Red Sox Getting Crawford & Gonzalez Bad for Baseball? Cry Me A River Small Markets.

_{Seeing Carl Crawford at Fenway Park will now be a familiar sight for Red Sox fans.}

I briefly wrote about this yesterday, and find myself compelled to do so again today. A question fans are asking is if it's bad for baseball because the Red Sox aquired both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. My first reaction was, and still is, no, and really - who F^#%ing cares? I'm a Red Sox fan, and I want my ownership to do everything they can to make the team competitive today, tomorrow, and in the future. Maybe I truly am turning into a Sith Lord, but I could give a rats ass about the small market clubs and fans complaining about this.

54 percent of ESPN SportsNation viewers believe that Carl Crawford going to the Red Sox is bad for baseball. Not exactly overwhelming numbers, or the most scientific of avenues, but still, an interesting stat.

A lot of this is backlash from Mid-Western fans who got sick of the networks hyping of the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry over the past decade. News Flash - Red Sox and Yankee fans got just as sick of this hyping...no actually, we got MORE sick of this hyping then you Mid-West freaks. 10 out of 10 times I would rather watch a game on NESN than FOX, ESPN, or TBS. Trust me there. That's always been one of the more annoying aspect of the playoffs, you lose the announcers you've had for the whole season. But you know why the rivalry is so hyped up? Because there's NOTHING like it in American sports, it's been going on for over 100 years, and it makes more money than your rivalry. These networks don't have a East Coast bias you half breed Mid-West fools, they're bias towards making money, and the Red Sox vs. Yankees sells. I'm sorry, but Cubs vs. Cardinals doesn't carry the same amount of venom, from on the field to the stands, it's just not the same, you're all well.....too nice.

Also, what bugs the hell out of me with these Mid-West whiners is that they don't realize that us East Coast fans (Boston, New York, Philly) have to pay for acquisitions as much as the owners. It's exponentially more expensive to go to a Red Sox game than a game for a small market fans, because the demand is way higher for us, and because.....hold your breath now - we as Red Sox fans care more about our team. We talk about baseball on a year round basis, and even with the Pats and Celtics stealing headlines and thunder, the heart and soul of the city will always belong to the Red Sox. We buy more jerseys, we sell-out every game*, we write more blogs, we visit more websites, we just care more, and are more - and thankfully our owner is rewarding us with our emotional and monetary investment. A great performing ball-club obviously makes him more money, but I'd pay a little more for a ticket if that means we'll be winning today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Comments

[John Torge]

typical east coast bias. The yankees sox rivalry is weak because the yankees have dominated for so long. It aint a rivalry why 1 team constantly cleans house. The redsox are the little stepchild in that relationship. Want a real rivalry? Try giants dodgers I know you guys dont stay up past your weak little bedtimes and getting put to sleep by the crappy sox, but check that one out. In case you guys didnt know because you didnt make the playoffs the dodgers are from Los angeles and the Giants just won the world series

[mike]

You forgot more people, think about it stupid

[Erik, The Emperor, Flexington]

Dude,

I have to chime in here. Remember all those years I trashed Beantown fans for their blatant hypocrisy and insensate whining? All the years you and others told me and every other Yankee fan we were full of sh*t? Yeah well, your attitude(as well as the attitude of every other Sox fans) here kind of confirms my viewpoints. Do you know how often we as Yankee fans have to hear the bitching out of every other sports market... We buy everything this, and our history doesn't count that. It's sickening. My comment has always been that ANY team with the means to do it, and the proper owner would. And now it's happened... and you know what? Good. I love it. But I am nauseated at listening to Sox fans cheer about it failing to mention the decade + of complaining they participated in. You guys get so many freaking passes it's downright BS. NO one will complain about this even 1/100th the amount they complain about the Yankees. Partly due to the fact you guys dont have the history of winning we do. But in recent years you sure have been good, so whats the difference? I mean you guys just paid Crawford the highest contract in history to an outfielder. his speed & defense is not going to be fully realized int hat short left, and he's never hit 20 hrs. he'll be a great addition to the team, but you guys overspent BIG TIME. You guys are now what you swore you'd never be. You are what you hate. The Yankees. You just wear Red and play in a cozy ballpark. Trying to convince yourself any different is simply to kid yourself.

Welcome to the Evil Empire. PS the Yankees not getting Lee(which by the way I definitely saw coming) should make this year even more interesting.

PPS. The comment above by good ol' "John Torge" simply cements my points about how West Coast baseball fans are retarded. I literally cant have a baseball convo for more than 1 minute with any fans out here. I'm pretty sure us "East Coast" fans know a bit about the Giants & the Dodgers considering they originated in NY you tool. Hysterical.

[Erik, The Emperor, Flexington]

In addition... I will concur with your thoughts on how we care more about our teams in Ny and Boston than other markets. In the Tri-State area... Baseball is INFUSED in the way of life. When I'm walking in NYC I can feel the Yankees. It's larger than life. In comparison the Dodgers? Cant hold a candle. You dont feel the Dodgers in LA. They are almost a side show. And thats a franchise with serious history. Even the Lakers out here, are just a "show" hence why they call those fools the "Lakeshow." <----- retarded. Baseball is life in NY & Boston. And the reason why the sport is dying in ratings, and now taking a back seat to Football and soon to be Basketball... is due to the fact that other fans dont LIVE & DIE with their teams. I dont know one Dodgers fan that watches every game on TV... even with a legendary announcer like Scully. I live in LA, and I still watch almost every Yankee game, or DVR it. it's just part of me. even though I must admit in recent years... the Yankees have lost some appeal in comparison to how I used to be. The rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees took a big hit in my eyes. Players talking to each other, smiling... friends.... it doesnt sit well with me. but the sport has changed... thats another reason it's losing popularity. We live in a high action, immediate gratification society. I mean people watch "Bridoplasty" for gods sake. The watering down of societal intelligence, in my opinion is why the greatest game is losing ground. It's thinking mans game. Ugh makes me sick to think about it. Lets hope the Yankees and Sox have a few brawls and renw this hatred. It was much more fun in the 90's-mid 2000's.

[Jimmy Jax]

I just added your blog to my bookmarks, but then read a bit more of it and immediately sent it to the trash. The Red Sox care more about their team? That's the conclusion?

I always tried to give Boston fans the benefit of the doubt as provincial also-rans with delusions of grandeur, but your article just about ended that. Try using some stats, make a compelling argument based on facts, teach us something. If you don't like it screw you isn't a very interesting thesis.

**** you and **** the Red Sox and their two steroid fueled titles.