Dismantle the American League East

Also let teams choose to switch leagues.

Published on October 9, 2004 By Jamie Burnside In Sports & Leisure

I just finished watch the Yankees hand it to the Twins for the second year in a row. Hopefully that rat-bastard team gets beat by the Red Sox.

I can imagine that it must be terribly discouraging for other American League East teams to have to go to work every day of the season knowing that they'll have to face a team that insists on purchasing division championships year-after-year, rather than working to develop its own talent.

How would you like to be a player for, or a fan of: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, The Baltimore Orioles, or the Toronto Blue Jays? Those teams don't have a chance as long as New York and Boston are locked in a bidding war for players whom only those two teams can afford.

Why not just put those three teams in other divisions, and let the Yankees and Red Sox play all 162 games against each other. Then let the rest of the league compete on an even playing-field. (It'll probably do good for the revenues of the Red Sox and the Yankees.)

Now my second point: Inter-league play has really shown me how much more entertaining the National League product is. I wish the Twins (my team) had taken the opportunity to switch when they had the chance (instead of the Brewers.) That way at least we wouldn't have to be sickened by that 160-million dollar Yankees monsterosity.

Comments

Larry Kuperman

on Oct 09, 2004

Do I detect a bit of sour grapes here?

Yes, it was certainly thoughts of the Yankee's payroll that kept Pat Borders from throwing to third when A-Rod stole the base. After his second double of the game, I might add. And a similiar preoccupation with free agency that distracted Lohse so that he bounced the pitch to the plate.

By the way, it might NOT have been a good idea to throw a pitch right down Broadway to Reuben Sierra with two on and a three run lead.

The simple truth is that the Twin Cities just can't sustain a team. Just ask Corey Koskie, who will most certainly be playing somewhere else next year. You play for the Twins until you get good, then go for the real money in New York or LA or Boston. Big market cities.

Its little different in the National League, by the way. Although I agree that, next to Al Queda, the DH Rule is the greatest evil in the world today. Let pitchers hit (and get hit if they throw inside too much.) People say that you can't pitch In the National League when you get old? Hah! Ask Roger Clements!

Now, bring on the Red Sox. Who will be this year's Aaron Boone or Bucky Expletive Deleted Dent? Who will be Bill Buckner for the hapless Sox? Did I mention that I grew up in the Bronx? Pinstripes are my favorite color!

Let the real games begin!

WizardMark

on Oct 12, 2004

I'm just wondering. Why do people hate the Yankees? Well, I'm a Yankee fan!

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