I never thought I would be writing these words: Baseball has evolved into two divisions - the American League East, and everybody else.

The rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox has grown exponentially since the night of Oct. 16.

Both teams have reloaded, in their separate ways, creating machinations and grievances and unanswered questions that fascinate even lifelong National League types like me."

ReadVecsey's Story

Sox/Cubs World Series

Well sportsfans, ESPN says it best. Peter Gammons is picking the Chicago Cubs and Jayson Stark is picking the Red Sox in the 2004 World Series.

Starks Article

Gammons Article

Not My Friends

Bruce, in Montana writes;

I've been to the shrine countless times. I was there when history was made. Ted's last home run, game 6 and 7 in "75", etc. It is abundantly clear to me the nature of the most intense rivalry in all of sports. Though I now live in Montana, my beloved Bosox will remain with me forever. Those menacing Yankee fans! Where do they come from? Helena, Great Falls, Big Timber. Never been east of North Dakota.

They wear their evil garb and speak to me as if we're friends. They just don't get it. We are not friends! We are not on speaking terms as of today. Heck, after today I'm not even playing my Bernie Williams CD, and I like his guitar work. No, the 2004 campaign has begun. I will do my best to educate these bandwagon jumpers to the fact that they are not true fans. At least a person from the Big Apple has a reasonable excuse.

Yanks Don't Suck?

Joe, somehwere in cyberspace says;

The Yankees are a very good baseball franchise. To say that they "suck" is rather foolish, because clearly they don't. To use a cliche, "don't hate the players, hate the game".

It is not the Yankees fault that they have the most money and are the team most willing to spend the money that they have. They are playing by the rules, no matter how bad the rules are. To hate the Yankees is stupid, you should hate Bud Selig and especially the players union because they are the ones keeping baseball from reaching a salary cap agreement. The Yankees run their organization completely legally, and do so with class.

Never has a Yankee victory resulted in a riot in which the city was torn down. The fans understand that they help represent the city and the team. We cheer for our team, not against our opponants, unlike some other fans. The Yankees do not have a stranglehold on baseball, seeing as how they have not won the World Series for three years. In fact, the last three teams to win it (the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Anaheim Angels and the Florida Marlins) were all low budget, small market teams. I applaud Mr. Steinbrener for his unselfishness and ungreediness. Continue to spend money and invest in your franchise, something the other owners in baseball have declined to do. Until a salary cap is set, the Yankees will continue to spend money and hopefully have success. Besides, doesn't having a team to root against make baseball that much more fun?

Steinbrenner's Worst

This is a great summary of Steinbrenner's Worst by ESPN.

Fenway

Here's a picture you might like.
I got it here.

Game 2

Let's face it - there will be days like today. Oh sure, ARod is 1 for 9 and Giambi has to rest because he played first base on turf three days in a row (I understand those 'roids can be tough on knees - makes 'em stiff) and a blog from yesterday cites an ESPN columnist who thinks the Yanks have holes. But, looking at a team that can start nine former all-Stars, we'll probably have to wait until October to see the effects of old pitchers and lousy-throwing outfielders. If Brown gets hurt before August, we may get treated to the sight of Georgie having a hissie fit and spending millions on a retread starter, but we will see this team win a lot of games.