Sox/Yanks Part II

[sq764]

Is there a better rivalry in sports than the Sox/Yanks?

I honestly believe they truly HATE each other.. You can just tell the absolute disgust they have for each other and I love it.

With respect to all the rivalries I missed, the only one in my time I can think of that was so bitter was the Pistons/Lakers (Bill Lambier era)

[Suff]

Rumble in the Fens Tommorrow night!

8:00 PM ESPN Sunday night Baseball.

Tommorrow night is Going to be a throw down!

[Tom]

I used to watch Baseball religiously in the 70's...nothing more exciting than a Yanks/Sox series.
Two word sum up the rivaly: Buckey Dent! :eek:

[Dave Schwartz]

The only baseball rivalry I can think of that came close to the Sox-Yankees was the Tigers-Yankees back in the '60s. (Remember Frank Lary, the Yankee-Killer?")

Dave

[Bubbles]

How soon we forget Giants-Dodgers. Back in the '50's, there was no love lost between them, and it was so bad Jackie Robinson retired so he wouldn't be traded to his arch-rival. Was fierce.

[PaceAdvantage]

How can it really be a rivalry when the Sox have never beaten the Yankees when it really counted?

[PaceAdvantage]

And oh yeah, you guys gained a game on us......

Still 7.5....

Yawn....

[dav4463]

still think football has the hatred rivalries...not as much anymore, but in the old days....true hatred !!!!!

Chiefs/Raiders
Cowboys/Redskins
Packers/Bears

[sq764]

PA, I guess there is no rivalry between the Marlins and Yankees either :-)

[Duns Scotus]

Knicks-Bullets--Reed, Clyde, et al v Wes Unseld, Earl, Mike Riordan, et al

Lakers-Celtics, 1980's

Dodgers (Brooklyn)-Yankees, 1950's, World Serious

And individual rivalries:

Zale-Graziano

Frazier-Ali

And maybe the most brutal one fight of all:

Hagler-Hearns

[Suff]

we "concede" AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST. Conceded.

Wild crd. If wer'e ;ucky

[andicap]

PA,
you're off base here. (although I recognize you were talking partly tongue-in-cheek).

The Dodgers lost to the Yankees in every World Series until 1955 and don't tell me there was no rivalry until then. The Yanks won in 41, 47, 49, 52, 53. And those defeats were just as bitter for the Dodgers as they were for the Sox.
I'd say the Yanks-Dodgers were probably a much bigger rivalry due to their proximity, and playing some of the greatest games ever, but the fact that the Sox have not beaten the Yanks recently in any game that counted has no bearing on whether a rivalry exists.

I would also warn against any arrogance toward the Sox. In 1934, a writer asked the NY Giants manager Bill Terry about the Dodgers prospects that year and he replied, "Brooklyn? Are they still in the league?"
(The Bums were perenial second-division finishers in those days if eight-team leagues).
Well in the last few days of the season, the Giants and Cardinals were locked in a close race and who do you think beat the Giants to knock them out of the race?

Anyway, the Yanks-Red Sox are the only regular season games I care about any more since you know the Yanks will get into the post-season every year.
The Yanks sure get up for them because it seems they go on a losing streak after every series with the Sox -- a huge letdown I'm sure from the added intensity of those contests.

That being said, the Sox ARE hapless. They hired a retread manager, Terry Francona, who they chased out of Philiadelphia (Didn't the Sox lose a game this week when Francona left Arroyo in too long? Sound familiar?).
Their fielding sucks. Their bullpen is suspect and Pedro Martinez is not what he once was. Plus the Yankees are totally in their head.

Having said that, with Curt Schilling you've got almost two guaranteed wins in a seven-game series so obviously it's no lock for the Yanks.

[sq764]

Well, if they are hapless, and their fielding stinks and their bullpen is suspect, AND they are only 1 game out of the wildcard, I am not sure what that means.. (I am sure CJ will say it's because the rest of the league sucks)...

I think people do underestimate the difference a great manager can make.. I mean, let's face it, Torre gets to manage the top hand-picked talent in the majors year after year. But there is some managing involved, considering you will have many high priced stars who have massive egos.

Franco is possibly the WORST manager they could have found on earth. I watched him here in Philly when he was passive then and got run out of town. How can they replace passive GRady Little with even more passive Francona??

They need someone who has the balls to sit Manny for not running out a ground ball, or to tell Pedro "You're done".. The Sox have tremendous talent on their team, but you cannot expect them to just run themselves..

Until then, we continue to hope :-)

[cj]

I have never said Boston wasn't a decent baseball team. They can certainly hit. I merely said they aren't the 3d best team as you seem to think.

[sq764]

Well, we will have to agree to disagree..

I think when they get into the Wildcard, the slate is clean and they have a combination of one of the best offenses and pitching staffs in the majors, so they should be dangerous..

[OTM Al]

The greatest baseball rivalry is Cubs - Cardinals bar none. I grew up in the midwest and now live in New York so have seen both first hand and its definitely Cubs-Cardinals. This is a long running intense rivalry, much much more intense than Yanks-Red Sox.