Sunday’s climax of the Red Sox-Yankees’ Fenway four-gamer will play out under the national spotlight it deserves.
All cable and dish subscribers will be able see if the Yankees can avenge the pounding they took in Boston in the middle of April in this latest installment of baseball’s best – and at times, nastiest – rivalry.
Since losing three of four at Fenway, the Yanks have grown fat on the Tampa Bays and Torontos of the world. This weekend they step back up to the majors against the first-place Red Sox.
But ESPN analyst Joe Morgan looks at the standings a little differently. The way he sees it, the first-place Sox are chasing the second-place Yankees.
“No matter what we say about the Red Sox, the Yankees cast a big shadow over the rest of the American League,” the Hall of Famer said.
Right now, there are three legitimate AL playoff contenders, according to Morgan. Two of which will play at Fenway Sunday. The other is Seattle. However, there is only one favorite until further notice.
“After last year, I will never pick against the Yankees,” said Morgan, who’s been accused at times of anti-Yankee feelings (a charge he denies).
Last season, Morgan thought the Mariners were the best team, and that Oakland would beat the Yankees in the playoffs. He was 0-for-2.
This year, he felt the Yankees might not jell as quickly without the mental toughness of the Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius. Wrong again.
“I think they could be as strong,” an impressed Morgan said.
So how about ’98, Joe? You said then your ’76 Reds were better than the ’98 Yankees. Almost everyone accused of anti-Yankeeism. Did the criticism bother you?
“It did bother me,” Morgan said. “I admire the Yankees so much.”
Morgan still isn’t changing his mind. He would take his ’76 Big Red Machine over the ’98 Bombers.
If anyone still thinks he’s anti-Yankee, they should know that unsolicited he went on and on about George Steinbrenner’s greatness. If that doesn’t close the anti-Yankee case, then nothing will.