I love it. I have been waiting for this since the late 1970s when it was Billy Martin against Tommy Lasorda. Those were the days when Tommy John went toe to toe with Ron Guidry and when Steve Garvey and Reggie Jackson belted bombs across the diamond. Today, that fierceness is back with guys like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts heating up the Dodgers lineup against the Yankees with the mighty Aaron Judge and young shortstop Anthony Volpe. This Yankees-Dodgers rivalry is fire. And it feels better than ever.
Writes the New York Post, "It is one of the most unique rivalries in all of sports, one that tugs at heartstrings and memory banks, and whenever there is a game and those two teams are on the field, it seems like it should be televised in black and white, feels like Mel Allen and Red Barber should share the call." And the games against the Dodgers yielded so many great moments like the only World Series perfect game in 1956.
Despite being one of the most well-known, well-established rivalries of all time, it has not been this anticipated since those days in the late 70s and early 80s. And no wonder. It has been some time since the Dodgers and Yankees were both this good at the same time. It has been some time since the Dodgers trotted into Yankee Stadium with this much confidence backed behind slugger Shohei Ohtani. And speaking of Ohtani, I don't remember a time when the Yankees sold an out of town jersey in their very own stadium team store. And a collaborative New Era cap featuring Judge and Ohtani on the front which is making Yankees fans dizzy.
As Fox Sports reports, "Judge and Ohtani are, without a doubt, the two faces of Major League Baseball, and the Yankees are taking advantage in what many perceive to be a peculiar way. First of all, the Yankees are selling Ohtani Dodgers jerseys in their own team store this weekend. But what got fans really riled up were the bodega-style hats featuring Judge's 99 and Ohtani's 17 side-by-side." One fan even called the hat a felony while another said "you have to pay Juan Soto somehow." Soto is eerily absent from the lineup with forearm inflammation. Probably the only downer for this well-anticipated and attended series.
The Saturday game was played under the lights, which is atypical for the Yankees on Saturdays. And this game has been featured among other must watch events: The London Series, The Belmont Stakes and yes, the Yankees vs. the Dodgers. Yankee Stadium is in a fan's word, "mobbed with so many Dodger fans" this weekend.
1941 was the first time the Bronx Bombers and "Dem Bums" faced one another in the World Series. Back then, they were cross-city rivals; now they a cross-country, bicoastal rivals, driving huge crowds whenever they have the chance to face one another. Altogether, the Yankees and the Dodgers have faced each other in the Fall Classic 11 times, with the Yankees dominating the Dodgers for most. Could this weekend be a preview of what's to come? With all the energy and excitement, one can only hope.
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--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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