Open letter to all DU baseball fans:

[playahata1]

I became a baseball fan -- New York Yankee fan, at that -- in the summer of 1978. I thrilled to the Yankees putting aside their personality conflicts and making up 14 games on the Red Sox.

I chortled with glee at the Boston Massacre.

I literally ran home from school on October 2, 1978, to catch as much of the Boston Tea Party as I could; I got home in more than enough time to witness "Bucky Fucking Dent" smack it over the Monster.

I cheered wildly as the Yankees dispatched Kansas City in the ALCS, and became a firm believer when they overcame an 0-2 deficit and smacked the bejeezus out of the Dodgers in the World Series.

Reggie Jackson was my main man, along with Munson and Nettles and Guidry and Gossage and Piniella and Randolph. They were like gods to me. Even greater, once I began studying Yankees history, were Ruth, Gehrig (especially Lou, in more ways than one), DiMaggio and Mantle.
Believe me -- I was a True Believer; they all every one of them kept me going through my adolescent/young adult years.

With that said, I was no fair-weather fan. I grieved when Munson went down in that plane. I freaked out when George Brett and Co. swept them in the '80 ALCS, and was even more hacked off when Garvey, Lopes, Russell, Cey, Dusty, Lasorda, et al, avenged themselves in '81. I and millions of like-minded folks then had to sit through fifteen years of Steinbrennerian idiocy and major-league disappointment.

And when Jeffrey Maier came through for us -- yes, THAT WAS fan interference, but we'll take it -- and Jim Leyritz brought us back from the dead in Atlanta and Charlie Hayes squeezed that foul pop by the third-base dugout, I was beyond ecstasy, so much so that I locked myself out of my apartment.

However, since that Saturday night in October, 1996, my ardor has cooled somewhat -- and I don't know why. I just don't feel the same way about MY TEAM anymore. Maybe it is my personal politics, in which sympathy for the underdog, uplifting the less fortunate, is an important value. In 1998 I found myself pulling for the Padres for some reason. I was okay in 1999, because I absolutely despise the Braves. However, when 2000 rolled around, I found myself OPENLY rooting for the Mets.

It was then and only then that I finally could relate to how many baseball fans felt when the Yankees were dominating from the 20s through the 60s. And -- GOD DAMN ME -- I WAS GLAD THAT ARIZONA WON IN 2001!!!!!

Here we are in 2003. There is a new sheriff in town, and in New England, he is known as AARON FUCKING BOONE. The Florida Marlins are next on the proverbial chopping block, and there is a significant part of me that is PRAYING for an upset. I am, after all, from Florida.

Maybe I am taking this TOO seriously, but I have come to feel that the Yankees represent something that goes against my sensibilities. Perhaps it is because that the more baseball I have watched over the years, the more I have come to respect other teams, other players, and their contributions to the game. I enjoy watching the Marlins and the Diamondbacks and the Braves and the Giants and the Cubs and the Cardinals and the Red Sox and the A's as well as the Yankees. I enjoy watching Bonds and Sosa and Prior and Pujols and Maddox and Smoltz and Andruw and Chipper and Ramirez (YES, I LOVE MANNY!) and Pedro and A-Rod and Sheffield and Bret Boone and Thomas and Bagwell and Zito and Mulder and Hudson and Ichiro and Luis Gonzalez and Randy Johnson and Dontrelle as much as as I do Jeter and Clemens and Pettite and Rivera and Soriano.

As I write this, I am wearing a gold necklace with a "4" charm. This is in tribute to my favorite Yankee, Lou Gehrig. I also own an official pinstriped jersey with "4" on the back. I have seen "Pride of the Yankees" more times than I care to. Ask me damn near anything you want and need to know about the Yankees, and I'll tell you. Still, I am finding it harder and harder each day to cheer on "my boys." And George ain't helping matters any. Perhaps I have just grown up, period.

Flame away if you must, my fellow Yankee DUers, but this 25-year love affair has degenerated into a love-hate relationship. Peace.

Much Love and Maximum Respect,
A Conflicted Yankee Fan.

[PAMod]

1. You are a sick fan.

It's baseball.

Go Yanks!

fsr

[soleft]

2. I became a Yankee fan in 1975, and I secretly rooted for Red Sox

For many of the same reasons.

Until last Saturday. I enjoyed last night thoroughly. Hope you find a way back too.

[liberalhistorian]

3. I've always disliked the Yanks for the very reasons

you gave, so I'm glad your eyes are finally open, lol!

[Homer12]

4. So sick of the Yankee Money Sponge

Becuase they have so much money they can afford the best talent.

This leaves other small market teams in their dust.

I'd respect the Yankees more if both leagues leveled the playing field a little more (Football got it right).

As it is now, I'm sick of baseball, and I am sick of the usual teams that make it to the top every year.

Basball is fixed so that the richest teams do the best, while the poorer teams act as talent pools for them.

Baseball is a dying sport, becuase of its inequities.

[donotpassgo]

7. football's cap works?

How are those Browns? Or Bengals? Or Cardinals? Or Lions? Or the Jags or the Chargers?

How's that salary cap when your star quaterback or RB or DE goes down and you have some XFL retread taking their place?

The NHL is hemmoraging money.

How is forced parity in the NBA doing with the top 5 teams all in the west? Except for the Clippers. Hmmm....salary cap GOLD, I tell ya.

Winning is heart and tradition not spreadsheets and bank accounts. The 49ers, Cowboys, Lakers, Celtics, Avalanche, Yankees, ALWAYS win. The Red Sox, Browns, NY Rangers, Clippers ALWAYS lose.

I'm sure you would have liked the small money, low salaried, small market, underdog Red Sox to win...but that was 50 years ago. Now rooting for a 105 million dollar team with two players with contracts bigger than ANYONE on the Yankees and bitching about the Yanks big salaries is just silly.

(Rocket's measly 7 million a year; Giambi's 11 million per year, Jeter's 15 million as compared to Manny's 20 million dollar salary, Pedro's 15.5 Million dollar salary oh and lookie JOHNNY DAMON'S 7.5 Million dollar salary...hell 3.25 mil for Byung Hyun Kim!!!!!!!)

[Evil_Dewers]

11. How much does Drew Henson make...

to play in the minor leagues? Jetah - overpaid. Contreras makes $8 million a year. How much does part time, slow ass playah Bernie Williams make? Jeff Weaver? David "fat slob" Wells? The Yankees are owned by a Republican convicted felon who was pardoned by St. Ron Raygun.

[Sandpiper]

15. And your Marlins

Won their only World Series by overpaying a bunch of hired guns that they had to dump one year later. So, if you live in a glass house, don't throw stones.

[donotpassgo]

19. Contreras was offered more by the Sox, but he knew what was up...

Derek Jeter has 4 rings...started the rally that beat Pedro...and you Marlins fan will know what he's all about starting Saturday. Bernie Williams is actually a full time starter with a lifetime .305 average and .390 OBP. He makes 3 million dollars less than noodle Arm Pedro and 8 million less than Manny Ramirez.

Drew Henson is making 2 million a year...for 6 years. So if he becomes a great player, its a friggin bargain.

Yeah...and who's the owner of the Marlins??????? Elitist GAJILLIONAIRE ART DEALER and yes, NEW YORKER Jeff Loria who's ownership of the Expos almost destroyed them...oh and he was charged with RACKETEERING last year. Some fine gentleman, he is.

http://www.weil.com/wgm/quotables.nsf/0/225f68540cbc2c6d85256bf800502665?OpenDocument

[Homer12]

23. Football caps are not perfect, but...

...also with the revenue sharing, You see better competition overall in the NFL.

Makes for a more exiting sport as of late. Patriots Vs. Rams, and the Patriots Winning? That was unexpected, as well as seeing the Ravens win the superbowl when nobody was expecting them to win anything in the beginng of the season.

As far as the Bengals go they are owned by the people whom own the Browns, and both teams upper managment suck. I'm not even going to comment on the Lions, they need help in every area.

I'd like the playing field is baseball to be more leveled out.

Yes, there are going to be some larger market teams that always have more becuase they can gather revenue in larger markets.

Really, Baseball is to predictable; most of the best teams that keep on going to the play-offs are in large markets becuase they can afford the larger salaries that the Players Union wants.

Yes, it would be nice for an underdog team in baseball to actually make it to the world series, but buying a world series costs money. The Marlins bought that team a few years ago, the Yankess buy that talent every year.

[Sandpiper]

13. I'm a lifelong baseball fan

And I keep hearing these laments about how the Yankees are going to be the death of baseball as we know it, and how it's the same teams every year, and the large market teams rule the game, and the small market teams have no chance. (and as a side note, I hope you don't include Boston in the category of small market

The problem is, it's just not true. Back when the Cowboys won 3 super bowls in 4 years, I never heard anyone grieving over how bad it was for football, and I don't recall anyone accusing the Chicago Bulls of being the death of the NBA when they won 6 titles in 8 years.

The Yankees have put together a winning team and have been on a roll since 1996. But with baseball, as in any sport, greatness is fleeting and no one stays on top forever. Before 1996, the Yankees hadn't gone to a world series in 15 years.

As for the, "only the large market teams can win," that's equally untrue. If that were the case, then a team from one of the top 10 markets should be winning it every year, right? Well, let's take a look at the top ten markets and see how their teams have fared.

1. New York - Yankees - 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 WS champs, Mets - no WS win since 1986.

2. Los Angeles - Dodgers - no WS win since 1988

3. Chicago - Cubs - no WS win since 1908, White Sox - no WS win since 1917.

4. Philadelphia - Phillies - no WS win since 1980

5. San Francisco/Oakland - Giants - no WS win since 1954, A's - no WS win since 1989.

6. Boston - Red Sox - no WS since 1918

7. Dallas/Ft. Worth - Rangers - no WS title, moved to Texas in 1972.

8. Washington DC/Baltimore - Orioles - no WS win since 1983.

9. Atlanta - Braves - no WS win since 1995.

10. Detroit - Tigers - not only no WS win since 1984, but also the worst team in baseball in 2003.


So you see, it isn't just about who plays in the biggest city, it's also about what franchises care most about winning and are willing to invest their money toward reaching that goal.

[5thGenDemocrat]

28. 2. Los Angeles

Um. Shouldn't you include the Anaheim Angels (last year's World Champs) on that list?
John
And don't remind me about the Tigers.

[forgethell]

5. Baseball

bores me spitless. College football is the only game worth watching. At least in my not-so-humble opinion. Roll Tide!! (OK, it hasn't been a good year for college football, either)

[GOPisEvil]

6. Then why did you come into this thread?

It was written to the baseball fans of DU. :shrug:

[Breezy du Nord]

8. I never understood why people do this

come onto a thread and tell everyone how much they hate whatever's being discussed. Why do people do this? Does anyone know?

Cheers! :toast:

Breezy

[Red_Storm]

9. IF ANYONE.............

who watched the game last night.......the whole series.........and every other series this year and says baseball is boring ........


YOU KNOW NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


THIS POSTSEASON REAFFIRMED MY BELIEF (WHICH IS UNDYING ANYWAY) THAT BASEBALL IS TRULY AMERICA'S GAME AND THE GREATEST GAME !!!!

[WindRavenX]

30. Last night's game was one of the greatest games ever played

Granted, I'm only 18, but I've read and seen many of the great Sox/Yank games in the past and it is in my opinion that last night's game was truly one of the best.
And it doesn't get any better than I'm in Boston, able to wear my Yankees hat and not have anyone give me shit.
Well, at least for a week.
GREAT SERIES!!!

[Uzybone]

16. they do it for attention

we should get them pacifiers.

[LisaM]

10. The sport of baseball lost last night

Corporate baseball and expansion won. It's now the "who cares" series. I will not watch one game.

[Ernesto]

12. My feelings, exactly, LisaM

I honestly believe that FOX will lose a ton of $$$$$ on this "same o crap" series. Nobody I know is really interested in watching the inevitable being played out yet another time.

[donotpassgo]

20. for people who root for the Sox and Cubs out of pure love of the game...

you all seem AWFULLY interested in rating shares and advertising money.

[donotpassgo]

21. Ahh the good old days of 1901 when MLB's

16 teams all centered in the North East and Northern Midwest. Sorry California or Texas or Atlanta or Colorado...expansion to your states ruined baseball.

[TopesJunkie]

25. Baloney!

That game was classic. Get off your high horse. The World Series is going to be an amazing match up of two very good teams. Your teams didn't make it. So what? That's the nature of sport. Get over it. The enjoyment lives on! And the games continue!

[Uzybone]

14. Silly...

the underdog????...BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You guys are delusional. To interject your personal politics into sports is foolish the the nth degree. The underdogs???? The less fortunate??? tell that to ManRam ($160 mill contract), A-Rod ($250 million) and the other millionaires who you now call the "less fortunate". Ill save my liberalism for the poor and undeducated and the sick and the forgotten. Not for other millionaires. This is stupid.

[Sandpiper]

17. From all the crying

You'd think the Yankees were the only team paying their players, and every other team's guys were playing for the love of the game rather than 7 and 8 figure salaries. Sheesh

[Red_Storm]

22. good point but.............

all that crap is being spewed on threads all over the board........I'd like to know if all these people around here that are saying that the Yankees-Marlins series will get no ratings, it will be boring, etc.....would say the same thing if it was a Red Sox-Marlins series........somehow I doubt it.........what's that ..........oh yeah, HYPOCRISY

[KamaAina]

18. I have long tried to support teams from progressive areas

infamously, S.F. vs. Anaheim (O.C. went 72% pro-recall!) last year. Places that are dominated by FReeper-types go against MY sensibilities, obviously, and remember, it's all about the fans. Just once I'd like to see fellow progressives getting falling-down drunk and acting like morans after a win, instead of, well, you know.

Trouble is, by this definition, the "bad guys" now include (besides the Angels) all the other Cali teams, both Texas teams, both Florida teams, Arizona, Minnesota, etc., etc., i.e. more than half of the entire league.

Hell, N.Y., Mass. and now Cal. all have Repukkke governors! I'm running out of places it's safe to root for! With the Giants and A's now on the "dark side", that leaves... Seattle? (No, not the Cubs. My mental state is fragile enough as it is!)

Toronto?! Has it finally come to that? Hmmm... they DID hang around for a while in the tough AL East...

[TopesJunkie]

26. Dude, politics doesn't have to invade everything.

Freeper and non-freeper fans often root for the same teams. It doesn't matter. Don't put more into sports than there actually is. Just enjoy yourself.

[5thGenDemocrat]

29. Well, Michigan (Detroit) has a Democratic governor

But I don't know if that'll still be true when we're World Series contenders -- 217 years from now.
John
Oh yeah, Jennifer Granholm is also the sexiest governor in the USA. Sorry, but it's true.

[SaveElmer]

24. You put your thumb on it

It's not the Yankee players people hate. I love Roger Clemens and Derek Jeter. It's the organization and what they have done to baseball that I hate, and why they have so many detractors. At some point, it just becomes so unfair that even Yankee fans will begin to question it, just as you have done.

There is a flip side to that as well. I've been a Twins fan all my life (despite the Marlins avatar...which is there because that is who I am rooting for in the series), and there have been times when I almost lost faith in them because the owners were, and still are to an extent, too stingy, and could not hold on to any star player.

[5thGenDemocrat]

27. Imagine the pain of this Detroit Tiger fan

I'm 47. I measure time by Tiger seasons. And it's been a LOOOONG time since the Tigs have played .500 ball -- let alone won anything.
My heroes were Mickey Lolich (first and foremost), Norm Cash, Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris and Kirk Gibson.
Detroit baseball doesn't really have any heroes now.
I went to Comerica Park seven times this year and Detroit lost the first six of them. The lone win was Sept 29, when the Tigers fought back from an 8-0 deficit in the fifth against the Twins -- scoring once in the bottom of that inning, three times in the seventh, four more in the eighth and once in the ninth (on a walk, steal, steal and wild pitch) to win 9-8.
Yeah, the Tigers lost 119 games this year -- but that was the biggest Tig comeback since 1965. Baseball, even in Detroit, doesn't get better than that.
As my old friend Mike B says, "Win or lose, it's still Tiger baseball." And I fully intend to live long enough to see the Tigs win one more World Championship.
John
Good luck to both the Marlins and Yankees. But, as a Detroit fan, I'd have to say somewhat better luck for Florida (sorry, it's a genetic thing).