OK, I had to tackle this very risky question. Its been risen recently about the buying power of the Red Sox and how some journalists are accusing them of being Yankee-esque. Here is my take. For me the Evil Empire's strength comes three-fold; Money, popularity and rings.
Money
Not having enough of it has never been a problem for the Yankees. They are always able to locate money to just tip the best offer on any ace or power hitting progidy. With a $194m payroll last year, that's $74 MORE than the Red Sox, they can pretty much do whatever they want. There still remains a large salary difference between the teams even after the signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka for a total of $103m. The Red Sox did what they had to, to gain a world class pitcher and to open up interest in the Japanese markets. This also hindered the Yankees from getting access to Dice-K, but that was just a bonus.
Not having enough of it has never been a problem for the Yankees. They are always able to locate money to just tip the best offer on any ace or power hitting progidy. With a $194m payroll last year, that's $74 MORE than the Red Sox, they can pretty much do whatever they want. There still remains a large salary difference between the teams even after the signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka for a total of $103m. The Red Sox did what they had to, to gain a world class pitcher and to open up interest in the Japanese markets. This also hindered the Yankees from getting access to Dice-K, but that was just a bonus.
Popularity
The Yankees brand is all over the world. Films, music and the international press seem to focus on the Yankees as the primary team in baseball even though they haven't won a world series in this millennium. However, this popularity leads to great amounts of merchandising and 'support' financially from many people who don't really have a passion for baseball. In addition, the Yankees already have a fanbase and a connection with Japan, with Japanese talent going straight to either the Big Apple or Seattle. Boston has now become a player.
The Yankees brand is all over the world. Films, music and the international press seem to focus on the Yankees as the primary team in baseball even though they haven't won a world series in this millennium. However, this popularity leads to great amounts of merchandising and 'support' financially from many people who don't really have a passion for baseball. In addition, the Yankees already have a fanbase and a connection with Japan, with Japanese talent going straight to either the Big Apple or Seattle. Boston has now become a player.
Rings
Yeah, as much as it pains me. 26 rings. You cannot accuse a team like the Red Sox of 'becoming the Yankees' with a 20 ring differential. Their pretty much annual appearance in the playoffs is something all teams envy, but the Sox aren't there yet.
Yeah, as much as it pains me. 26 rings. You cannot accuse a team like the Red Sox of 'becoming the Yankees' with a 20 ring differential. Their pretty much annual appearance in the playoffs is something all teams envy, but the Sox aren't there yet.
Sure I can accept some changes to the direction the Red Sox are heading. We want to be global, and appeal to everyone like the Yankees somehow do. A worrying fact is that only two of the probable '07 starters were home-grown through Sox farm teams tied along with the fact that we spent huge amounts of money on a pitcher who has only thrown one dodgy pitch (to John Henry) in Fenway. Give me 20 rings, a few million more cocky fans, a bad attitude, and a break out Boston wearing Hip-Hop act, and we might be on our way to becoming the Yankees. I don't see it happening somehow. The Red Sox are still very much the Red Sox, Passion over Payroll.
4 comments:
Good points well raised there mate...I agree, the Sox have a long way to go if we're to beomce a new Evil Empire. Something tells me the only way that's gonna happen is if the curse well and truly has been reversed and we win 20 WS titles this century whilst the Yanks don't win at all.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean the earliest its gonna be is 2027, if we win 20 straight. It would be quite fun actually... mmm...20 straight. Haha. I man can dream...
It would be fun if we won 20 straight, but can you imagine the amount of rinsing we'd get from other teams fans when we didn't win in 2028?
Haha fo shizzle.
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