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We came into the 2018 season predicted to win the American League East and favorites for a bid to the World Series. And teams were envious of us, like they traditionally have been except for more recent years...like last year when we were rebuilding and predicted to go pretty much no where in year one of the rebuild. We shocked the critics and experts alike when we went from Wild Card to one game short of facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
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When April came, we started down a rocky path, downward spiraling, causing many, including me to truly use the thumbs down as a negative vs. a Todd Frazier positive symbol. Now in our second month of our long season, we are riding on top of a huge tidal wave toppling teams like the Los Angeles Angels, World Series Champion Houston Astros and have taken two from the Cleveland Indians, going 14 out of 15 and 6 and 1 on the road.
Now, I am watching the Red Sox like it's my job and rooting for teams like the Texas Rangers to beat them. I have even resorted to tuning into MLB.TV and listening to NESN analysts call the game with a Boston accent so thick it is altering the way I say "Bawston Red Sawx!" To be honest, the Red Sox and their fans thought we would just go away quietly after the Boston Massacre led by Joe Kelly and our own Tyler Austin a few weeks back. But the rematch is making this upcoming series against the Sox as exciting as a playoff game. I think the Red Sox are one of those teams that is envious of us and our position right now as we look to unearth their lead in the AL East with one more win.
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According to the Red Sox fan-centric blog Over the Monster, "I can deal with the Yankees being favorites, though. That is not what has me excited here, as I’ve had to do enough predictions to know that most people who do predictions don’t actually want to be doing it. No, what has me all ready to hate the Yankees again — at least to the extent that I did a decade ago — is that people are calling them likable. Can you believe that? People that aren’t Yankees fans like the Yankees. It’s disgusting, and I am ready to fight the powers that be to change this perception. "
And if that is enough evidence of envy in baseball, how about this one from our cross town rivals. According to the fan-centric blog for the NY Mets entitled Rising Apple, "Don’t get me wrong, I despise the Yankees more than any other team in Major League Baseball, but they are doing exactly what I wish the Mets could do. Seeing the team from the Bronx make it to game 7 of the ALCS last season, and then improve their already solid team by adding the reigning NL MVP is infuriating. All it does is remind us how weak and small-minded ownership in Queens really is."
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Teams love to hate us. They are envious and these teams have good pitching staffs, the Mets even after ditching Matt Harvey. And its not just the obvious teams like the Mets and Red Sox, according to a poll published in NJ.com last year, "The Bronx Bombers were the only MLB team to receive more than a 40 percent unfavorable rating. People simply don’t like the Yankees, regardless of who is donning the pinstripes."
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Our current situation is turning heads. Love us or hate us, we are doing something that other teams and their fans wish for every season. We are winning, despite the poor start, despite the strikeouts by Giancarlo Stanton and despite the starting pitching woes. We are winning with rookies who are 25-years-old and younger, as young as 21-years-old. We have a lot of season left and many more games to play, but our current situation is exciting and the momentum is building. Take advantage of this feeling folks and soak it all in! Happy Sunday!
--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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