Dynasties

I think it's kind of funny that folks have started comparing the 2007 champion Red Sox to the Boston group that won four years ago.
The fact of the matter is, this edition more resembles the 1975 Beantown version, even if those guys never won another pennant or even a single world series.
Unlike the 2004 team, this one is built for the future.
That they didn't win again gives you an idea of what can go wrong when all looks so rosy in the today.
The starting line up included 23 year old Fred Lynn and 22 year old Jim Rice.
They finished one-two in rookie of the year balloting and amazingly one and three in MVP voting that season.
Also in the starting line up:
23 year old outfielder Dwight Evans, 24 year old shortstop Rick Burleson and 25 year old DH Cecil Cooper.
23 year old Butch Hobson was waiting for a chance.
The only young pitcher of note, 25 year old Roger (Rogelio) Moret never came close to another 14-3 season.He went 6-9 the rest of his career.
The 2007 world series champions have a fine group 23 and under with pitching prospects to match.
Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury are both 23, so is game 4 winner Jon Lester.
Phenom Clay Buchholz is 22.Jonathon Papelbon and Daisuke Matzuzaka are only 26.
The ace of them all right now, Josh Beckett just 27.
With the money this team has and the way the game is played right now,it'll be hard to bet against these guys for some time to come.


As for the Yankees:
This is a very different situation that Joe Girardi walks into than the one that greeted Joe Torre.
The Yanks had been a wild card team the previous season under Buck Showalter.
The team's first playoff appearance in 14 years.
They hadn't won it all in 18 seasons.
Girardi inherits the job that now demands world series or bust.
The problem is that they will start his regime as a weak sister to the new dynasty.
Just another team in the battle for a playoff spot.
Fighting to retain free agents, saddled with aging veterans and inexperienced though promising young pitchers.
Girardi must also deal with Torre's shadow and the very real world series flags that fly in the soon to be distant past.