Newly acquired Boston Red Sox Carl Crawford (left) and Adrian Gonzalez at their introductory press conferences. Photo from Web.
The energy at the Boston Red Sox’s spring training headquarters in Fort Myers, FL has been somewhat overwhelming as of late. With many media outlets (including practically everyone at ESPN) touting Boston’s starting lineup as the best in the league, Red Sox fans like myself have concurrently been increasing their expectations to atmospheric heights for the 2011 season. Given the disappointing results that have ensued since the Sox lost to the Rays in the ALCS in 2008 (ousted in the divisional round by the LA Angels in 2009 and missed the playoffs in 2010), Boston fans are ready for another championship. On the other hand, it seems as if Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has misunderstood Yankee fans’ attitudes toward the 2011 season.
It goes without saying that Yankee fans expect their team to make, not only the playoffs, but also the League Championship Series every year. This year, however, Mr. Cashman has decided to espouse a different viewpoint on the upcoming season. While he presumably still believes his team is good enough to make the postseason, he has also made it clear that he thinks the Red Sox are the better team on paper. “I think we’re the hunter,” he said in a recent interview, which implies that the Red Sox are the team every other team in the American League, including the Yankees, will be trying to catch this year.
While many members of the media agree with Cashman, Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner was understandably peeved by his general manager’s underwhelming sentiments. Steinbrenner said Cashman’s comments are “insulting” to his players, and he refuses to admit that the Red Sox are better than the Yankees in any way. His angry response is understandable; isn’t it bad for your team’s own general manager to say that the lineup of players he’s put together is inferior to your arch-rival’s lineup?
My answer would be yes it is bad. In sports, confidence is key, especially if you’re the /Yankees/ for crying out loud! You have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball; everyone who’s a part of your team should always think that the Yankees will be good enough to clear a path through the postseason to the World Series. It’s what the fans expect, Red Sox be damned!
Now, am I happy that the Yankees seem to have a conflict of opinion within their upper management? Yes and no.
On the one hand, I love seeing the Steinbrenner brothers up in arms over the apparently realistic views held by Cashman. This gives the Red Sox a clear mental advantage, because our owners and general manager have the same mindset when it comes to this season: tempered optimism. According to general manager Theo Epstein, “let’s be honest; we haven’t done anything yet…we’ve got a lot to prove.” While the rest of the baseball world may think that the Red Sox are the favorite this year, the Red Sox themselves are being cautious about feeding people’s expectations. Is it going to be a good year for Red Sox Nation? Only if our starting position players and pitchers manage to stay healthy and produce at a superior level.
On the other hand, I hate that Cashman is trying to pitch his team as one of the underdogs. The truth is, Brian, that despite your failure to acquire top-notch players like Cliff Lee, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford during the offseason, you still have the highest-paid starting roster in the league, and your players are all looking strong heading into this season. Stop trying to set your team up for what you’ll later call a “Cinderella season.” There is no such thing when it comes to the Yankees.
I believe that the Red Sox and Yankees will once again trade wins and losses when they play each other eighteen times in 2011. It happens every year.
Will the Red Sox win the division handily? Obviously, no one can know this for sure, but I think it will be closer than most Red Sox fans are willing to admit. The Tampa Bay Rays added to their lineup by acquiring former Red Sox players Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon, and the Blue Jays are still a home run-hitting force to be reckoned with in the AL East. Add the Yankees into this mix, and I think we’ll all witness another exciting race in the national sports media’s favorite baseball division this year.
In closing, Red Sox Nation, please keep your expectations at a reasonable level, and Yankee fans, please have more confidence in your team. The best rivalry in all of sports will be between two evenly matched teams this year, and I can’t wait to see what happens in 2011. •
