Effective November 29th, 2007 at 3:57pm EST, the Empire that has been known as the New York Yankees is officially dissolved.
Well, maybe this is old news and the Empire has been a crumbled mess for some time, but it became clear to me this afternoon via an email from my father. His note told of a colleague of his who happens to be a Yankee fan; I'll call him Steve Regan to protect his identity (his name is actually Steven Regan). Said colleague Regan has expressed utter astonishment as the news of the Red Sox being the frontrunners in the Johan Santana sweepstakes fell upon his pinstriped ears. He had previously just assumed that the Yanks would land him, no question. I admire his pompousness, but it's time to face fact, Steve-O. These current Yankees are not the Yankees of yesteryear. Unfortunately, it's looking more and more like today's Red Sox are owning up to the distinction of something along the lines of Evil Empire...just less evil with better pitching.
Consider a rotation of Johan Santana, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling and Wakefield/Buccholz. I would dare to offer that this would be the best starting rotation ever to hit a program in any stadium at any time in the history of baseball. The 1971 Orioles boasted four twenty-game winners, so I would imagine this staff would be the benchmark. True, this proposed Sox staff for 2008 does not include an underwear model (not yet, at least. Wakefield is rumored to be working out a deal with Hanes for a new line of protective skivees called Knuckleballs) but it would feature a multiple Cy Young winner, 5 World Series rings, 1 World Series MVP, 1 LCS MVP and two pitchers who are considered to be in the top 5 of greatest postseason hurlers of all time. Dear me. As the great Jim Hammen said in a recent text, the NL All-Stars wouldn't beat the Sox with Santana in seven games. Well said.
I know it's all speculation still, but it's exciting. Santana's #57 is available, in case anyone was wondering. Delcarmen switched to #17 this season.
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5 comments:
Ortiz, Moss, KG, Johan.... Minneapolis will spontaneously combust if another Twin Cities stud goes to Beantown. I'm all for it. But should we be worried about getting rid of Coco?
Ahhhhhhhh hahahahahahahahahaha.
Sorry, you're somewhat of a Coco fan. But still.
In a recent conversation with Jim about the Red Sox I learned that Lester might leave. I would be disappointed if Lester did leave Boston; there is just something about him I like.
you are going to have to go easy with best rotation of all time. what about the braves from a while back. How much is the rent for the duplex that you and hammen are living in located on the red sox nutsack?
Rent is cheap. Surprisingly cheap.
Sox/early 90's Braves match up pretty well...
Santana-Beckett/Glavine-Maddux. Arguably two best pitchers of each's time frame.
Schilling/Avery. Both decent stats with awesome postseasons. Edge to Avery in regular season, edge to Schil in postseason.
Dice-K/Smoltz. Both young, promising, inconsistent #4 guys.
But then you get to the #5 spot. Where the Sox have Wakefield/Buchholz, did the Braves even have a #5 starter? Kent Mercker maybe?
Edge Sox. There's a spare room in the nutsack for you Ponch.
...until the M's surprise everyone by swiping Johan! 1 for 1, for Richie Sexson! And then Ichiro comes to my house and gives me a "#1 fan" trophy!... Now I have shared with you some of my most personal innermost desires.
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