This should have been a television drama.
Two Goliaths of America's national pastime have gone toe-to-toe the last four months and have turned this Cold War off-season into not only an arms race, but a bats race and a gloves race as well.
It came to a stunning climax this week when the New York Yankees did what the Boston Red Sox failed to do by trading for All-Milky Way shortstop Alex Rodriguez. The Yanks' acquisition of the game's best player was a tragically perfect ending to this war.
Tragic for what it does to baseball's lower- and middle-class franchises. Perfect for what it will do for the 2004 season.
Let's start with the bad news. The Yanks and Sox have turned into presidential front-runners this season.
This November, George W. Bush and John Kerry will likely be the big names on the presidential ballot. It's not just because Bush and Kerry have policy ideas that are better and different than all other Republicans or Democrats -- it's because they have the most cash.
The best presidential candidate in the world probably won't ever see his name on a sign at a nomination convention because he is sitting at home with less than a million dollars in the bank. So goes baseball.
Some of baseball's best franchises and baseball cities might not live to see late October for years because they don't have the resources to compete.
It's tragic. But yet, it's perfect.
To understand how fitting this is, you need to know the history of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. You need to know that Boston hasn't won a Series since 1918, while New York is the most successful franchise of all time. You need to know that Boston traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees when he was still a pitcher. You need to know that the guys in pinstripes have stolen opportunities from the Sox time after time. You need to know the name Bill Buckner.
And starting in April, the two storied franchises from the Northeast will wage the Mutually Assured Destruction war that the United States and the U.S.S.R. never saw. It's most certainly not a coincidence that one team is Red and the other is a group of Yankees.
If you think last year's ALCS was intense, you won't believe what will go on this year. The Sox bulked up their pitching staff by adding Curt Schilling and closer Keith Foulke. They deepened their lineup through free-agency and they re-signed the players who deserved it.
The Yanks countered by signing outfielders Gary Sheffield and Kenny Lofton. Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite bolted for Houston, but New York hopes to counter a loss of pitching prowess with a potentially record-setting offense.
Every game between these two teams will feel like the World Series, and in October, these two teams might play for the chance to go for a championship.
It's a shame that all of this will go to waste, though.
Boston and New York might have the most money and the best talent, but they won't get a ring this season.
Nope. The Cubs are going all the way.
Write to Jay at jdkenworthy@bsu.edu
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