The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rarely trade with one another and that makes no sense. Maybe the time is ripe for a transaction reconciliation?
Am I turning into a baseball version of Neville Chamberlain who declared “Peace for our time” after meeting with Adolf Hitler? We all know how that turned out. But with North and South Korea suddenly engaged in a kissy face designed to finally end a conflict that outdates most people on the planet, then anything may be possible.
Is an olive branch extended by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees possible? Are both sides so firmly entrenched in their obstinance with one another that mutual baseball activities such as consummating a trade considered as likely as me writing a cognizant article?
The last deal of any significance was Kelly Johnson shipped to Boston for Stephen Drew. This, of course, had minimal impact on either team. That is certainly historically different from what had happened in the past. I do recall in Boston history a Babe Ruth being sent to New York for what amounted to a wet sack of old newspapers. But that was just the beginning.
The Yankee’s core roster in the 1920’s was basically the Boston core roster from the previous decade. Players simply hopped onto the train and shuffled off to New York for fame, fortune, and first place. But that is a distant past and for me, it was all about Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater. Look up the numbers on both but first remove sharp objects from the vicinity.
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Historically, the Red Sox trading with the Yankees has been a tad lopsided. But New York can approach any reconciliation between the two teams with a trade or two. The Yankees do have a young right-handed who shows a bit of promise and I’m sure a Heath Hembree for Luis Severino seems fair to this Red Sox fan.
Maybe both teams should resist pilfering free agents from each. Johnny Damon was just OK and Jacoby Ellsbury has been a nightmare for the Yankees. Ellsbury was no Pablo Sandoval, but it is getting awfully close.
Teams shy away from trades within their division and especially New York and Boston swapping. The Red Sox will reach out to others within the American League East but New York remains a Chernobyl as far as dealing. Makes no real sense except the guffaws from fans and media if one side snookers the other.
You know players within your division and players on New York and Boston recognize the attendant intensity. The “He can’t play in New York (Boston)” is potentially minimized. And certainly, both teams know each other’s needs and talent. Then there is the subplot.
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The main subplot is to bring the rivalry to another level – if that is even possible. I have no issue with the inherent risk of divisional trades and particularly divisional trades with the Yankees. So, just maybe, a transaction of merit could be accomplished. Remember back at one time a Joe DiMaggio for Ted Williams was discussed.