The Red Sox come to The Bronx for a three-game set with the Yankees beginning tonight with the two teams in different places. YES Network reporter Jack Curry breaks down the state of the rivals with The Post’s Justin Terranova.
Q: What is your take on the disastrous Red Sox season?
A: They are a mess right now, and I think it extends to ownership, management, coaches and players. There will be excitement because it’s Yankees-Red Sox, but these teams are on different missions right now: The Yankees are trying to maintain first place, make sure they get to the postseason, and the Red Sox have players meetings against their manager.
Q : Do you think Bobby Valentine could turn this around if the Red Sox keep him beyond this season?
A: It’s a very difficult situation for any manager to be in when you know the players who are supposed to be playing hard for you have publicly lobbied for your ouster. I think Valentine is a big enough boy where he’ll continue to do his job and work hard and has to hope the players also work hard. But I think any human being that knows that happened would have a hard time with that in the back of your head.
Q: How important has Hiroki Kuroda become with CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte hurt?
A: Tuesday night what he did against Texas is more than just a win in August for the Yankees because I can see them peeking ahead to October and saying, ‘OK this guy shut down the best offense in baseball.’
Q: Are you surprised the Yankees aren’t more concerned about Sabathia’s elbow?
A: The fact that he lobbied to not go on the DL, that’s why they are saying it’s a low level of concern. Sabathia has been adamant that the day he is eligible to come off the disabled list he will be ready to go. So for now I think you trust the player, but Sabathia has logged a lot of innings. … You can’t mess around with your ace.
Q: Is there a reason you can point to in thinking this year’s Yankees team is better suited for a playoff run than last year’s?
A: The bullpen has the potential to be really, really good. (Rafael) Soriano and (David) Robertson are givens. They are trying to work Joba Chamberlain into the mix. (Derek) Lowe just got here, but we already saw that he’s a guy that becomes a factor for them. … I do look at bullpens in the postseason because matchups become very important and that’s one area, even without Mariano Rivera, strange as it is to say, where they can be very, very good.