Red Sox vs. Yankees: Only a Few Remnants Remain From Rivalry in 2004
March 4, 2011 · Peter Ajemian · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Tonight, as the Red Sox and Yankees meet in their first 2011 spring training game, it’s worth reflecting on the state of the rivalry.
Derek Jeter, 36, Jorge Posada, 39, Alex Rodriguez, 35, and Mariano Rivera, 41, are the only players on the 2011 New York Yankees who played on the 2004 team that blew a 3-0 lead to the Red Sox in the 2004 ACLS.
David Ortiz, 35, Jason Varitek, 38, and Kevin Youkilis, 31, are the only players on the 2011 Red Sox who were part of that special band of “Idiots” that staged the miraculous comeback in 2004.
Wow, how things have changed! The greatest rivalry in sports will surely stay interesting on some level, but I doubt it will ever be as thrilling and unforgettable as it was the first decade of this century, particulary during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, when both teams were close in talent and primed to win it all.
As a Red Sox fan who has sweated out every inning of many Sox-Yanks games through the years, I must say that as the Yankee “core” of great, clutch players from that 2004 period keeps dwindling and aging, it makes me feel the Red Sox will have at least a better chance to stay even with the Evil Empire.
I associate guys like Jeter, Posada and Rivera with so many agonizing wins over the Sox that seeing them get older feels symbolic of the Sox chances rising in the future. (A-Rod has been more erratic vs. the Sox, but, yes, I include him too).
For example, Sox fans across New England felt more optimistic the minute they learned 38-year-old Andy Pettitte’s had really retired during the winter. Pettitte’s departure felt like the equivalent of two good pitchers leaving. He was a “money” pitcher who was often tough on the Sox.
Likewise, I feel Jeter’s significance is much greater than most of his teammates, so when his skills gradually decline in the next few years, that might have an impact that goes beyond the loss of most other players.
Jeter’s intangible talents—such as his clutch-hitting capacity—have contributed to many Yankee wins vs. the Red Sox. So, yes, the Yanks have a stock of new talent—including terrific hitters like Robinson Cano—but, somehow, I won’t fear them as much as Jeter and others like him, such as Bernie Williams.
Even Rivera can’t pitch forever, and when Rivera retires, you can bet his absence will have an impact all Yankee fans will sense for years to come.
Even the excellent Yankee teams in recent years have demonstrated that it takes more than just raw talent to win championships.
I’ve been surprised that, with so many “loaded” teams, they have not won more World Series titles, but I’ve been reminded that winning it all often requires a rare combination of talent, attitude, chemistry and luck all coming together.
Jeter, Posada, Rodriguez and Rivera all know something about how to win. Same with Ortiz, Varitek and Youkilis.
In 2004, the Red Sox’ comeback happened not just as a result of talent but because of the unique chemistry brought by a guy like Kevin Millar, who when the Sox were down 0-3, told all that if the Sox won one more game, they’d go on to win the next three and the series.
Veteran Sox players like Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez and Ortiz loved the fun-loving Millar and Johnny Damon and others who kept the clubhouse loose that year. It was that loose vibe that enabled the Sox to overtake the Yanks. The Yankees obviously had their own winning vibe going in the late ’90s.
When this tiny core of Yankee and Red Sox players who experienced the intensity of 2004 is gone, will the rivalry be the same? I hope so. I hope new players will emerge on both teams. It is one of the only true rivalries left in sports, and it’d be a shame to see it fade away.
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