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Since You've Gone
2005-03-30 05:23
by Alex Belth

Even though he was roughed up in a minor league outing yesterday, Randy Johnson and the rest of the Yankees look relatively copasetic as spring training draws to a close. While there are new additions on both the Sox and the Bombers, many familiar faces are returning this season: Jeter, Posada, Bernie, Sheffield, Rodriguez, Matsui are still here, as are Damon, Bellhorn, Manny, Varitek, Nixon, and Millar. The clean-cut Yanks vs. the Dirt Bomb Sox. It will be interesting to see how the new guys figure into the rivalry. (It's a drag that Edgar Renteria is on Boston, cause I've always enjoyed rooting for that dude.) Boomer Wells is a beauty fit, that's for sure. Clement, Miller, Pavano and Wright change the look of the rotations, not to mention Mr. Johnson, of course.

But you know what's got me bugged out? The Red Sox without Pedro. He's been the most important player on their team since he arrived from Montreal in the late 1990s. With all due respect to Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro was the biggest star in Boston. Every series against New York, the talk revolved around Martinez: when was he pitching, was he healthy? The feeling was always that the Sox just had to win the game he started. I'm not saying the team is better or worse without him, just marketedly different. Life without Pedro will take some time getting used to.

Oh, and for those of you who are superstitious, SI has picked New York to win the Serious this year. That's bound to bring a sigh of relief to many card-carrying members of Red Sox Nation. If you believe in that sort of thing, that is.

Comments
2005-03-30 06:39:02
1.   KJC
Who did SI pick to win it last year?
2005-03-30 07:24:54
2.   Rob
Speaking of SI, I think Cory Snyder's going to have a great career. :-)

http://i.timeinc.net/subs2/images/si/sistore/products/1987/0406_mid.jpg

2005-03-30 07:28:05
3.   Alex Ciepley
I loved Cory Snyder when he came up. Doesn't Craig Wilson look a bit like him?
2005-03-30 07:50:03
4.   Cliff Corcoran
Cory Snider. Rifle arm, Larry Bird moustache. Classic.

By the way, I'm saying the Red Sox are worse without Pedro.

2005-03-30 07:55:29
5.   Alex Belth
Forget about Snyder, what about Super Joe Charboneau? http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/charbjo01.shtml

Back to the Boston, I wonder if Sox fans are excited about Boomer Wells or if they think he's got bad Yankee karma in him. I think he's the ultimate Dirt Dog myself.

2005-03-30 10:58:07
6.   dbt
KJC:

See my pain here:
http://i.cnn.net/si/2004/magazine/03/29/main/cover_0405.jpg

2005-03-30 11:24:32
7.   Dan M
At least SI was half right last year - the hell freezing over part, that is.

I thought the SI jinx was more w/ the cover photo on a week to week basis, and not actual predicitons. As in, your football team starts 5-0, gets the cover, and then loses their next two.

2005-03-30 13:28:34
8.   JJay
According to an article over there at SI David Wells pitched for the Yankees in the '97 World Series. Good research guys.
2005-03-31 05:18:29
9.   KJC
dbt - Thanks for the info! (And my condolences...)

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