Baseball Toaster Bronx Banter
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NO WIN SITUATION
2003-10-21 13:10
by Alex Belth


Rob Neyer, ESPN's leading baseball analyst will be watching the World Serious because a) it's his job and b) because he loves baseball. But he doesn't have a rooting interest in either team. In fact, he thinks there are reasons to root against both teams:


The Marlins are a good story. They're the underdogs, and nobody -- I mean nobody -- thought, six months ago they'd be where they are now. If they somehow manage to beat the Yankees, you have to be happy for Jack McKeon, who's showing everybody there really is (baseball) life after 70. But it's pretty hard to be happy for anybody else (except maybe Pudge Rodriguez).

The Marlins' owner, Jeffrey Loria, is by most accounts a liar and a cheat (we'll know more this winter, when various court proceedings are resolved). The Marlins' ex-owner, Wayne Huizenga, is another awful man who stands to profit a great deal from the Marlins' success, because he still makes a hefty sum from the sale of concessions and the rental of luxury suites at Pro Player Stadium.

And what about the Yankees? Is there any reason to root for them? Neyer has one:


If the Yankees lose, they might be just slightly more inclined to get better next season, and that's not good for anybody except them. As you know, their defense at second base and shortstop isn't good, and the Yankees might be even better if they address that deficiency. The Yankees are just sort of scraping by in right field, and if they lose they might be just slightly more likely to break the bank and sign Vladimir Guerrero. They've got some question marks in their starting rotation, and if they lose they might be just slightly more likely to buy every good pitcher that's available this winter.

Granted, they'll probably do most of these things anyway. But if they beat the Marlins, they might spend just a bit less money trying to defend their championship.

Problems, problems: what to do?

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