Which Team REALLY Sucks

For years I have listened to Red Sox fans mock the Yankees with their derisive childish cheer of “Yankees Suck.” As a Red Sox fan, albeit not as fervent as in my youth, I’ve grown tired of hearing this chant.

Look in the mirror Red Sox fans and ask yourselves the following question, “which team REALLY sucks? If you still say Yankees, you must be what Yankee fans say are loyal followers of ‘loser nation.”

How good is the current group of millionaires (players and owners) when given the task of facing their arch rivals and having an opportunity to regain a lead of the American League east and fail miserably? The radio airwaves have many fans bemoaning the fact that their summer has been spoiled. I gather these that call the talk shows are the old die hards. The neaveaux rich fans, the ones growing cell phones out of their ears and sporting pink hats are not upset by the team’s abysmal showing because they are the bigger part of the event. They are there to be seen and don’t care what the outcome is. These are the fans that the new ownership caters to. They keep saying, “Bring me the money baby!” You should substitute “suckers” for baby, because that’s what you are, scoffing up $250 for a seat.

How good is your team when it gives up 47 runs and 56 hits in four games? In three games two Yankee players, Johnny Damon (remember him?) and Bobby Abreu have seen more pitches (over one hundred between the two) than Greg Maddux throws for a complete game. What happened to your Cy Young and MVP winner from the first half of the year? The young Papelbon is finally seeking and finding his true level. You had already started to compare him to one Mariano Rivera – as they say on talk radio, how’s that working out for you?

As you chant MVP, MVP, when Ortiz bats, you fail to notice a true MVP in the Yankee midst in one Derek Jeter. Your team trots out its number 2 starter, one named Becket, not of Shakespeare fame, but of one World Series win over the Yankees, and how does he perform? Shouldn’t you have been chanting, Becket sucks, instead? Not even World Series hero, Captain Curt can save a win from the dreaded Evil Empire.

I think the honeymoon is finally coming to an end and the new ownership will start to hear the complaints. The front office debacle of this past winter is finally materializing in the ball clubs’ demise. The split that appears to still exist at the top is probably festering in reviewing the moves or lack of moves made by the GM. They seem to be standing pat and hoping and wishing that the young arms can get them to the post season. They are definitely looking ahead when they will have a leaner payroll. They are not committed to winning this year and fans are frustrated because the tandem of Ortiz and Martinez will only be here for a few more years. The new Red Sox ownership tries to mimic the Yankee organization in finding ways to make tons of money but falls short when it comes to spending. They will never and probably don’t want to match Steinbrenner’s excessive spending but George wants to win all the time.

When you start to get upset that the team is not doing well, blame whoever. Get it out of your system but try to keep one thing in mind; to the owners this is a business. They are looking at the bottom line. You can’t build team chemistry by shuffling players around every year. Players such as Veritek, Jeter, and Bernie Williams who started and probably will finish their career with the same club are becoming the exception. Everyone is chasing the $$$$$ and you are dishing it out.

I guess the only positive note on this disastrous weekend is the successful radiothon and telethon that collected approximately $3 million for the Jimmy Fund. The Red Sox may lose on the baseball field but are always winners when it comes to the Jimmy Fund.