During the past two years, the $206 million dollar assembly line known as the New York Yankees have appeared invincible. While they acquired Randy Johnson five months too late, they still received one of the best pitchers in baseball after the 2004 meltdown. Most teams have options like Juan Encarnacion and Scott Spiezio to fill an outfield position, the Yankees chose between Vladimir Guerrero and Gary Sheffield. The best player in baseball agreed to play third base for them. Javier Vasquez, the best pitcher on the free-agent market before 2004, became a Yankee. The idea of striving to construct team unity and attempting to grasp the right combination for winning that resulted in three straight world championships was abolished even before that, with the signings of AL MVP Jason Giambi and throwing an insane paycheck at Mike Mussina. These actions by Brian Cashman and George Steinbrenner even caused a Yankee fan I know to end his relationship with the team. And worse than anything, this overspending never resulted in World Series rings.
The 2004 Red Sox front office, while they had their fare share of high-priced contracts, still figured out a way to mold the right guys together that equaled a winning ball club. They traded a defensive liability and clubhouse cancer Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs for help on a defensive standpoint. There was no way the Red Sox were winning the World Series with Kevin Millar at first base and Nomar at shortstop for the last two months of the season. Not a chance. They acquired Dave Roberts speed to pinch-run for players like Mark Bellhorn and Millar. It actually makes sense. The Yankees, on the other hand, were plagued by inconsistent pitching in 2004 and 2005, but stayed with their veteran club and didn?t make any significant moves. I know Randy Johnson was available at the deadline in 2004, who knows how that could have affected the pennant race?
There was a distinct difference between the two clubs in 2004. We all know about the Red Sox idiocy in the clubhouse with naked chin-ups and Jack Daniels shots before ALCS games. The Yankees, on the other hand, we?re the conservative, professional bunch. The facial hair was to be cut. The hats straight. No celebrating, smiling, any semblance of enjoying the game. Sometimes it appeared they were robots controlled by Steinbrenner. They had guys in their clubhouse like Gary Sheffield and Kevin Brown, who are, for the most part, proven a-holes. Am I saying the Red Sox won because they had more team chemistry? No way. But it helped.
Fast-forward to 2006 and the Yankees look like a new team. Younger players like Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Andy Phillips and Chien-Ming Wang are exciting the fans and their teammates. The exuberance Johnny Damon showed after Cabrera robbed Manny of game-tying home run was sickening, yes, but revealed the new Yankee attitude. Instead of having half the team making retirement plans, the clubhouse is probably rocking. Damon, Cano, Cabrera- they all play a role in the complete makeover of the team. Think of it this way: if you were playing on a team where three of your top five veteran, experienced, older players were injured and these new, wily, excited rookies stepped in and helped carry the team to a big winning streak, wouldn?t you be thrilled? For the first time in four years, I can actually understand people rooting for the Yankees. Even if they sold their soul to the devil beforehand.
At the beginning of the year, I picked the Red Sox to win the division mainly because I felt the Yankees pitching, especially the bullpen, would not fare well, and injuries would take a toll on the older team. I was half-right. The Yankees have gotten a lift from the completely rejuvenated Mike Mussina, who will be starting for the American League in Pittsburgh this summer unless he?s trapped under something. Shawn Chacon and Wang, man, these are guys actually get the job done. How? I have no idea. To summarize, the Yankees are in first place with Randy Johnson sporting a 5.33 ERA, Sheffield and Matsui on the disabled list for an extensive period of time, Rivera and Jeter out for periods of time and three rookies (I?m counting Cano) playing in the everyday June lineup. While the race is only 1.5 games and some analysts are moaning about how this was the golden opportunity for Boston to gain major ground on New York, I?m taking the other path. By September, it will probably still be a one game difference. That?s just how this rivalry works. Regardless, the Red Sox, right now, look stronger on paper than the Yankees, while the Yankees look more like the Red Sox of years past.
Right now, the Yankees look like they?re going to win the division for the ninth straight year. Josh Beckett is folding in big games. The bullpen cannot be relied on. Injuries are beginning to mount. The Sox have one reliable pitcher in the rotation, maybe another half if you count Wakefield, and that one reliable pitcher isn?t even THAT reliable. The Yankees have their second, third and fifth hitters coming off the DL later this year. Randy Johnson hasn?t hit his stride. Rivera is just beginning to. And wait till they have Cabrera, Phillips and Bernie coming off the bench. Excuse me while I bang my head against the desk for five minutes.
In years past, the Yankees could sign Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Vladimir Guerrero and Johan Santana and I wouldn?t be as scared of them as I am now. Well, that?s a lie. But there?s something different about this Yankee group, that little edge that?s helping them win games. They?re running on all cylinders at this point. If Joe Torre batted Kelly Stinnett second in the order, they would still win. If they sent Chien-Ming Wang out to close a game on Sunday and started him on Tuesday, they would still win. Oh wait, that happened! While reading this winter about how Damon was going to bring a new attitude to the Yankee clubhouse, I shook it off as nothing. They still have those stuck-up players like Sheffield, Rodriguez and Posada, they won?t truly change. Add in these young guys playing over their heads and the right combination for winning, and they?ve proved me wrong.
Tonight: Schilling shuts up 55,000. And yet, I would not be surprised if the Yankees win 1-0. Brace yourself, folks.
