Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Jonathan Mahler, author of The Bronx is Burning, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine, has a long profile on the Steinbrenner clan in the latest issue of Play. It is a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the changes that have taken place in the Yankee organization over the past calendar year. Mahler paints Hank and Hal Steinbrenner as we've come to know them--good cop, bad cop. It is interesting that Hank rebelled against his father and yet often sounds a lot like The Boss. Witness this bit at the end of the piece:
"Red Sox Nation?" Hank says. "What a bunch of [expletive] that is. That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans. Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."
I agree with part of Hank Steinbrenner's statement. I think Red Sox Nation is a pompous, self-aggrandizing term (though I'm guilty of using the phrase in this space numerous times over the years), one that has been pumped up by the Red Sox organization, many of their fans, as well as ESPN and other media outlets. But I'm not so sure that you don't see Red Sox hats all over the country these days. The bandwagon is in full-effect (as is a Sox bashlash). What the Red Sox are not--and correct me if I'm wrong--is an international team. You'll probably find more Yankee hats worldwide than that of any other sporting team. That doesn't mean that there are so many actual Yankee fans out there, just that the Yankee hat is a symbol of New York and New York is an international city in a way that Boston is not.
Regardless, the quote from Hank made me think: What's the over/under on how many cringe-worthy statements Hank Dog will make this year? I say it'll be under a dozen, but there will be some doosies in there. Either way, I don't entirely dislike Hank's bluster because it is a reminder of his old man (man, I never thought I'd say that!).
I think Hank is great for the organization, provided his brother and Cashman are still behind the scenes to reel him in. He's definitely got his father's bluster, although it's probably better he's not the lone executive in charge of running things.
Sigh.
That being said, the Yankee brand is still, far and away, the dominant international sports logo and team of professional US sports. Period.
One is that Bronx-based Dominicans love their homegrown Manny Ramirez. I think that, coupled with Pedro, probably extends Sox fanship a good deal in the DR.
Two, and this is a weird one...there is no question that much of Europe runs around wearing Yankee hats. I've spent a lot of time in the UK and France, and I'd say more than 50% of US pro sports gear I see over there is the Yanks. Bulls, Raiders, 49rs seem to make up their share as well, but you can't walk 5 blocks in Clapham or Brixton w/o seeing an interlocking 'NY'. However- the people I know who've moved here from abroad (mainly UK, Ireland and Australia) seem to disproportionately root for the Sox. My guess is it's some combination of a) bandwagon jumping post-2004, b) anti-bandwagon backlash against the Yanks popularity at home, and c) the Irish identifying with Boston for some reason.
1st pitch, 3 run HR.
It was so predictable. (;
Now, if you want a real mismatch, count Yankee and Mets gear on the Subway. The disparity is staggering.
As for RSN, I offer you all this link without any further comment necessary:
http://tinyurl.com/347jxx
On happier notes, Joba seems to have cruised according to PeteAbe's liveblog.
30 pitches, 22 strikes for Santana.
I personally got lots of comments about my Joba Rules shirt (all comments were good, both from Sox fans and Yanks fans)
Got a few comments and more than a few odd stares on the day I wore a Boston (not red sox, just Boston) t-shirt and a Yankees cap.
Blech.
Thanks for the heads up. Taking my sons to the mouse two weeks from now. Will be sure to represent.
As much as it pains Yankees fans, Boston's a hot commodity right now. Although hopefully the New York (football) Giants sparked a downward trend in that market back in January... :)
I hear that Igawa walked 2, hit a guy, and then gave up a grand salami. Against college kids. I love it.
snicker
The other thing is that given exchange rates, relative costs of clothes and electronics and the prices of flights (NTM the wealth sloshing around Ireland) weekend and pre-Xmas shopping journeys by Brits and Paddies to New York are extremely common. Boston isn't exactly on the shopping trail.
Hank's a blowhard and makes me remember why the announcement of Big Steinbrenner's banning from baseball was applauded in the Stadium: presently, Yankee fans just feel warm and fuzzy about the Boss because they don't remember the 80s well, and George got to be the figurehead of success in the late 90s due to savvy moves that happened during his suspension, success he deserves credit for as much as Guliani deserved 9/11/01 credit for...whatever he did. Hank has the acumen in impatience and feeding the media dumb mots of his father; luckily, there are people who know what they are doing holding the real power here.
Great article by Mahler, by the way.
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