Take A Deep Breath; It’s Only One Game

First meeting between Yanks-Sox is one of many this season




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
April 16, 2004

For the past two weeks FOX Sports has blared their commercial over the airways about this supposed showdown Friday, April 16, 2004 between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The commercial is geared to build up the annual hate-love fest between the Red Sox’ and Yankees’ Nations. It shows Aaron Boone’s dramatic 11th inning home run in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS that sent the Yankees to the World Series and the Red Sox home. It also shows Manny charging the mound against Roger Clemens, Pedro pointing to the Yankees bench and the pointing to his head and Jorge Posada responding by pointing to his head while yelling at Martinez from in front of the Yankees dugout. All of this drama is, I guess, supposed to be some sort of bugle call as if this game is some sort of battle and not a game played by kids. Let’s get real folks. Take a deep breath and relax. It’s only one game.

As has been the custom since Major League Baseball went to the balanced schedule the Red Sox and Yankees will meet nineteen times this season. In fact by April 25th they will have played 7 of those 19 games. Where both teams stand after those 7 games will a more telling sign as to how both of these teams are performing so far. To be honest other than the few isolated performances of players on both teams both the Yankees and Red Sox have been sub-par. Maybe this opening series will get their competitive juices going.

The Yankees will be sending newcomer Javier Vasquez to the mound for Game 1 of this weekend’s 4-game set. Vasquez, recently of the Montreal Expos, has no idea of what’s in store for him. Especially playing in the less-than-friendly confines of Fenway Park. Maybe that will be a plus for him. You know, ignorance is bliss? He will be facing Tim Wakefield, a veteran of these encounters. Wakefield will justifiably be looking for some payback as it was he who gave up Boone’s historic home run. If Wakefield is on the Yankees could be in for a long evening. If he’s wild as knuckleballers are prone to be then it could be the Red Sox who may be sweating.

For this series, the Yankees appear to have a slight edge. As of now they are all healthy, while the Red Sox will be without Trot Nixon (noted Yankee-killer) and Nomar Garciaparra. Additionally, with Pedro Martinez pitching against the Baltimore Orioles yesterday the Bombers will avoid facing him until later in the schedule.

So fans of both nations, sit back, relax and just enjoy the series as it unfolds. But keep in mind this is only the beginning. Games in September are worth more than games in April. I think George Steinbrenner put it best. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”


PLAY BALL!



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