Even More Ridiculous Boston-New York Bias

by user Andersed

Why is it always this way? I already have to endure the Yankees or Red Sox almost every time ESPN shows a game. I already have to endure reality shows about Johnny Damon's hair. I'm really glad I'm not a fan of an AL East team, because I would be nuts by now.

Well, especially now, because ESPN.com's lead baseball story asks which team will win the AL East: the Yankees or Red Sox?

AGGH! Have you ever heard of the Toronto Blue Jays? They're only 4.5 games back. The Yankees seem to get worse with every personnel move they make. The Red Sox, well, enough about the Red Sox. In all honesty, I think the Red Sox will win the division. I have no idea who will win the wildcard, but it probably won't the Yankees.

Please, some media member out there, aren't there more baseball storylines than Red Sox-Yankees? Are there? Please. I'm not kidding. Maybe SportsCenter or MLB.com will feature a story on the AL West or the young Tigers once in awhile, but soon it's back to an exclusive on how Doug Mirabelli got to the ballpark or whether the latest retread crap the Yankees signed can revive their starting pitching. These are actual stories!!!

Just for the heck of it, go Blue Jays.

Date

Thu 07/13/06, 8:31 pm EST

I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1235 days ago

Score 1

Just so you know, you'll probably get at least three comments insulting your baseball knowledge because you don't recognize that the Yankees and Red Sox are the greatest thing ever to happen to the the world ever. (I put ever twice on purpose.) I think ESPN needs to clear house, move to the middle of Montana, or some other place without a pro sports team, hire some locals and start from scratch. Hiring a bunch of NY and Boston guys has poisoned the station. That's why I like PTI and Around the Horn, they get some different POVs.

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1235 days ago

Score 1

And before the nitpicking starts, I know PTI and ATH are on ESPN. But there aren't any other all-sports channels besides ESPN. So that's a different POV withing the ESPN realm.

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ASwaffAll-American

1235 days ago

Score -1

I think that asking if people have heard of the Blue Jays is like asking if people have heard of the Brewers. Being within striking range and actually being a likely candidate to win the division can be worlds apart. I'm not taking anything away from the Blue Jays, it's just that when you consider how competetive they've been the last decade, it's hard to blame them for making the AL East a two-team race. History is on the side of the Sox and Yanks.

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1234 days ago

Score 1

Seven third play finishes in a division with the two biggest spenders isn't all that non-competitive. They had 80 or more wins in six of those seasons.

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1234 days ago

Score -1

The Blue Jays improved a lot over the winter. They have a legitimate shot of winning the East. To be as close they are despite Boston having been so hot lately is pretty impressive. I would not rule them out.

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ASwaffAll-American

1234 days ago

Score 1

No, it was still non-competitive. First of all, they won 80 games in five of those seasons, not six. They won 67 games last season, and 78 wins in 2002. Secondly, despite the rank and the number of wins, they were still not competitive. They were only close to the division winner in one of those seasons. There was only one season where they didn't finish double digits behind the division winner. During those 7 seasons, they finished an AVERAGE of 19 games out of first place. Since their last divison title in 1993, the Blue Jays have finished an average of 20 games out of first place. I don't call that competitive.

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ASwaffAll-American

1234 days ago

Score 1

Sorry, let me correc that. I missed one season. In the last 7 years, the Blue Jays have finished an average of about 17.5 games out of first place. And since their last division title in 1993, they have finished an average of about 19.5 games out of first place. A little better, but still not what I'd call competitive.

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ASwaffAll-American

1234 days ago

Score 1

Oh, and the 67 win season was 2004, not last season.

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

1234 days ago

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If you think that's bad, imagine if Bonds played for the Red Sox or Yankees and he's got to 750 HRs - every day the live game will involve whichever he plays for.

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1234 days ago

Score 0

Actually, Barry Bonds might be the one thing that got the media to ignore the Yankees or Red Sox. Alex Holowczak, I think you're on to something...

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Michalski81Soccer Kid

1234 days ago

Score 0

i think the Jays are going to overtake the yanks for 2nd and give Boston a run but it will just fall short. the yanks staff sucks and they added ponson and aaron guiel (spelling) they are either going to just hang around and eventually drop from contention and keep their minor leaguers or they are going to do what they need to makie the playoffs even if it means giving away the future...which i think they will do and still not make the playoffs. that would be funny

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XinophDraft Pick

1234 days ago

Score -2

No, they won't. In fact, I bet money the Jays won't be in second place for more than forty-eight hours for any point remaining in the season.

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Bobbyjim45Draft Pick

1234 days ago

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If the Jays were in any other division, everybody would love them and they may even have a good shot to win a division.

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ASwaffAll-American

1234 days ago

Score 1

That's very true. My comments aren't meant to take anything away from the Blue Jays. They are a good, well-rounded team with likeable players (except Burnett). The whole point is the division that they're in. Given the past decade, I don't blame people for making the division a two-team race. It's not even so say the Jays won't overcome those teams. It's just that it doesn't seem likely based on experience.

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Bobbyjim45Draft Pick

1234 days ago

Score 1

I don't think they have what it takes to overtake the Sox or Yankees. The Jays have a limited budget, and the Yanks and Sox will be making moves to get ready for the stretch run, unlike the Jays. The Sox and Yanks also have more playoff proven, big time players.

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XinophDraft Pick

1234 days ago

Score -2

Exactly right, Bobbyjim. ESPN was making a good and proper analysis when they were discussing whether the Red Sox or Yankees will win the division. Any time I hear people bitch and moan about the "Sox-Yanks Bias" I want to hand out some cheese to go with their whine. You know what? The media pays attention to the best teams, and the Red Sox and Yankees have consistently been two of the best teams in baseball, year after year. You don't like it? Too bad, that's life. The good teams in the big markets get the most attention. If I were a good baseball fans, I'd want to see the good teams on ESPN the most. Don't blame the media; it's not their fault the Sox and the Yankees are so good, and the rest of the division is so regularly uncompetitive.

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XinophDraft Pick

1234 days ago

Score -1

Exactly right. ESPN was making a good and proper analysis when they were discussing whether the Red Sox or Yankees will win the division. Any time I hear people bitch and moan about the "Sox-Yanks Bias" I want to hand out some cheese to go with their whine. You know what? The media pays attention to the best teams, and the Red Sox and Yankees have consistently been two of the best teams in baseball, year after year. You don't like it? Too bad, that's life. The good teams in the big markets get the most attention. If I were a good baseball fans, I'd want to see the good teams on ESPN the most. Don't blame the media; it's not their fault the Sox and the Yankees are so good, and the rest of the division is so regularly uncompetitive.

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1233 days ago

Score -3

IIRC, Bobby, the Jays made a lot of big moves in the off-season, signing Burnett, Ryan and trading for Glaus, among others. I don't know if they will make any moves before the deadline, but they are doing a respectable job of trying to keep up with a division of the biggest spenders in baseball.

And Xino, you are so ignorant it's almost painful to read. Things can change from year to year. The Jays are only 4.5 games back. They should be getting just as much attention as anyone in the east. I would be careful about getting on that high horse of yours. Anything can happen, and if the Jays come back to knock the Yanks and Sox out of postseason play, you're going to look like quite the jackass. Not that you don't already, but you get my point.

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XinophDraft Pick

1233 days ago

Score -2

Ahh, you're right, because I disagree with you I must be ignorant. Get back to me when the Jays are even in second, big guy. Until then I'm right. Get off your high horse. Your bias sickens me.

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XinophDraft Pick

1233 days ago

Score -2

How many Jays games have you watched, Frisky? I've watched well over two dozen. How many players on the Jays can you name off the top of your head besides Vernon Wells? I'm willing to bet not a lot. I think, what with them being in my team's division, I think I might know a *little* more about the Blue Jays than some random Indians fan. So basically, you think I'm ignorant because I disagree with you. If you want me to run down the reasons why the Jays won't be able to make a run this year, I will. But I also knew the Orioles wouldn't be able to hold it together last year, and I wasn't even thinking Palmeiro would be revealed as a steroider. So maybe I know more about the American League East than you, Mr. Cleveland Indian.

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1229 days ago

Score -3

Xino, I've had a scant few interactions with you but each time you have used the "I'm ignorant because you disagree with me?" defense. Enough already. You're ignorant because of the idiotic crap you write. The Red Sox and Yankees have consistently been two of the best teams in baseball year after year? Let's see, how many championships between them so far this decade? Have you already forgotten how the Red Sox used to be the joke of baseball in the way they choked year after year? Remember the Babe? 1918? One championship and now they're suddenly the best year after year? I imagine you were mighty confused last year when both the Sox and Yanks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. What was with all that baseball they kept playing after the best teams in the game were done? You keep living in that fantasy land of yours.

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XinophDraft Pick

1218 days ago

Score -2

Hey F-man, how many times have you actually made a legitimate point? Ever? Grow up.

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AndersedJV Squad

1234 days ago

Score 0

Let me just reply to this: my issue isn't that the Red Sox and Yankees are annually competitive and thus covered. It's that they're covered completely disproportionally. When they match up, SportsCenter produces a dramatic, one-minute long video intro set to violent violins. I am a good baseball fan and I like watching good teams. But this year even more than ever, there are more than two good teams. There are perhaps 15 good teams. I brought up the Blue Jays because they ARE a factor in the division this year.

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ASwaffAll-American

1233 days ago

Score 2

I think a part of that, though, is that they have far and away the most intense rivalry in pro baseball right now. They also have the oldest rivalry in pro baseball. So, while it is frustrating to see how disproportionally they're covered, there is good reason behind the disproportional coverage. They do it with any rivalry. It's why they still hype Chiefs/Raiders games, and Cowboys/Redskins games, even if those teams aren't any good. And the hype of a rivalry is magnified at least 10 fold when the rivalry is actually between two great teams. It's just the way it goes. It's not exclusive to the Yankees/Red Sox.

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Paul1316Waterboy

1233 days ago

Score 1

Believe me, if you're a fan of the Sox or Yanks, you're not just worried about your 'Rival' anymore.

The division is definitely not just Sox/Yanks.

I tend to agree, I haven't heard much about the Jays. I'd bet, though, that they Jays like it that way ;)

and, oh, btw, We know Vernon "8 HRs, 17RBIs, .400 Avg against the Sox this year" Wells and CO very well ;)

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XinophDraft Pick

1233 days ago

Score -1

As a Red Sox fan, I'm still mainly worried about the Yankees, but you're right, Paul. Whenever I can, I watch Jays, Orioles, and yes - even Tampa Bay Devil Rays games earlier this year. Those of you who have been registered on this site for a while might recall that I wrote an article analyzing all the good moves the Rays had made before the season started; I think next year I'll do a similar one on each AL East team.

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XinophDraft Pick

1233 days ago

Score -2

Strike that 'earlier this year' phrase at the end of the sentence there, don't know where that came from.

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Paul1316Waterboy

1233 days ago

Score 2

Believe me, if you're a fan of the Sox or Yanks, you're not just worried about your 'Rival' anymore.

The division is definitely not just Sox/Yanks.

I tend to agree, I haven't heard much about the Jays. I'd bet, though, that they Jays like it that way ;)

and, oh, btw, We know Vernon "8 HRs, 17RBIs, .400 Avg against the Sox this year" Wells and CO very well ;)

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Jgov05All-American

1233 days ago

Score 2

With all the people talking about how the Blue Jays are not getting enough attention, they are actually getting too much attention.

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