Strange Waters

As a diehard Yankees fan, I have been rooting against the Boston Red Sox for the last 35 years. It comes with the territory. I want the Yankees to do well. But, regardless of whether or not that happens, I want the Red Sox not to do well. Maybe that’s not the nicest or most well-adjusted position to hold…but, I’ve been that way now for over a third-of-a-century…and, it is what it is…just telling it like it is, ya’ know?

Now, tonight, I find myself in strange waters. I’m actually happy for the Sox’ Jon Lester - in getting a no-hitter today. This kid has traveled a rough road to get where he is today. And, I was impressed by his on-the-field reaction after recording his final out this evening. Very professional. Very old school. There’s a lot to like there - at least for me. So, for one night, and one night only, I’m going to allow myself this Yankees fan indiscretion and tip my cap to a member of the Boston Red Sox and offer a smile, albeit reserved and not beaming, towards Lester’s way - acknowledging my respect for his achievement this evening.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll go back to hoping he pitches like Vaughn Eshelman every time he wears a Red Sox uniform.

May 19, 2008 | Filed Under Rivalry Snapshots

Comments

14 Responses to “Strange Waters”

baileywalk on May 20th, 2008 12:04 am

Would these Red Sox prospects stop making the Yankee prospects looks so bad? Ha, ha.

I’m happy for Jon Lester, and it has nothing to do with him surviving cancer (and I don’t say that in an uncaring way; the females in my family have dealt with breast cancer repeatedly and I know the pain and suffering it causes). As long as it’s not against the Yankees, I’m happy for any pitcher who tosses a no-hitter. So congrats to Lester and congrats to the Red Sox fans.

It still kills me thinking about how Moose and Phil lost their perfect game/no-hitter while I was sitting there pulling out my hair in nervousness, but who knows, maybe Ian, Phil or Joba (or whoever comes after them) will finally get it done and make the agony of the wait worth it (and I write that realizing that the Yanks had two perfect games thrown, but that was another lifetime).
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on May 20th, 2008 8:15 am

I’m always surprised to learn of Yankee fans who have such ill-will toward the Red Sox. Until 2004, why was there concern? Didn’t the Yankees “always beat these guys” as Yogi once said? All of those world championships yet no relaxed sense of security. It’s odd, but I guess some Yankee fans aren’t as well-adjusted as others. But at least you’ve got a small soft-spot for cancer survivors.

As the brother of a lymphoma survivor (we were enormously fortunate that I was a perfect bone marrow match), it was a bit extra emotional watching Lester complete his no-no.

This really seems like the perfect place to bring up something that I have always wondered how Yankee fans regard. Lester has been compared to a young Andy Pettitte. Is that Gammons-Theo hyperbole or does anyone here see a comparison aside from them being southpaws? Putting aside Andy’s “big game” reputation, does anyone worry that Lester could reach a similar spot as a top pitcher, non-ace category?
Steve Lombardi on May 20th, 2008 8:20 am

Pettitte? Dunno.
But, last night, Lester reminded me of Dave Righetti on the 4th of July…
Steve Lombardi on May 20th, 2008 8:22 am

~~I’m always surprised to learn of Yankee fans who have such ill-will toward the Red Sox. Until 2004, why was there concern? ~~

If you were a Yankees fan, like me - young and just starting out - living in 1976-1977-1978…you had no choice but to hate the Sox. It was probably more hostile then than now - as the players truly hated each other then too.
MJ on May 20th, 2008 8:28 am

I’m always surprised to learn of Yankee fans who have such ill-will toward the Red Sox. Until 2004, why was there concern?
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I can’t speak for others but only for myself in this matter. My feeling is that we’re totally saturated with Red Sox coverage and it gets annoying. The New York Times owns 17% of the Red Sox and covers them as if they were a third New York baseball team. ESPN’s universe of personalities from Jim Caple to Peter Gammons to Bill Simmons openly root for the Red Sox and skew both the television and online coverage in that direction.

My dislike of all things Boston really stems from how totally overexposed the so-called Red Sox Nation has become.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on May 20th, 2008 8:33 am

Following up, its not entirely far-fetched based on the first 210 innings from each. Just eye-balling Andy’s rookie year (175 innings) and Lester’s 210 career numbers, Andy leads in ERA+, 111 to 108 and WHIP, 1.406 to 1.483. Not surprisingly Andy has a much better walk rate and they are almost exactly equal in strikeouts.

If Lester continues to improve in his poise, confidence and command (and last night has to be a help) I can see him developing as a Pettitte type. The difference in my mind is that while they both seem to work into trouble, Andy had the better knack of getting out of trouble with fewer pitches. That allowed him to pitch consistently deeper into games and its the single thing Lester has to improve, because he does have the stuff, in my opinion. One advantage may be that Lester has, to my eyes, the potential to get more strikeouts.
hopbitters on May 20th, 2008 10:24 am

I think there are probably a lot of older Yankees fans whose second favorite team is “whoever is playing the Sox”. It’s only natural that you’d root against your biggest rival and often a top contender in the division. Of course, there’s a big difference between rooting for or against a team and how you feel about individual players. There are plenty of Sox players I’ve liked or respected over the years, and a fair number of Yankees I haven’t. In fact, the only recent Sox player I can think of that I strongly dislike is Schilling and that has nothing to do with his uniform.

Pettitte is a somewhat different pitcher now than he was earlier in his career. If Lester follows Andy’s current approach, I think he’ll be fine.
Raf on May 20th, 2008 10:46 am

~~I’m always surprised to learn of Yankee fans who have such ill-will toward the Red Sox. Until 2004, why was there concern? ~~

There wasn’t concern on my end, then or now. But the non-stop hypefest has gotten a bit old. I came of age as a fan in the 80s, when the rivalry wasn’t all that hot.

What I don’t like is how fans from both sides seemingly hate each other, more than the players do. I attended a Yanks-Sox game in Fenway back in ‘97. I sat in the bleachers, spoke to a few Sox fans. Talking baseball. One of them bought me a beer. I don’t see that happening in this day and age.
Joel on May 20th, 2008 10:59 am

I’m happy for Jon Lester. He’s obviously been through a lot.

To me, the whole historic Yankees-Red Sox thing is blown out of proportion. The Yankees are “The Yankees.” And although the Red Sox are an historic franchise, they have stunk for long stretches of time.

The Red Sox are merely in the midst of a great run. For this, their current management deserves great credit. Eventually however, this time will pass and the whole “Red Sox Nation” fad will die down. (They once sold out The Jake about 400 times in a row, too.)

And then the Yankees will have another “blood rival” to contend with. Because it’s always somebody vs. The Yankees.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on May 20th, 2008 11:36 am

I have to disagree with that, Joel. Cleveland had to blow up their team and start over because of their resources or lack thereof. You can’t say that is going to happen with the Red Sox. Furthermore, ownership and the GM is doing it right by scouting/drafting/developing impact talent. Combine that with the ability to attract free agents where there is a need and there is no reason why the “great run” shouldn’t continue for a while.

In fact, in a sense management has a clearer eye on the perils of going too long with aging veterans. They held firm to Lowell at three years. They are unlikely to match Posada’s four years for Varitek. In short, they are better situated to get younger and stay younger than the Yankees are, when there is little doubt that Jeter, Posada, A-Rod and Mo will inevitably be paid grossly out of proportion to their skills, while that erosion of skill hurts the club on the field.

Yes, bandwagon fans may jump off if the team goes through some tough times, and I wouldn’t miss the Pink Hats for a minute. But what so many Yankee fans miss is that “Red Sox Nation” is no media creation. NY is the Big Apple and the Yankees have all the history to attract fans, but one shouldn’t discount how many young people go through Boston/New England, particularly to attend college, become Sox fans, and move elsewhere while maintaining that passion. RSN existed long before they gave it a name.

And last but not least, who can replace Boston as the “blood rival”? When the Dodgers and Giants were in New York, you had a rivalry. No rivalry can exist against a team that you don’t compete against every year. Now, if Toronto or Tampa Bay develop their organization so far as to be perpetual contenders, you might see a different “blood rivalry”. But the economics of the game virtually assure that like Cleveland, those teams will fade eventually. Only the Red Sox have the resources to maintain the “blood rivalry” year in and year out.
Joel on May 20th, 2008 12:11 pm

…but one shouldn’t discount how many young people go through Boston/New England, particularly to attend college, become Sox fans, and move elsewhere while maintaining that passion. RSN existed long before they gave it a name…

Come on. I took my 6 year-old to his first game at the Stadium last summer. When Matsui homered, he stood on his chair and cheered. Seeing this, a complete strager–a man of about 70–sitting next to me smiled and said, “You know, Joe D. homered at my first Yankee game.”

This stuff is born into you. You don’t go to college in Boston, move elsewhere, and maintain the passion–especially when times are tough. Just wait and see.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on May 20th, 2008 12:31 pm

This stuff is born into you. You don’t go to college in Boston, move elsewhere, and maintain the passion–especially when times are tough. Just wait and see.
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Fine. 14 million people in New England. None of them ever leave, they are the only ones “born into it”. Anyone in the rest of the country is a bandwagon fan, sure to leave “when times are tough”.

Better yet, you pick the time frame. Five years? Ten years? When will RSN become a fraction of what it is? I’ll guarantee they remain one of the most popular baseball franchises in the country, so long as both of us, and your six year old, are alive.
Joel on May 20th, 2008 4:09 pm

Soon enough this “RSN” stuff will subside. Players will move on. Management will move on. John Henry will decide it’s a good time to sell. A couple of third and fourth place finishes and those former New England undergrads will no longer be waxing poetic about their college days with the Sox.

Sure they will always be popular in New England. Why shouldn’t they be? And certainly they will have more fans around the country than say, the Minnesota Twins.

But they ain’t the Mona Lisa.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on May 21st, 2008 1:04 pm

Fine, I give up. You have this great need to denigrate passion you cannot acknowledge. You need a “Yankees Universe” and you have to pretend that there is no “Nation”. You fit right into the new regime. Hank approves this message.

Talk to me in five years. Or ten. Or twenty.