The Little Engine That Could
by Travis G on Oct 1, 2009 6:00 PM EDT
in Miscellaneous
32 comments
That's how the Boston media (or at least the Boston Herald) still think of their cute, cuddly, underdog Red Sox. Take a look at some of the phrases they use to describe the big, bad Yankees in a recent article:
"...baseball's answer to the Roman Empire."
"Cashman... lashed out with a fury financed by the game's deepest vault. He signed Sabathia and Burnett for the gross national product of a Third World country, and then lobbied Hal Steinbrenner to spend another $180 million to keep Teixeira out of Fenway Park."
"Cashman... applied a human touch to his lifeless machine." [italics my own]
Those scrappy, overachieving Red Sox can only hope to compete, what with their measly $122 million payroll (fourth highest). And how much emotion they show compared to the corporate Yankees, who never show emotion, right Nick Swisher?
Seriously, does the Herald forget the $100+ million the Sox spent on a totally unproven Japanese pitcher? Or trading for one month of a reliever that would cost them $2 million? Or (probably) tampering with J.D. Drew before he became a free agent? Or signing a Japanese pitcher to break an unwritten rule between MLB and NPB? Or how their GM bought every room in a Nicaraguan hotel to ensure the signing of Cuba's top free agent pitcher? Or how they gave the second highest AAV contract in history (behind a particular Texas Ranger)? These aren't exactly the traits of a small, scrappy club, are they?
(And I hate how Dustin Pedroia gets called 'scrappy' and 'gritty' because he's 5'9" and white. He was a highly-touted second-round pick out of Arizona State five years ago, receiving a $575 K signing bonus. He hit ~.384/.460/.540 in college and .308/.392/.454 in the minors. Another AL East second-baseman, our own Robbie Cano (who signed for $150 K as a teenager), is far more of an underdog than Pedroia, despite his 6'0" frame and Dominican heritage.)
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EXCELLENT.....
and I CANNOT stand the bosux…..and it has been that way since probably 1951-1952.
Rick
Goooooooooooo MSU BOBCATs
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
by ramyankee on Oct 1, 2009 6:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
what is AAV?
i totally agree with your points. Just curious what AAV stands for. How is it the only time our payroll is an issue is when we win?
by ae2cdk on Oct 1, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"How is it the only time our payroll is an issue is when we win?"
Certain Yankee haters can’t simply man up when we win and admit we played the better game… always has to be an excuse. Totally lame IMHO.
by pinstriper on Oct 2, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Catch-22
When we win, it’s because of our payroll. When we lose, we’re held up as an example for the proposition that you can’t buy success.
Excuses are for losers. Let’s play ball.
by django48 on Oct 2, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I call it
“The Hater’s Contradiction”. And I hear it often. In the same breath they say “it’s unfair that the Yankees can outbid everyone. Something has to be done.” and then come right back with “they spend all that money and they haven’t won in 9 years. That’s not the way you build a winning team.”
Ok, so what’s the problem then? If buying high priced free agents doesn’t work, why all the hating that your team can’t buy high priced free agents?
by Jaybat on Oct 2, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
great post.
Its always funny how they feel about the “big bad Yankees” and “how can you root for a team that pays so much”, like the Red Sox are the frickin Marlins all of a sudden.
And another thing that pisses me off, why the hell is it always “they spent $400 million on FA this year”. Yea, but over 5,7 and 8 year contracts.
Whatever.
What the f$%k is the internet?
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 1, 2009 6:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yep
that $400+ million is over the span of 20 years of service. so many journalists make it sound like it’s for one season.
by Travis G on Oct 1, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also interesting they never mention
how much the Yankees pay to the rest of the teams via luxury tax. Why not subtract that amount from our effective payroll, since the other teams are SUPPOSED to use that money to compete against us?
Example: if we spent $200 million this year on player salaries but also paid $100 million to the other teams, who supposedly will spend that $100 million to compete against us, seems like our effective payroll is really only $100 million.
Did Sox pay anything in luxury tax this year? If not, their effective payroll may well be HIGHER than ours!
by pinstriper on Oct 2, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
a schadenfreude party - boo, the Yanks are in town
We’ve been subsidizing MLB for years and how do the rubes thank us?
Schadenfreude. This year, baby: I dream of the strains of ‘those little town blues, are melting away…’
Should the world series scepter be restored, I would think every New Yorker would feel in his and her heart a sense of joy, for the great, mutilated city will have regained its pride.
ejs
by ericjs on Oct 2, 2009 3:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd like
our luxury tax money back from owners that just pocket it and don’t spend it on their teams. That pisses me off more than Red Sox Nation bitching about how much we spend. It was so sad to watch the Marlins win a WS and then be sold off one by one so the owner could fill his swimming pool with cash.
That’s more greedy than a team wanting to win at all costs (within the rules) and using the resources available to them.
by phonty on Oct 2, 2009 5:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
great question
if my math is accurate, the Yanks will pay between $15.6 and $21 million in luxury tax this year.
last year they paid even more: $27 mil.
counting this season, the Yanks have will have paid at least $165 mil via the luxury tax since its inception.
by Travis G on Oct 2, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not our fault
that we’re so much better than them. We’re just like them, only ten times better. Oh. And we’re better looking, we actually win, we have lots of mullah, our stadium has everything known to man, and we don’t make excuses for losing or anything that we might have done wrong. They just can’t accept the truth, so they try to come up with bullshit to make us look bad. Maybe one day, they will wake up and realize the truth. That we are the best team in baseball.
"Don't let your fears of striking out keep you from playing the game."
by Lizza on Oct 1, 2009 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Ha! I wouldn’t hold my breath. It would be a cold day in hell for that to happen and even then, I’m unsure that could happen. They live in this bubble where the red sox can do no wrong. even if they lose 6 straight games, (including losing multiple games to the blue jays and royals and then declaring that it’s all a part of some master plan. Plan for what you ask, I haven’t a clue either) and then they back into the postseason. No matter how atrocious the red sox have been playing these last 2 weeks, they’re still god’s gift to mankind in the eyes of sox fans.
Thank God for making us Yankees.
by noonoo on Oct 1, 2009 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Love to see 'em again
Its only fitting that we give them real reasons to drown in self pity. Who will be this year’s Aaron f**ing Boone…Lots of candidates on our roster.
We did better 'cause we got better...Yogi
by mickey07 on Oct 1, 2009 8:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Stop using logic!
Don’t you know that Red Sox Nation is powered by flowers and butterflies? All of these “facts” and “brains” are getting in the way of a really fun fairy tale.
Facial LaFleur, total facial.
by Lord Duggan on Oct 1, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
lol. What a bunch of jealous ho’s
by Nine Inch Nails on Oct 1, 2009 10:05 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
those lil' rascal Red Sox sure are adorable
by Brian5517209 on Oct 1, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I hate Boston
I hope they get by the Angels, so we can crush them with Steinbrenner’s wallet.
by Mike1204 on Oct 1, 2009 10:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Why in the Hell...
is the boston herald running stories about the Yankees anyways? I kinda find it honoring. Their city is obviously concerned after their team got into the playoffs without earning it then getting swept at home by the Blue Jays. They’re already making excuses why the red sox are the underdog and why the Yankees win so much. little bitches, never fighting a fair fight..just really glad the steroids situation has become equal…lol
by RAMyankee42 on Oct 1, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
its actually all they care about.
In NE, that’s all they have is the Red Sox. There is no second team, so they have to bitch about the Yankees. Its mainly cuz aside from 2004, they’ve been dominated. All they’ve ever known is losing to the Yankees.
They are so mystified by the numerous years of losing, as well as the one surprising year they actually won against the Yanks, that they will always be obsessed and delirious with whatever the Yanks do.
I take it as a complement.
What the f$%k is the internet?
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 1, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
gotcha, see....
I thought it was them just making excuses as to why they get dominated, like a curse or being the underdog…but now you have uncovered the true reason and i the fog has been lifted..
i hate the red sox and all their propaganda..reminds me of how the Germans recruited in WW2..“Its not our fault were bad…its everyone elses…”
by RAMyankee42 on Oct 1, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Look at those gritty, big-hearted, underdog, playful, lovable Red Sox go!
We can only hope they take down those evil, overpaid, emotionless Yankees!
by Rumplestiltskin02 on Oct 1, 2009 10:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Ah boston...stop embarassing yourself.....
You kid’s lol…..your so funny and tiny….what… little big man dustin pedroia and big little man david roid-tiz supposed to get the mystical powers to be on their shoulders and charge through the post season?….lmao….
You must admit…..it does get kinda lonely up here on mount olympus….but that’s what you have to put up with when your us.
The peasants need to get their lips back used to sayin ’theres always next year ’
by NYYWinsRings26 on Oct 1, 2009 11:23 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
I am eternally grateful...
that the cubs fans have gotten over their 2 central titles and have gotten used to that again…always next year, for 102 years now..its comin though, right?
by RAMyankee42 on Oct 1, 2009 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
see the truth
This whole danm ‘nation’ thing, which is promulgated by the shills at ESPN, is a ploy to get to get rubes to buy RS jerseys and hats while the team’s CFO brays ‘Evil Empire’ all the way to the bank. Pretty cynical, huh? The Yankees are a damn good team; everyone is an angel on each other’s wings. Swisher is our medicine man, a guy who leads by doing it at the plate and (adventurously) in the field. Swisher is the heir apparent to Davey Cone, who as everyone knows, was that staff’s main cog and a clown-prince who helped by relieving the volcanic pressure to win. Heck, we’re lucky to them. Thanks to Cash for having the insight to sign guys who are psychologically suited for playing baseball in New York, and for each other..
On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind sharing stories over a beer with Lowell on an off day.
ejs
by ericjs on Oct 2, 2009 2:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Awesome
That was a great article and I wish it went on in more length. The Red Sux nation is always going to play any card that makes them inferior to the Yankees. It is just a big coincidence that it is always when the Red Sux are behind the Yankees in the standings. F them, bias punk based, ignorant, uneducated about baseball brats. There! (I tried to hold back but i really cant stand those punks!) As always………………..GO YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by McDaniel on Oct 2, 2009 8:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't forget the ballpark lies
Remember when the Monster was labeled 315 at the line? Now it is what, 310? The actual distance is probably closer to 305. They never moved the plate; if they had the other distances would have changed. The Yankees may be the Evil Empire but the Red Sox are the Liars Nation. They were so ashamed of the short distance to that ridiculous wall that they could not and still do not tell the truth about it. The whole ballpark is a joke. Dead center is 389 and "deep left" is 379. They sell it as quirky and old fashioned but in reality it is run down, misshapen and a much bigger influence on each game then the short porch in right ever was at the old Stadium or the new one. The spring weather had some unusual wind patterns and once there is a big enough sample size the early home run totals will probably show as an outlier then as a true representation of how the park plays.
by RobertG on Oct 2, 2009 8:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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