The Evil empire is crumbling....

by Mike Ketchen

This is my first post on here. I am an avid Baseball fan and have my own website www.thebaseballfix.blogspot.com I will be posting on here as well providing links to my website to view full post. This site is a sports fan dream come true and I am glad to be part of the community. what follows is a piece I posted on my site. Comments are very welcomed and if you like the piece feel free to check out my site for more of my posts.

The Evil Empire is crumbling!

It seems like only yesterday all this curse non-sense existed, well four years and two world series rings later, the Bambino is nothing more than another hall of famer. Yes friends the Red Sox are in the middle of a dynasty, and the best part they're only getting better. Think about the reality that must be setting in on the Yankees. You have fallen from the elite of baseball and your biggest rivals have won two world series in a span of four years. Oh and they are in the process of adding the best pitcher in baseball not named Josh Beckett. Simply put, the future is bleak for the Bronx Bombers. You have a lineup that features 7 everyday players that are 32 plus. You have no clear ace (the sox now have two) you can not take a year off and rebuild, yet you have to rely on Mike Mussina (5.15 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) and two rookies (Hughes and either Joba Chamberlain or Ian Kennedy) to pitch a combined 600 innings. Oh and they just locked up a 38 yr old closer for four years who has logged over 200 innings since turning 35. Yes it truly is a glorious time for Red Sox Nation, not only because we are building a dynasty, but also the evil empire is crumbling.

To read more check out www.Thebaseballfix.blogspot.com

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

727 days ago

Score 2

When does No No Nanette begin playing again in Boston?

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

727 days ago

Score 2

first I would have to know what that is lol to answer.

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

727 days ago

Score 2

No worries. I'm sure the hibernating Red Sox Nation will soon arrive here to further explain.

If you wanna speed the process up a little, just write the following in your comment box:

The Red Sox & Patriots suck Cartman's balls.

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KelsdadAll-Star

727 days ago

Score 3

First rule of Armchair...post the full article. If you post a two sentence teaser then your link you'll have a tough time here. Welcome aboard

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

727 days ago

Score 3

That was the whole post! lol I just linked up for any who want to read the rest of my articles. Thanks for the tip though

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

727 days ago

Score 4

I'm a Red Sox fan, so it pains me to say this. The Evil Empire is still very strong and very formidable. The Yankees have made the post-season in 13 consecutive seasons. In baseball, this is a significant achievement as only 8 of 30 teams make the playoffs. The Yankees have about twice as much money to invest in their team than any other club in the sport. Moreover, they will be getting even more revenue once their new ballpark opens (which they will own, lock, stock, and barrel. No 10% of the gate going to the City of New York.). They have an abundant number of young players that are on the verge of making it to the Majors. Right now, the Red Sox are better than the Yankees, as are a few other teams. But let's say the Yanks go out and get Santana, that would dramatically alter the balance of power. Suddenly you'd have a rotation of Santana-Wang-Pettitte-Mussina-ROOKIE. That's a solid group of pitchers, and combined with an offense that can score nearly 1,000 runs in a season; and you get a World Series contender.

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

727 days ago

Score 1

I agree with most of what you wrote there. However, the Pitching wins 9 times out of 10 in Oct. And the recent trend in the Majors is locking up your young studs. Buying viable/vauleable pieces is becoming more complex. On top of that if they did get Santana where does that leave them two three years from now beyond Santana/Wang? (considering the pieces they would give up) furthermore. There "potent" line up is aging. 7 everyday players are now past what is considered there prime years. Now I am not suggesting they will fall off suddenly or even next year. However how does all this ad up in 2 or 3 and even five years from now? When I titled the article Empired Crumbling I did not mean forever. I meant over the next 3-5 years the yanks will be lucky to contend consistentaly. They need to pray CC becomes a free agent and lock him up and then also hope that at least two of the three Hughes/Chamberlin/Kennedy emerge.

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ChachiOSUDraft Pick

727 days ago

Score 3

Did I miss something? Aren't Lowell, Manny, Ortiz, Schilling, Wakefield, Timlin, Varitek, Luogo, and Drew are all 32 or over also? Oh, and Okajima (yeah, he's 32 this month) and Tavarez.

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JuTMSY4Legend

727 days ago

Score 2

great...another sox fan... well welcome aboard...i guess ; - )

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

727 days ago

Score 2

We should recruit more users from SOSH, eh?

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SkipidsJV Squad

727 days ago

Score 1

Rock ON Sox Fans!

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

727 days ago

Score 1

yea the Sox do have some players 32 or older...but Beckett/Dicek/Lester and Buchholz make diff. Oh and that guy Papel something is pretty good to ; )

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JuTMSY4Legend

727 days ago

Score 0

CHase Utley Disagrees ; - )

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ApriscoWaterboy

727 days ago

Score 2

Oh so Lester and Buchholz make a difference but Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy don't? The second rule on here is to try to be objective even if you are a red sox fan :) The Yankees are actually building a farm system mostly based upon pitching which you claim is 90% of the game so what's to worry about?

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ChachiOSUDraft Pick

727 days ago

Score 1

And then there's Melky and Cano.

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

727 days ago

Score 1

Don't ask why Chachi, but this popped in my head:

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ChachiOSUDraft Pick

727 days ago

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Maybe "Chico and the Melk Man" would be better.

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

727 days ago

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I think you missed the big point, Lester and Buchholz count just as much as the Yanks kids. The diff between the two teams now is, Beckett and Dicek over the next two to three years. The yanks are in position where these kids have to contribute now. The sox have the luxury of waiting. Also like I stated. If the Yanks did land Johan/Bedard they would have to give up these young arms. Is that objective enough? : )

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ApriscoWaterboy

727 days ago

Score 0

No because now you are dismissing Wang and Pettitte. BTW, I will take Wang or Pettitte over Dice-K any day of the week. Plus, the only young arm they would be trading is Hughes. So then the Yanks would have the luxury of Santana, Pettitte and Wang while Chamberlain and Kennedy grow into their roles.

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

726 days ago

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you would take wang over DiceK? do you know how to break down a pitcher? do you understand that as many balls he puts in play and his BAA and BABIP ratings are awful? also how much longer is pettitte still gonna be around? this is the third year in a row he has contemplated reteriment. As for Dicek, well in his first year changing continents he punch out about a batter per inning and help opposing hitter to a .246 BAA. But hey I guess ultimatley it comes down to opinion but I think as of right now, if the season started today. The Yanks are the 4th/5th best team in baseball. Not bad, but certinaly not an empire like the mid 90's

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Mike KetchenJV Squad

726 days ago

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and one more thing. I would go compare pettitte last season to Dicek's rookie yr. And you maybe singing a diff tune.

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ApriscoWaterboy

726 days ago

Score 0

Wang isn't a strikeout pitcher so I'm not bothered by those statistics. Fact is he had a 3.70 ERA to Dice-K's 4.40, and more wins. I'll be interested to see if Dice-K gets better. He has the assortment of pitches it'll just depend on how he adjusts and how hitters adjust to him. I think the Yankees can be really good this year but the key will be if Hughes can step up and win 15 games and if they keep Chamberlain as the set-up man.

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