Why I Am Rooting Against the Red Sox

Before you send me hate e-mail and comments, please bear with me. This post is not directed to die-hard Red Sox fans, the fans who suffered through years of heartbreak. I should also state that I dislike the Yankees (again, please hold off on the hate e-mail and comments) and always root for the Red Sox to defeat the Yankees, especially during the 2003 and 2004 American League Championship Series. I remember cheering for Red Sox in 1986 because, as a Pirates fan, I hated the Mets (I even have an autographed picture of Bill Buckner from when he was a Chicago Cub), and was excited for Boston when they won the World Series in 2004. The 2004 Red Sox were amazing as they became the first team in baseball history to come back from a 3-0 deficit. Unless you were a Yankees fan, how could you not like the team with the slogan “Cowboy Up” and the nickname of the Idiots? They were a fun team and one that you wanted to support.

However, at least in my mind, things have changed. The Red Sox have essentially turned into the Yankees. What I have hated about the Yankees for years was their ability to buy any player they wanted (see Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens, Carl Pavano, Randy Johnson and A-Rod – yes I know that they acquired him through a trade, but do you really think he’s going to get $30 million from another team next season?). The Red Sox have done the same thing. Instead of trying to repeat with the team that won the 2004 season, Boston allowed Dave Roberts, Derek Lowe and Orlando Cabrera to leave and replaced the latter with Edgar Renteria (I have no problems with the team’s decision not to match the incredible contacts of Damon and Pedro). They paid $8 million for Renteria, but after a mediocre season, he was gone. After a year or two of failure particularly when having one of the highest payrolls in baseball, what did the Red Sox do? They spent more money. The team signed J.D. Drew to a 5-year, $70 million contract (yes, we all know Drew is now worth the $14 million salary this season just because he hit a grand slam in the ALCS), Julio Lugo to a 4-year, $36 million contract and Daisuke Matsuzaka to a 5-year, $52 million deal plus another $51 million just for the negotiating rights. Overall, the Red Sox have a team payroll of more than $143 million! While that is less than the insane $195+ million payroll of the Yankees, the payroll is greater than every other team in baseball, and it’s not even close (the Mets are 3rd at $116 million). Unless you are a die-hard Red Sox fan or one that recently joined the bandwagon in 2004 (the main reason why I am sick of the Red Sox; see the terrible Fever Pitch movie), how can you root for this team? I’ll concede that I still like seeing David Ortiz in a clutch situation and Josh Beckett has been incredible this postseason, but I’m not supporting the Red Sox in this World Series. I'm sure that real Red Sox fans don't want me to support the team, and I'm fine with that. I don't want people jumping on to the Steelers or Pirates bandwagon (when the team is good again in 2037). The Rockies are an incredible story, plus I can't imagine seeing Josh Fogg actually pitching in the World Series.

Now I’ll get to spend the next week listening to how great Red Sox are from Joe Buck and Tim McCarver and read the same from Bill Simmons.