NEW YORK - What one would call an over-reaction, I can simply describe it as one looking at the situation realistically.
What you call perspective; I call it the same too. Only problem is that our feelings on what is "perspective" varies.
The Red Sox have sent their opening message in the first five games of the 2009 installment of The Rivalry (where the official score reads both teams tied at 75 wins after 150 games). They have picked their method of victory against the Yankees in each case. Being fair, it does not hurt to channel some of that excessive hubris, come out, and say the following:
Boston is better than New York.
Anyone with two eyes can see this. If you are one of those still in denial, you are either blind, not paying attention, or simply an idiot.
If we really want to delve further into the score, we can see some much deeper numbers:
League Championship Series appearances since the start of 2004:
Boston: 3
New York: 1
World Series appearances:
Boston 2
New York 0
World Series titles:
Boston 2
New York 0
The Red Sox have been an efficiently run operation over this course of time. Meanwhile, the Yankees have put in the position of chase, desperate to gain the upper hand in this elongated battle of chess that sees Boston moving pawns and knights as means of setting up a much larger scheme. Meanwhile, New York finds they need to use their rook and queen in order to make a big splash, but now coming up a few pieces short.
This would be different if it were just one man dominating an entire team.
It is not.
This is a collective effort from a group that when compared to its rival, is a complete team. Their balance, their structure and the way they run business.
It used to be that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were the true "Yankee Killers". That has since moved to guys like Jason Bay, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia.
One look at their numbers against the Yankees tells an incredible tale. The most shocking is Bay, who was placed in the role of replacing Manny Ramirez and he has become the new terror.
When you go 10 for 18 with three home runs and an on base average of .652, surely he is doing something right.
Do they dig in at the plate against Yankee pitching?
Absolutely.
They have no fear off any Yankee pitcher. Those hitters get in their good swings. Rarely are they made to feel uncomfortable unless Joba Chamberlain wants to use Youkilis' head for target practice.
So you want to make them uncomfortable by putting one of them on their ass, huh?
That's great. But it’s not as if the next guy isn't going to make up for that by getting a big hit.
Want to drill Jacoby Ellsbury? That's fine, because Pedroia will take care of that.
Want to hit Pedroia? Youkilis will get you.
Want to hit Youkilis? Lowell will get you.
Want to drop Lowell now too? No problem. Bay is right there to play long ball or get a big hit.
No Yankee pitcher this year has put the Red Sox on notice that they are there and needs to be accounted for. Whether it’s Chamberlain, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte or Phil Hughes.
The closest thing came last night when Chamberlain hit Bay with the first pitch in the back. This may have drawn their ire, but their approached did not change.
When they need the hit, they get it. If they need a sac fly, they can get that too from the most unlikely of sources.
Hell, even their backup first baseman that was just called up from Triple-A can work a bases loaded walk to add an insurance run.
It’s the way they are now. The Yankees used to be this way what seems like a long time ago.
Those good old days have come and left. While we wonder who is going to get hurt next, strike out in the big spot or fail to get the key hit with runners in scoring position.
For those that say, "Keep perspective", under the ridiculous thinking that this was merely just the teeter-totter balancing on the other side for the moment, either your sunglasses have too much tint, you are clueless or just plain naive.
Are the Yankees missing their best player? Obviously, we all see that. Ramiro Pena should never see the light of day in certain situations. But there is a distinct problem when your entire lineup configuration and success is predicated on one player. The offense has enough good players still around (though short now because Jorge Posada is on the DL) to make for that.
At least one would think.
And how much of a sad commentary is it that the Yankees as an organization has disintegrated its lineup to the point where they cannot wait for his return so he can make guys like Mark Teixeira hit over .200 and avoid consistent booing when he pops up or strikes out looking with men on base.
By the way, a little newsflash here: A-Rod missed a month last year and the offense struggled. His return to the lineup was supposed to mark the end of the Yankees resembling a National League offense. It didn’t. They still had problems hitting with runners on base and he was one of the culprits. The idea that everything is going to magically change is crazy.
For the last few years, Boston has found ways to get it done while the Yankees have found ways to screw it up. Sometimes it seems as if the smallest task is too much to handle for the men in pinstripes.
This is exacerbated by the money disparity in the two teams. Don’t think this is not a factor in many of our thinking. For 80 million more spent by New York, one has to wonder where this money is going.
Is it going to the bullpen?
No.
Is it going to the rotation?
Some of it. Though the big contracts of Sabathia and Burnet are offset by the low figures given to Wang, Pettitte and Chamberlain.
Is it going to the bench?
Hell no.
Is it going to the offense?
Too much of it. When you are paying a third baseman, despite how good he is, upwards of 30 million a year and will be paying him at the age of 42 at the same figure, that is bad business.
As much as I like Teixeira, he is no better than Youkilis outside of the fact that he's a switch hitter. Problem is the Yankees are paying him 22 million while Boston is paying nearly 60 percent less for similar production.
Jeter is on the downside of a big contract and is not producing as if this were 1999 or even 2006 and he’s getting paid 20 million. Johnny Damon, who has been able to maintain longevity with the team through his three years is also not producing enough for the position that he plays.
It’s plenty of bad/dead money on some of these guys. Giving Jorge Posada at age 36 a four-year contract was ludicrous at the time knowing that there wouldn’t be a suitable replacement. Now, after missing most of last year, he is hurt again and going to miss a month. The deal is going to get worse before it is over.
Most of these moves were made out of desperation to be competitive and keep a pulse in The Rivalry. And when you do not have quality players to make up for the eventual decline or overpricing of the player, what happens? You have to go out and spend exorbitant dollars in free agency to get those players, and that is what the Yankees have done. They are forced to do this. At the end of this season, if Jason Bay happens to be a free agent, expect Brian Cashman to come with a large checkbook, overpaying for his production out of desperation.
It is a vicious cycle and no way to run a team. This is not rotisserie baseball here.
The Yankees spend big while the Red Sox spend smart and sometimes get a little lucky.
Good teams make their own luck.
The Yankees used to be good, smart and lucky way back when.
Boston is that way now.
That is why they are better.
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