The New Cursed: Bronx, NY

With the rivalry renewed tonight, I thought I would offer my opinion of the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry and curse.

For the past who knows how many years, up until 2004, the team that everyone knew could never win, was the Boston Red Sox. They were cursed. The curse of the Bambino. The ball got through Buckner's legs and on and on. Red Sox nation simply could not win. It didn't matter. They lost.

Bring on 2003. ALCS. Red Sox/Yankees. Game 7. Red Sox lead 5-2. Grady Little is the manager, the man to blame, who left Pedro in the game. Yankees rally and Aaron Boone is forever famous. Yankees go on to lose in the World Series to Josh Beckett and the Florida Marlins. They have now lost in '01 and '03. Why? I believe it was the slow turning of the curse from the Red Sox to the Yankees. It did not come full circle until the following season...

2004. Red Sox. Yankees. Same story. Yankees are pounding the Sox. They have a 3-0 series lead and seem to be a lock for another World Series appearance. But something happens. The Red Sox win Game 4. Ok, blow it off. No big. Then the Red Sox win Game 5. Still, the Yankees have a 3-2 lead and they have home field advantage. Game 6 back at Yankee Stadium. The bloody sock. Curt Schilling. Game over. Sox destroy Yankees in Game 7 to complete the comeback. They then go on to win the World Series.

Since the 2004 ALCS, the Yankees have lost their swagger. In 2005 and in 2006, New York lost in the ALDS both times. In 2007, they lost in the first round after Joba Chamberlain was attacked by bugs in Cleveland. And who won the World Series that year? Red Sox. Again. Shortly after, Joe Torre departed the team for LA. 2008 was even worse. In the last year played in the House That Ruth Built, they missed the playoffs entirely.

We arrive at 2009. The Yankees did their usual reloading. They added starting pitchers A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia. They also added All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira. How has the season gone? They lead the AL East by 2.5 games. They open an epic 4 game set at Yankee Stadium tonight against the Red Sox, who have gone undefeated against NY this season.

So, what about curses? What about the Yankees? I believe the Red Sox are the team in the East nowadays and the Yankees have to fight the curse. But there is only one way to find out. Watch what happens.