As the Yankees head into their final meeting of the year with the Red Sox, looking up at them like at a distant star, one has to wonder what all this means to them. If we are to believe what the commentators say, every Red Sox game is special, and despite the standings, the Yankees will not go into the game as “spoilers” but as competitors, dignified and determined to show the true colors under their pinstripes.

This year, all the hullabaloo about A-Rod’s dalliances, the ascension of the Steinbrothers and the readying of the stadium for eBay makes one wistful for the old days when the Yankees could be seen on the streets with scarves and top hats.  read more »

From the early moments of what ended up as the longest All Star Game in baseball history, it appeared that a member of the New York Yankees would play the hero in the festivities at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night. As it turned out, the hero would end up a member of the Boston Red Sox—J.D. Drew won the Most Valuable Player award in the American League’s 4-3, 15 inning victory.

From the start, most of the hype surrounding the game has been about the venue, rather than individuals or even team rivalries. But at every point, the Yankees were the story. During pregame introductions, Yankees were cheered, of course, Red Sox were booed, and everyone else received largely indifferent responses.  read more »

BOSTON – Barack Obama reveled in his apparent Iowa momentum on Sunday night, even after moving on from the Hawkeye State to a low-cost fundraiser in Boston’s Park Plaza Castle.

“I just got back from Iowa, where it appears we’re doing pretty good,” he told a cheering crowd estimated by his campaign to number 2,100. “It’s amazing how you go from being D.O.A. to being a genius in about three weeks,” he added with a laugh.  read more »

How big a mistake was it for Rudy Giuliani to pander to New Hampshire voters last month by telling them he was pulling for the Red Sox in the World Series?

Big enough that his status among the G.O.P. candidates as The Big Baseball Fan may have been usurped last night by Mitt Romney, a man who almost certainly can't tell the difference between a splitter and a forkball. But to casual viewers of last night's debate, it was Mr. Romney who seemed like the authentic fan and Mr. Giuliani who conjured memories of Hillary Clinton and her "lifelong Yankee fan" nonsense.  read more »

The Yankees ultimatum not to negotiate with Rodriguez if he opted out of his contract has backfired.  read more »

Micah Kellner, a Democratic Assemblyman from Manhattan and a Mets fan, takes a whack at Rudy Giuliani for supporting the Red Sox.

"This is the biggest flip-flop ever for him," Kellner says.

Sunday night’s game was about reaching back to the past, with heavy implications for the upcoming postseason.  read more »

As I remember, Johnny Damon was playing for the Oakland A's when the Red Sox took him, by giving him a ton more money, ripping off a small-market club. He came to Boston and put in three great years. He didn't complain, didn't hotdog, just played hard, and broke the curse. When Damon came to the plate last night, he was all class. Tipping his cap to the Red Sox and to Wakefield. And Fenway booed. The Boston fans are almost as bad as the Yankee fans, booing Rivera last year...