Monday, December 03, 2007
A Fish Rots From the Top Down
How do you explain the amazing role reversal between the Red Sox and the Yankees of the last few years? In simplest terms, it's all about the management stupid. I've said before in this space that Pats owner Bob Kraft has transformed the way teams do business in Boston. Thankfully, those trade secrets have remained in the Hub and haven't trickled a couple hundred miles south to the Bronx. For decisive proof, see Exhibit 1 (Knicks, New York, James Dolan). And today, I give you Exhibit 1A (Yankees, New York, Hank Steinbrenner).
The Yankees have approached this whole Johan Santana soap opera with an air of superiority, which is quite odd seeing as how this team hasn't won a World Series this century. First, they were offering slop (ie., no Phil Hughes) for the Twins superlative ace, and yesterday came word that the Yanks were giving the Twins an ultimatum - either decide on our trade proposal Monday, or we're moving on. Little Hankie says he won't allow his team to be played a fool by the Red Sox. Too late, Hank. Of course, we all remember how they stuck to their guns on A-Rod. To the Twins' credit, they came out today and said they were miffed by Steinbrenner's stance.
It's now 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, and the baseball meetings are underway in Nashville. Let's see what happens over the next 10 hours, at which point the Yankees "claim" they will pull their chips off the table. That would only help the Red Sox, who might be able to surrender less talent with the Yanks no longer in the picture.
By the way, a quick sidenote: While Santana garners most of the media attention - and rightly so - there are some other pretty good arms available for trade, including Oakland's Danny Haren and the guy I'd love to see the Sox get, Erik Bedard of the Orioles.
The Yankees have approached this whole Johan Santana soap opera with an air of superiority, which is quite odd seeing as how this team hasn't won a World Series this century. First, they were offering slop (ie., no Phil Hughes) for the Twins superlative ace, and yesterday came word that the Yanks were giving the Twins an ultimatum - either decide on our trade proposal Monday, or we're moving on. Little Hankie says he won't allow his team to be played a fool by the Red Sox. Too late, Hank. Of course, we all remember how they stuck to their guns on A-Rod. To the Twins' credit, they came out today and said they were miffed by Steinbrenner's stance.
It's now 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, and the baseball meetings are underway in Nashville. Let's see what happens over the next 10 hours, at which point the Yankees "claim" they will pull their chips off the table. That would only help the Red Sox, who might be able to surrender less talent with the Yanks no longer in the picture.
By the way, a quick sidenote: While Santana garners most of the media attention - and rightly so - there are some other pretty good arms available for trade, including Oakland's Danny Haren and the guy I'd love to see the Sox get, Erik Bedard of the Orioles.
# posted by kampy : 1:38 PM
