Big League Stew - MLB

Big League Stew

Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:18 pm EDT

Ten reasons the Red Sox won't miss the Yankees in the ALCS

By David Brown

Making the playoffs has become old hat for the Boston Red Sox, who have qualified five times in the past six seasons for the World Series tournament. Winning is great, and having a chance to win the Series again is even sweeter for Boston, but it also misses its friend the New York Yankees, who missed the playoffs.

Despite a budding rivalry with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox need to fill the emotional void left by New York's absence. Therefore, here are the top 10 reasons the Red Sox are psyching themselves up for the ALCS despite not facing the Yankees.

10. Jason Varitek has an M.I.T. janitor friend who's certain he can crack Joe Maddon's 9=8 equation if given "just a little more time"

9. Boston has already advanced beyond depressing "ALDS," which seems more like the name of a disease than a playoff series

8. This close to working up the guts to ask that hottie Longoria out for a drink

7. The bugs on Florida's Gulf Coast almost as big as rats in NYC subway

6. Tampa's NY Times Square Pizza offers slice of 42nd Street without those pesky dopes selling tour tickets for a bus disguised as a giant duck

5. Any team with a guy on it named "Rocco Baldelli" must be a 'little bit' from New York

4. Line for Statue of Mike Alstott only half as long as that for Statue of Liberty

3. Having subdued The Evil Empire for now, Red Sox Nation can apply its resources to wiping out the Axis of Bad Haircuts

2. Curious to see if Rays continue to pull hair "like little girls" in playoffs (whereas Yanks only had A-Rod, who just hit like one.)

1. Similar to Millar in '07 ALCS, Pedro is coming back to Fenway to throw out the first Zimmer

Related: 2008 MLB playoffs, 2008 ALCS - Red Sox vs. Rays

digg delicious
more

71 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. bigboo's bro
    1. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Reason #1 should be that they wanted to play a good team, not a team that battled it out for third place in the division.
  2. fred f
    2. Posted by fred f Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yahoo experts aren't the experts. Sox Rule! Henson did ok the rest were, well, biased against the SOX. Must be Yankee fans. Boo hoo. Oh, Brown, you were wrong.
    Jose's Pick: AngelsJose's Pick is the ANGELS. Recent failures in October should have Angels ready to continue their run. Red Sox will miss Manny Ramirez, period.
    More Expert Picks LOS ANGELES ANGELS Gordon EdesAngels in 5 LOS ANGELES ANGELS Tim BrownAngels in 3 BOSTON RED SOX Steve HensonRed Sox in 5 LOS ANGELES ANGELS Jeff PassanAngels in 4
  3. This is Dave, Hello There!
    3. Posted by This is Dave, Hello There! Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    You tell 'em Fred,
  4. Saro G
    4. Posted by Saro G Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    #1 is classic. The great part is Zimmer is returning to Fenway in the Rays dugout: Pedro's got plenty of free time counting all of Fred Wilpon's money he's amassed the last four years.
  5. year2000
    5. Posted by year2000 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    nice work letterman..... keep the day job.......
  6. This is Dave, Hello There!
    6. Posted by This is Dave, Hello There! Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    this IS the day job
  7. Jan
    7. Posted by Jan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    IF this is your day job, I'd suggest you get on the unemployment line where they might actually find this garbage funny...
  8. Matt D
    8. Posted by Matt D Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    This should not be posted in any humor section anywhere. Humor is funny. This is not. Humor is Mike Sciosa trying a suicide squeeze when a sac fly would have done the trick. Based on Sciosa's managing of the playoffs against the Sox, he should host the Tonight Show.
  9. David P
    9. Posted by David P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:47 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Unfortunately, just when we had hoped it was over we have to suffer through some more Red Sox games. They've got to be the luckiest team in MLB. Let's hope the Rays can put us out of our misery and take it in four.
  10. DSD
    10. Posted by DSD Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Nothing would be sweeter than a LA Dodgers vs Boston Red Sox world series and Joe Torre and Manny defeat the Red Sox in Fenway Park. That will be joyful to watch.
  11. grizzman09
    11. Posted by grizzman09 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:13 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    La sucks
  12. Mike
    12. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Must be a slowwwwww news day in sports...
  13. the head of ted williams
    13. Posted by the head of ted williams Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    let's face it! the sox want to win it all. they want to play the very best to get there. they haven't backed down from any one all year and continue to go forward despite the incredible amount of injuries. this is a special group of guys and deserve to be right where they are. bring on tampa! bring on the best competition you have. when it is all said and done the best will survive and hopefully it will be the sox.
  14. steven
    14. Posted by steven Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Whats the difference....one more year and back to the way it should be Sox vs. Yanks. The Rays have got all the makings of being the biggest fluke team in MLB History.
  15. KA
    15. Posted by KA Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    NOTE TO DSD: Manny who????
  16. KA
    16. Posted by KA Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I disagree with steven m. The Rays have good arms and young legs and a mature manager. In other words, all the makings for a great competitive team.
  17. mikey
    17. Posted by mikey Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey Baldelli is from Rhode Island, thats part of Sox Nation and take your grubby New York fingers off
  18. Los
    18. Posted by Los Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    won't you focus on beating the Phillies first, dodger fan! Go Sox!
  19. Bryan V
    19. Posted by Bryan V Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:39 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The real reason they won't miss the Yankees is that the Yankees are the only team that would have a good shot at knocking them out. Hey, enjoy finding reasons to write crap about the yankees. You guys just can't stop. Whenever you have writer's block, which is often, just find some way to bash the yankees. Because you all know that no one will ever catch up to as many championships as they've won.
  20. William C
    20. Posted by William C Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    To DSD:
    The Sox have already shown early this year how they can dismantle the Dodgers. No NL team is anywhere close to the strength of the Red Sox, Rays, or Angels.
  21. sandybeaches
    21. Posted by sandybeaches Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:28 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey, the Rays earned the right to face the Sox. Yankees just didn't want it enough. That's what greed can get you.
  22. Hizzle
    22. Posted by Hizzle Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Lame. Nice to see that you guys are still putting the yankees down even though we are in the ALCS now. Don't you have anything better to do? The last 5 years do not make up for all of those countless years of mediocrity. Oh let me guess, that is the past so it doesn't count right? Give me a break.
  23. snapperdraws
    23. Posted by snapperdraws Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    the yankees need to jack there payroll up another 50 mill maybe than they might be able to compete
  24. CHARLES D
    24. Posted by CHARLES D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    you'll play til the year 3000 and still never match our flags.....your window is closing Beanheads....
  25. Banzai Pipeline
    25. Posted by Banzai Pipeline Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Steven M., you must not watch baseball.
    The Rays are built to be a contender for the next 5-7 years. They are one of the youngest teams in the league, they have good starting pitching, with 2-3 more prospects waiting in the wings, they have great defense, they manufacture runs, and their bullpen is one of the best in the league. Yes this year was a surprise. The ownership group had a 5 year plan, and they won the AL East in 3.
    If anyone should be worried, it's the Yankees, but then again, all they do is buy their players, so maybe they are just waiting around trying to buy another playoff team. That plan worked out really well these past.....oh 8 years.

Big League Stew

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

'Duk

Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
David Brown, Alex Remington, Steve Henson, Curtis Granderson, Jay Levin,

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]

Related Photo Gallery

More MLB Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Big League Stew Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)