If you somehow, some way missed that the White and Red Sox completed a mega-trade that sent Chris Sale to Boston, then you’re probably not reading this article right now, so there’s no need to dive back into specifics.
Boston acquired Sale without giving up any major players from their 2016 campaign, where they finished 93-69 and looked like perhaps the best team in the American League, before being steamrolled and swept by Cleveland in the ALDS. Chris Sale is an objectively fantastic pitcher, when he’s not cutting up alternate jerseys in a fit of rage. Or calling a teenage boy a “team leader”.
In any case, he’s in Boston now, and the Red Sox once again look like favorites in the AL East. Yankees GM Brian Cashman gave his thoughts on the Red Sox, and decided the only comparison was to a team from a different sport entirely:
Full Cashman quote: "Boston’s like the Golden State Warriors now in baseball. They got their Durant and their Green and Thompson and Curry."
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) December 6, 2016
Okay. So. First of all, did he really need to go across sports to find an apt comparison for a team that’s seemingly stacked with talent? The Cubs did just win the World Series after all. Second, he’s the GM of the Yankees! The New York Yankees! Cashman presided over the Yankee dynasty, building super-team after super-team. It’s tough to gauge where Cashman’s coming from here; is he speaking in admiration? Criticizing? He did clarify a bit:
Cashman said comments weren't meant to put pressure on BOS:"I would think the expectations of the Red Sox are sky high. I’m not doing that"
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) December 6, 2016
More Cashman on Red Sox pressure to win:"That’s got nothing to do with me. That’s a byproduct of being in a big market & having a good team"
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) December 6, 2016
It’s probable that Cashman was just speaking candidly, without any sort of ulterior motive, and the Warriors comp was just the first thing that popped into his head. But it’s so much more fun to assume some sort of Machiavellian scheming in an effort to heighten awareness of his team’s rival, and in turn cast the Yankees as some sort of underdog. And that’s where it gets doubly hilarious, since, again, they’re the Yankees.
The Yankees have made contract offers to both Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) December 6, 2016
In any case, one fan did point out a certain similarity between Boston and Golden State:
so they lose to Cleveland?
— Craig Roberts (@therobertsboys) December 6, 2016
These Winter Meetings have been great.
