Rivalry Renewed?

_{Francisco Cervelli did everything he could to get under the Sox skin. (AP Photo)}

Three Things:

1. Francisco Cervelli is a Punk - Clapping his hands like he did crossing the plate is asking for trouble. This was this hack's third HR of his career for Christ Sake - you have to earn the right to do things like that and to not expect repercussions is idiotic and shortsighted. Him getting hit the next time up should have been a forgone conclusion, and he should have taken it like a man. But whatever, he's just an annoying gnat who had his one moment in the sun. Ladies and gentleman, we now have ourselves Karim Garcia 2.0
2. These Games Are Awesome - I know they're supposed to be just another game but they're not. The fans know it. The media knows it. And more importantly, the players know it. While I do think Cervelli is a 'Grade A' punk for what he pulled, I'm thankful that he poured some gasoline on the rivalries fire. It was already stoked when CC hit Jacoby on purpose, and this just further ignited it. This is all very good though, and it's nice to see the clock turned back to '03 and '04 when the Teams genuinely didn't like each other. As a result, I think I'm again ready for these two Teams to meet in the ALCS, God help us all.
3. John Lackey is the Secret - Since the Red Sox played in Texas John Lackey seems like a different player. Sure he was starting to turn it around before that, but his attitude seems to have really changed. The emotions on the mound are never going to go away, and I think I'm starting to understand that it's not directed at players, it's just his frustration bubbling over. The players all have steadfastly stood behind him all year too, so there must be something there. He'd still be the worst person to play a round of golf with, but he's starting to win me over. Pigs do fly I guess. I had a vision last night of him having his J.D. Drew Grand Slam moment. Maybe it will come in Game 7 of the ALCS, or possibly Game 3 of the ALDS - but mark my words, the 2011 Boston Red Sox do not win the World Series without John Lackey. Seriously, God help us all....

Comments

[Kris Chandler]

What I found most staggering about Cervelli's seeming lack of decorum is how it flies in the face of Yankee baseball. An organization that once prided itself on being the gold standard of professionalism in Major League Baseball allowed one of its players to act like a complete punk. If Steinbrenner were still alive, I'd like to think he'd have had a few words for their catcher of the future, as well as their manager. How Girardi could even be upset about what transpired after Cervelli's showboating is ridiculous. You hit us, we hit you, you showboat, you get retaliated against. It's the way the game's been played for decade after decade.

All in all, the rivalry is spiking at just the right time. The division race is tight, the season is winding down, and Sox-Yanks is as intriguing as ever.

[Karim Garcia]

Just like a Red Sox fan to have nothing better to say than to chide the Yankees. Cervelli plays hard and gets excited, and as a result Lackey 'roids out and plunks him because his over-inflated ego (and not to mention ERA) can't handle it? You were correct in pointing out that Lackey's frustrations are getting the better of him. Which one is the punk again? Keep hanging your hat on the thought of a miscreant in the midst of his worst year in the majors taking home the championship.

[Flex]

This is one of those times when we have people(including you) who are flapping their gums about someone they know nothing about. Cervelli is an energetic bubbly hyper dude but a very well spoken nice guy from everything I've seen. And I watch every Yankee game. You don't.
Yes what he did was a bit much but I do truly believe he was just pumped and wasn't thinking "oh let me rub it in" I've never seen him do anything like that before. I know it's fun to poke fun of Karin garcias as if that's all the Ya Kees have been while they spent the last 100 years waxing Boston. But yeah I know 2004 and the All Steroids team changed all that. Where is Ortizs explanation again? Ahhhh lost in the ether. Papis back!
I barely care about these games to be real. I'm glad u feel the rivalry is renewed. I don't. The rivalry was changed forever with 2004 and 2007 and tainted on both sides by the steroid era. Even 2009 doesn't mean much to me as that was an expected outcome. What I'd like to know is how exactly do you guys skate by with you crawford lackey dice-k signings. Can someone say AWFUL?! I can. Happily.
Anyway bro you speak with such venom over a regular season game in which your team has owned us all year. Sorry a back up catcher who has really improved his game the second half showed some emotion! Ooooooh. Let's forget all the bush-league antics and hit batters and jazz hands etc that the Sox have been a part of in the last decade. No biggy! Boston honks galore!
See you in October. This shit means nothing even if I don't think well beat you then either based on our current pitching.

[Flex]

Ps Kris. Yankee Decorum? Man you clowns really are something else. It's so biased and juvenile and such an overreaction that it's laughable. What you DON'T know apparently Kris, is that this Yankee "decorum" you speak of so eloquently... Did not exist in the 70's when we yet again waxed you in heartbreaking fashion. It wasn't there in the 80s when we sucked. This "Decorum" is only a recent thing. The suit and tie bullshit which quite frankly I am glad to see has dissipated slightly. But why don't we speak of the utter lack there of that your organization has shown over the years. But THAT is ok. If you could see the blatant hypocrisy that oozes out of Boston and has for as long as I can remember, it's really obtuse. So obtuse that Andy Dufrain can't even believe how obtuse it is. Sorry you guys lost last night. I'm sure you'll live. Lots of pressure on you this off season though! Imagine going 16-3 and then losing in the post season? Wow ouchie! Lots of pressure!!!!!!!! But Boston doesn't collapse anymore. Not since the juiceboys. Alllll the history pre 2004 is gone for both teams. How convenient. I'll check back in after the series.

[Derek Hixon]

Where's the venom? I said these games are awesome didn't I? I love them - there's nothing more fun than these games - especially when they're spread out like they are this year. Red Sox vs. Yankees is drastically more fun to watch then lets say Red Sox vs. Royals/Orioles/Blue Jays etc.

I could give a crap how well spoken Karim Garcia 2.0 is - when you hit your third CAREER home run that's not how you react, period. If a Red Sox did that, no matter their background, the NY Press would calling for retaliation just like Papi's bat flip earlier in the season - which was def a bit much too - but at least he's an established All-Star, he's earned that some, it's part of the game. A-Rod does it too. Speaking of which....

Lastly. You have the biggest fraud in the game on your Team in A-Rod who will be *breaking* a lot of meaningful records down the road. And you also have the sketchiest comeback the post steroid era's seen in Colon. Papi's name was leaked with no proof or drugs named in a closed statement from 2003. Not surprised if he did juice (everyone was), but he's not anymore, and has passed every test, and he's not getting hurt (as much) as A-Rod. Good luck having that contract over the next 7 years... You have to lay off it though, steroids happened - I never discredited anything that happened before 2004, but you've sure discredited everything that happened after which is - because no matter what you say, you def still care about these games...

[Karim Garcia]

Mr. Hixon, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

PS - Flex, you are a hero.

[Derek Hixon]

Who is Karim Garcia?

But I digress...

Flex, I have a feeling the Yankee announcers watch more games than you, and even they A) Knew why Garcia 2.0 got hit B) Thought he deserved it.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=mlb&content_id=18630639&query=game_pk%3D288920

[Karim Garcia]

You very much did digress! How about talking about the game last night? It somehow got lost in your criticisms of a backup catcher and blind fanfare of an aging pitcher/failed free-agent signing that borders on complete denial. I came here hoping you might actually provide some insight on how the teams played rather than read high school trash talk and your baseless omniscient gut feelings about John Lackey that could be misconstrued for diarrhea.

What about 16 LOB and going 2-for-13 with RISP? What about those 13 Ks? What about how shitty the bottom of Boston's lineup looks and how good the Yankees were with the glove? Any thoughts on something that actually involves the game of baseball, or should I look elsewhere?

[Derek Hixon]

Please look elsewhere.

[Kris Chandler]

I still find it more than humorous that two die-hard Yankee fans are trolling a Red Sox blog, looking to incite vitriol.

Cervelli's a punk, deal with it. Lackey's a bust, but could prove to be semi-useful down the stretch. Sox-Yanks games are always exciting, no matter the standings, no matter who does what.

That was the point of this post. Why can't you just enjoy the rivalry instead of getting all worked up about your backup catcher acting like a jackass, and us calling him out on it?