TAMPA _ Hank Steinbrenner won’t be joining Red Sox Nation no matter how hard Boston owner John Henry attempts to seduce him. However, the chance to work together off the field with their blood rival intrigues Steinbrenner.
This morning Henry, a former Yankees minority owner, inducted Steinbrenner into Red Sox Nation after Steinbrenner said the Yankees Universe was far more popular than Red Sox Nation late last week.
“I am not joining Red Sox Nation, honorary or not,” Steinbrenner said shortly before the Phillies-Yankees game yesterday at Legends Field. “I’ll respond to that later. Trust me, I am not joining Red Sox Nation.”
Steinbrenner was responding to Henry’s e-mail to Boston media outlets early yesterday.
“I’m a big Hank fan,” wrote Henry in an email. “Just to ensure he knows how cool Red Sox Nation is, (Saturday) we officially inducted him as a member of Red Sox Nation and we are sending him his membership card giving him access to an array of options including our newsletter, bumper stickers, pins, Green Monster seats and a hat personally autographed by David Ortiz.”
Steinbrenner got a big laugh out of Henry’s offer but said Henry shouldn’t hold his breath waiting for a similar trip into Yankee Universe. After all, Henry made money when he owned a piece and has two Yankee World Series rings.
“John is a great guy and my dad always loved him. I love him, Hal loves him. He has done a tremendous job with the Red Sox,” Steinbrenner said. “My point was simple: the Yankee brand is the biggest in the country and everybody knows that. There is no dispute. That’s not meant as a cut to the Red Sox. I am not just saying it, it’s the truth. John has done an unbelievable job with the Red Sox brand.”
While Steinbrenner believes Red Sox-Yankees is the best and most intense rivalry in sports, he also let it be known the blood rivals on the field could be sharing a business bed off the diamond.
“I can tell you this, we have a lot in common,” Steinbrenner said without explaining what ventures the clubs are exploring. “Red Sox ownership and Yankee ownership has a lot in common and a lot of common interests. You never know we may end up being partners outside of baseball. The Yankees-Red Sox will always be the greatest rivalry in American sports on the field but we have a lot in common in a lot of ways.”
What would Bill Lee and Graig Nettles think of that. Or Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez. Or Don Zimmer and Pedro Martinez.
Steinbrenner said he wasn’t trying to add fuel to the rivalry with his comments. And he didn’t believe Henry’s rebuttal flamed the fires.
“It is what it is and always will be,” Steinbrenner said. “But we have a lot of things in common and we need to stick together on things. Yet on the other hand there will always be a rivalry. The players respect that and I think common respect is a healthy thing.”