Will Yanks-Bosox Hot Stove
Race Cross the Finish Line?

he Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have choreographed an intriguing reprisal of their annual off-season, player acquisition battle. Many believe this to be a case study in what’s wrong with baseball. The minority – including yours truly – view it as a farcical scuffle between long-time rivals. By the way, this encounter could have nothing to do with who wins the World Series in 2004.

Three seasons ago, everybody was eager to coronate the New York Yankees after signing Jason Giambi away from the poor Oakland Athletics. Since Giambi tried on the pinstripes, the last three World Series winners hale from points west of NY: Arizona, Anaheim, and Florida. This isn’t all Giambi’s fault, obviously. But it does demonstrate how little effect one player has on a baseball team.

Three seasons ago, the Red Sox wrestled Manny Ramirez from the Cleveland Indians. They still couldn’t supplant the dreaded Yankees atop the American League’s Eastern Division in 2003 – let alone attempt to foil the Bambino Curse.

Three seasons ago, the Texas Rangers unloaded obscene amounts of money into Alex Rodriguez’s wallet. We know how close the Rangers have come to threatening their divisional brethren. Speaking of A-Rod, does he still believe that the Rangers know how to build a winner? What makes him think the Red Sox do?

Although not an exhaustive sample, these acquisitions can illustrate how the effect of adding high-priced talent might be over-hyped. At press time, the Rangers and Red Sox were rumored to make a deal that would send A-Rod to Boston. If they add A-Rod, what happens to Nomar Garciaparra? If the Sox unleash Ramirez for A-Rod, is the superiority of A-Rod enough?

Curt Schilling adds a powerful punch to a shallow Red Sox rotation, even as his age trickles into AARP territory. But what about the other pitchers? Is Pedro on the decline? Did some of the Red Sox hitters have aberrational seasons in 2003? If so, will their imminent regression offset the addition of Schilling? Martinez said it "meant a lot" to him for the Red Sox to obtain Schilling. Was he singing the familiar "They are Committed to Winning" song, or is he finally coming to grips with his own mortality?

How about the Yankees? After snagging Gary Sheffield and Javier Vasquez, many have cemented them as 2004 favorites. A careful examination into reasons for their three-year failure to satisfy their tempestuous boss should force any George to be curious.

Did Sheffield deliver a World Series to the Atlanta Braves? Alas, the Yanks might have also bagged Dodger hurler Kevin Brown. But will his durability come into question? They lost Andy Pettite to the Houston Astros, although it won’t be as big a loss as some will infer.

More questions …

Is Bernie Williams durable enough? Was the playoff stifling of the high strikeout-low walk Alfonso Soriano a window into his future? Can Vasquez replace Roger Clemens? How many more Ruthian hot dogs can David Wells digest before we realize he isn’t worth his weight in salary?

Many teams, no matter how lucrative in payroll or astute in player evaluation, will wrestle with these and many more questions until the first regular season pitch is thrown in 2004.

Solitary additions aside, it is plausible that the sheer volume of transactions the Yankees and Red Sox could finalize before spring training might hoist one of them to a World Series. Both teams have the financial wherewithal to add multiple new players, players who could provide that elusive edge. Most of the free-agent signings and little-publicized trades will be populated by non superstars. Teams’ skill in commandeering the lesser-known players has value too.

But the beauty of sports (save Div. I College Football) is that the game is still settled on the field. In baseball, the 162-game schedule leaves plenty of room for as many things to go wrong as it does for things to go right. We all know that, in the past 85 years, not enough has gone right for the Red Sox franchise.

My advice to you? Sit back and enjoy the virtual duel between these storied franchises. Then peer at the other 28 teams in Major League Baseball and ask yourself who can render this Yankee-Red Sox ARMS race irrelevant. The latter adds as much heat to your Hot Stove League as the Mighty Yanks and the Bridesmaid Red Sox.

Truth be told, this scribe does sound like a bitter small-market slug just itching to find the most miniscule flaw in the mightier franchises. (Have you read about the Milwaukee Brewers lately?)

Such pondering is allowed in December, isn’t it?

Any comments, criticisms, or condemnations on this sports column or previous ones? Feel free to email me at tommyr@wi.rr.com.