Baseball Battle: Sox vs. Yanks

End of a good season…

chriscollibee — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:18:56 +0000

Well another baseball season is over, at least in Boston, time for the players to pack up their lockers and head home. While there is a sense of disappointment for the players and fans of Red Sox Nation, we have much to be thankful for. Dustin Pedrioa has emerged as baseball’s best second baseman and a top hitter; Kevin Youkilis is an all around team player; Jon Lester has all the makings of a Cy Young Pitcher and 20 game winner; Josh Beckett will be back next year and healthy. While it stinks to lose, this is not this team’s last chance at a ring. Hey and at least we are not suffering like the Wrigley faithful.

I can’t help but think back to 2004, every Red Sox fan I know was thankful just to have one World Series title in their lifetime, it changed everything for all of New England. All we ever wanted was just one title, 2007 was simply a bonus. If I could ask for only one more World Series title in my lifetime it would be in about 10 to 12 years from now, when hopefully I’ll have a young son at home and he and I can celebrate a Red Sox victory together.

So Sox fans smile, enjoy the memories of this season, when you get down break out the 2004 World Series DVD, I know I will…

Go Sox!

- Chris

Playoff Starting Times

chriscollibee — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:54:27 +0000

It is time for me to take major issue with Major League Baseball, and today has pushed me over the edge, which as my wife knows is bad. I want to know who in their right mind thought that it would be a good idea to have a playoff game start at 8:37 pm in Boston? I want to know who thought of this idea, because I want to put in a resume for their job, because if I were Bud Seileg that person would be fired yesterday.

Let me be clear, this is not about me or my own desire not to stay up late, it is about my 13 year old brother, my 7 year old god son who should be able to watch the Red Sox in the playoff, to sit down and watch the games with their fathers and have those memories that the rest of us have. How many fathers in New England would love to take their sons and daughters to a Sox playoff game, but probably won’t because the game won’t get over until after midnight, which means not getting home until 2 am. Is that fair to them?

Now as I have vented to my friends and family over the past week about the hour that Sox playoff games have started, some have fairly mentioned that the west coast is three hours behind us and those fans deserve to watch the game. I will give you that the Angels fans have as much right to watch their team as anyone our here in the east, but we have to find a middle ground. In 1989 when the World Series pitted two west coast teams, heck two teams from the same area, the games started at 5 pm in California, meaning it was a reasonable 8 pm back east. And for the record, no one in San Francisco or Oakland was complaining about the games starting too early.

The bottom line is we are a vast country and there is always going to be a time difference between the west and east coasts, but for the sake of the future of baseball, there needs to be a change. So what change? My suggestion no games start after 8 pm on the east coast. This would allow the majority of the fans back west to be home from school or work to watch the games, but also allow those of us back east to be in bed by a reasonable hour. However, no matter where the game is being played it must start by 7 pm local time. So even in California the games start at 4 pm, which allows for at least the kids to be home from school to watch their Angels or Giants play.

Go Sox!

- Chris

Goodbye Manny

chriscollibee — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:34:02 +0000

Well it is official, Manny can be Manny on the left coast, he is headed to the Dodgers. Manny has had a great run in Boston and the last few years would not have been possible without him, but honestly it was time for him to go. He had become a distraction in that clubhouse, he was breaking apart the team.

Yankees fans will give me a hard time and say the Sox are getting desperate and now they have no shot at even the wild card and I will argue against that. Even without Manny, this ballcub still can make the playoffs, and as we have seen any ball club can make a run come October. Jason Bay may not have the bat of Manny, but JD Drew has turned the corner and become a power hitter and Big Papi is back off the DL.

Lets take a trip back in time, do you remember 2004? Yankees fans you remember don’t you? You remember the collapse of your team after it was up 3 games to none against that team that hadn’t won anything in 86 years. Let me remind you what happened earlier that season that lead to that victory, another Boston icon was traded… NOMAAAR. Trading Nomar may have broken our hearts, but it lead to all of the Nation being able to die happy. Sometimes it just takes a bit of shake up in the clubhouse to wake up a ball team (see what the Mets have done since their manager was fired).

The Nation will miss our old expensive friend Manny, his clutch hits, his helmet flying off as turns from third base to home, him taking a cell phone call inside the scoreboard, but we won’t miss the drama of Manny being Manny. Good luck in LA…

Schilling done for season

chriscollibee — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:10:07 +0000

Today Curt Schilling announced that he would have season ending shoulder surgery. The potential exists that he won’t return to the Red Sox and his career is over. If this is the case Red Sox Nation owes our thanks to Curt.

Schilling made it his goal when came to Boston to help our team win a World Series. Mr. Schilling accomplished this goal. Our love goes beyond bloody socks at Yankee Stadium, it goes to helping us sleep at night, to know that our relatives can rest in peace.

Curt even if you never appear in a Red Sox uniform again, thank you, thank you for doing whatever it took to win. Thank you for charity work. Thank you for being a good person.

We hope though you return to Fenway and pitch again…

-Chris

Cubs Lead MLB

chriscollibee — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:54:50 +0000

For the first time since since 1908 the Chicago Cubs have the best record in baseball entering June. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was 1908. I don’t know about you, but this could be another great season for baseball. Lets face it, baseball fans don’t want to see the Rays win a World Series. There simply isn’t the fan base to support it, but the Cubbies have a national appeal. I’m not saying the Rays aren’t a good story, because they are, but when you only sell out opening day games, you don’t have enough fans.

The Cubs however, are much like my beloved Sox, people want to see the Cubs win the World Series. Remember back to 2003 when the potential for Sox/Cubs World Series existed, remember how excited the baseball community was? Sadly that season with another Marlins title – full of players to be sold off to the highest bidder weeks letter.

More than just being a good story, a Cubs World Series title is good for the health of baseball. In the wake of Mitchell Report, Clemens and Bonds, baseball needs a Cubs title. So this season when out at a National League ballpark, cheer for the Cubbies, you won’t be just cheering for them, but the overall game.

-Chris

PS: If the Sox and Cubs play in the Series this year, this blog was never written. I may want to see the Cubs win a title, but if they play the Red Sox in the series I’ll be cheering for the Sox, because a Sox/Cubs World Series is still good for baseball.

Giving the Rays credit

chriscollibee — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:41:29 +0000

I don’t care what side of the Yankees/Red Sox battle you fall on, you have to give the Tampa Bay Rays credit for what they have done this season. The Rays are 5 games above .500 and in second place in the American League East. Tampa Bay has done this by spending only about $44 million on total salary. By comparison the Red Sox and Yankees have spent $133 million and $209 million respectively.

In an era where it is not uncommon to spend $10 million on a 2 year veteran, baseball fans should give credit to any team that builds a complete ball club, from rookie ball all the way to big leagues. The sad thing is that once the players on the Rays and Marlins become really good and become free agents they likely won’t be able to afford to keep them, thus depriving their fans of a chance to follow a player from his first major league hit all the way through to Cooperstown. Teams such as the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs then come in and take their best players. You can’t blame the players for wanting to get paid, most of them have one or two big contracts to take care of their family for generations. It is simply a matter of more money being available in Boston and New York and the ownership groups willing to spend the money. In the meantime, lets take our caps off and cheer the success of Tampa Bay and Florida… except when they are facing our teams.

Go Sox!

-Chris

Red Sox step up for West Haven kids

chriscollibee — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:54:43 +0000

For those of you didn’t have a chance to see the story about the New York Yankees and the Carrigan Middle School students, let me just say bad.

A group of students from Carrigan Middle School in West Haven had made reservations to get a tour of Yankees Stadium and visit Ellis Island. As tends to happen between West Haven and the Bronx there was traffic and the bus arrived at Yankees Stadium an hour late. The students were then told that since they were late (they arrived at 11 am). The students disappointed continued on their trip to Ellis Island.

Upon arrival many of the students told Eyewitness News that they were disappointed and upset that the Yankees would not do anything accomadate them.

When the Boston Red Sox were told that the students had been denied a tour of Yankees Stadium, the ball club stepped up and offered to give the students a tour of Fenway Park. The Yankees in the meantime still have yet do anything to help the kids out. Looks like the Red Sox might have made some new fans in West Haven. Now that is a classy organization.

Go Sox!

-Chris

PS: Happy Birthday Mark! You old man!

Reader Response

chriscollibee — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:50:10 +0000

I’d first like to thank Mike for writing in an offering his opinion on the Red Sox/Yankees. I’m always glad to hear from Yankees fans, and I hope more write in, as well as my fellow Red Sox fans. However, Mike I’m going to take issue with some of things you said.

First if you are going to write an argument, make sure that you use proper grammar. The excessive use of commas, exclamation points and the use of the wrong “youre” takes away from your statements. I know we live a text message/email world, but a quick reread of what you wrote might help.

Second, I embrace the phrase “Yankees suck.” This is a rivalry, a rivalry that makes both teams better. The Red Sox ownership understands the hatred their fans have for the Yankees and they want their fans to be happy. If Yankees fans were to chanted “Red Sox suck” perhaps the owners would do more to build a more complete organization. You guys can’t chant “1918″ anymore, and as Sox fan that one did hurt. So don’t treat us as being without class and stupid, perhaps it is an idea for your fans to do something and send a message.

Third, about the Red Sox spending a bunch of money, listen the Yankees spend double what the Red Sox do. Boston is not a small market city which does not have the revenue stream, they have money, but they spend it wisely and invest not only in today, but 5 years from now. The Red Sox make a bunch of money so they can spend money, but they also give a lot away to charity. The Jimmy Fund is one of the nation’s great charities that is largely supported by the Red Sox and their fans. There is good work being done by this ball club.

Finally on the issue of their being more Yankees fans in China than Red Sox fans. This is the worst argument you could have put forward. Number 1, I’m focused in on what happens here in the United States, this is Major League Baseball’s fan base.

Any other Yankees fans care to take issue with what I’ve said?

Go Sox!

-Chris

More Sox fans than Knicks fans in NYC

chriscollibee — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:13:09 +0000

Ok, I have to admit, as a Red Sox fan, I’ve had a rough few days, the Sox can’t seem to get out of their own way, the bullpin clearly needs some rest, along with most of the pitching staff, but Sox fans hold out, its a long season.

As for what I want to address and take issue with New York today is a report in ESPN the Magazine that there are more Red Sox fans than Knicks fans in New York City. You know that your team sucks and is in need of major course correction when your most hated rival city’s baseball team has more fans than your basketball team. How pathetic!

Go Sox and Celtics!

-Chris

A great day in sports

chriscollibee — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:18:12 +0000

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It is Patriots’ Day, a truly New England holiday. We celebrate the firing of the first shots at the Battle of Lexington/Concord and the beginning of the American Revolution. As part of these celebrations the Boston Marathon is run and the Red Sox early an early day game, which in theory should end about the same time the runners are finish the Marathon so the Fenway faithful can watch the end of the race.

This is not the greatest day in sports of the year, I would not be so bold to proclaim such a thing, the first two days of March Madness, the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the Kentucky Derby all come to mind. But as New Englanders would should recognize the importance of this day, yes it is a great day of sport, but it is also important to our history.

I don’t see the Yankees smartly hosting events to go along with their city marathon. Yet another reason why the Yankees suck!

If you can find your way to a tv today, watch the Sox game and then watch the end of the marathon, those runners are truly amazing. But I’m sure that my pal Zuke will blog about that.

And if you are not lucky enough to be able to watch tv at work (I’ll admit I have to Sox game on in the newsroom today!) you can always catch the highlights on Eyewitness News at 6 pm.

Go Sox!

-Chris