Another World Series appearance for the Sox… Boston is living the high life right now in sports. I’d be happier if they were facing the Phillies, but I’ll take what I can get.
I feel obligated to point out that the Red Sox look to be smarter than the Yankees front office at this point. Over the past 5 years or so (the Theo Epstein era), the Red Sox have managed to spend much smarter than the Yankees. Looking back at the different teams, Boston put their money on mid-reputation players with upside and focused their big money on pitching. The Yankees, on the other hand, have paid for a LOT of expensive bats and thrown together pitching almost haphazardly. Injuries have been a big part of the picture, too, but it’s hard to say that Brian Cashman (and Steinbrenner, however much he participates in personnel decisions 
) have really shown good baseball sense since their last World Series championship in 2000.
And really, if not for Grady Little, the Yankees probably don’t make the Series in 2003, either. It’s a pretty amazing run the Yankees have had, but this year they lost the division, lost in the first round, and lost their best hope for future success, Joe Torre. I thought maybe it was time for him to move on, but looking back, he’s clearly not the problem. They don’t have the arms to compete. Torre is just a convenient fall guy…
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:14 am
Couldn’t agree more. Kevin Brown? Randy Johnson? Carl Pavano? Of course, Brian Cashman isn’t all to blame though. Need we mention George Steinbrenner?
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 am
I think this is mostly a matter of perspective. The Red Sox shelled out over 200 million this past offseason while the Yankees stepped back and let other teams overpay in the inflated market. The Yankees payroll has gone down, while the Red Sox has gone up. Further examples are the Red Sox ante’ing up an additional 2.5M to land Eric Gagne via trade (that acquisition has mostly been a disaster for them however). Meanwhile, with the contracts to Crisp, Drew, and Lugo, the Red Sox have managed to block their top OF and SS prospects from having starting spots in the years to come. If anything, the Red Sox have become more like the Yankees over the past few years.
Overall, I feel like the Yankees are still in the rebuild while competing mode. Granted, the Yankees still have the highest payroll in the league and expect to compete every year, we’re now seeing a Yankee office that is showing some restraint. And that is going to pay huge dividends for them in the future. Smarter spending with their budget is going to result in a farm system that nobody can rival and it’s only a matter of time before we see that talent in New York. In fact you’re already seeing it with likes of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Give Cashman credit for his win now build for the furture mantra he took on in 2004 after they lost to Boston.
He and Joe Torre absolutley refused to trade their minor league pitching and it looks like some of it may pay dividends next year with Hughes and Chamberlain slated for the rotation… among others.
The steinbreeners….a family of morons…. who will never get the Big Picture….ever.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Steve, worth pointing out that the Sox are starting a rookie in center and Pedroia is starting at second. Let’s see if the Yankees show restraint first. They haven’t so far, though you had some good points about the expiring contracts when we talked in the office. We just need to see what happens.