Baseball Fever Grips LFM
By Amy MacMillan, LFM-SDM Communications Assistant
October 5, 2005
The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry goes back to 1904 when 41-game winner Jack Chesbro uncorked a wild pitch on the last day of the season to give the Red Sox the Pennant. The rivalry intensified after the 1919 season when the Red Sox (then the most successful team in the world) sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Following that, the Yankees won 26 world championships, while the Red Sox won none, until last year when they staged the greatest comeback in baseball history after being down 3-0 to the Yankees in the ALCS, and of course ultimately won the World Series.
The Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) Yankees-Red Sox competition goes back to 1988, when LFM was founded. Yes, that means there are some Yankees fans among us at MIT in the heart of Red Sox Nation, and they are unrepentant about rooting for the Bronx Bombers.
Steve Graves (L) tries to listen as Paul Lagace makes a point.
Photos by Lois Slavin, ESD Communications Director
News@MITSloan recently sat down with several Red Sox and Yankees fans within the LFM program to get both sides of the story. Joining us were Red Sox fans: Don Rosenfield, Director, LFM Fellows Program; Tom Magnanti, Dean of the School of Engineering and a Co-founder of LFM; and former LFM Co-director Professor Paul Lagace. Yet another former LFM Co-director, Professor Steve Graves, defended the Yankees, a team he has rooted for since his childhood growing up in Pittsfield, MA.
Their respective loyalties go back to the 1940s – Magnanti declared proudly that he's been a Sox fan since he was in his mother's womb.
Although these diehard baseball devotees have worked harmoniously in LFM for years, the Red Sox fans endured years of heartbreak (and some say taunting) at the hands of unapologetic Yankees supporter Graves. Therefore, as the playoffs near and the Red Sox and Yankees are once again running neck-and-neck for first place, these LFM baseball fans eagerly agreed to convene to discuss the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
We kicked off the session by asking Graves to address the taunting allegations, which ended abruptly when the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years.
News@: Steve, I understand that you were merciless when the Yankees were winning?
Graves: What do you mean when the Yankees were winning?
Magnanti: He's been smug for years.
Graves: I have not been tormenting people for years. The Yankees are winning, and we'll probably win it all this year.
News@: Who should win the American League MVP?
Magnanti: I'm going to go with David Ortiz, although it easily could have been Manny [Ramirez], who will have over 40 home runs and 140 RBIs. He's not exceptional in the field, but he's OK. However, Ortiz has been on a September tear.
Graves: It should be A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez]. He is basically close to the Triple Crown.
Lagace: It's not even close – it should be Ortiz.
Rosenfield: A sane observer would say it's down to Ortiz or A-Rod. I'll admit A-Rod would be a worthy choice, but I'd vote for Ortiz – he's more clutch.
Graves: There's no such thing as clutch hitting!
[Laughter from the Sox fans]
Graves: Even Derek Jeter wouldn't be a bad choice.
Rosenfield: Jeter!!??
Magnanti: Edgar Renteria or Jeter – who's a better fielder? Renteria by far.
Lagace: I don't agree. He's got the skills, but he's not concentrating this year.
Magnanti: He's having a bad season, but he's a better fielder! Even this year – much greater range.
News@: Steve, is there anything you admire about the Red Sox?
Graves: [clutching the pages of statistics he had brought to the interview] Yes, their creativity and the many ways in which they figure out how to lose and blow leads!
News@: And now, Red Sox fans, why do you second-guess every decision Terry Francona makes? Why can't you just sit back and relax?
Lagace: He's the luckiest manager in the history of the Red Sox!
Rosenfield: He hasn't made any egregious errors as Grady [Little] did.
Lagace: He poorly manages his pitchers. I'll take Joe Torre any day!
[Hearty agreement all around from the Sox camp]
Rosenfield: It's the nature of Red Sox fans to second-guess the manager.
News@: Red Sox fans, is there anything you like about the Yankees?
Magnanti: No!
Rosenfield: I admire and respect the Yankees' history. Is there anything I 'like'? I don't think so! Maybe Joe Torre.
Lagace: I like Joe Torre.
Rosenfield: Well, I liked Babe Ruth.
Lagace: He was on the Red Sox!
News@: Steve, what do you say to criticism that the Yankees only buy their talent, and that they no longer rely upon their farm system to cultivate good players?
[Shrill heckling from Red Sox camp]
Graves: What else is Steinbrenner going to do with his money? They are the most profitable team in the league.
Rosenfield: Has Steinbrenner given any more money for the MIT track? [Referring to Steinbrenner Stadium, named for George Steinbrenner's father, Henry, an MIT alumnus].
Graves: The Yankees do more to develop their players. All of the great Yankees players were developed from their farm system. Only one guy on the Red Sox came up from the farm team – and that's Trot Nixon.
[Loud dissension from Red Sox camp…]
Graves: These guys can't deal with facts! It's all emotion with them!
Magnanti: Emotion is an important part of baseball…and the Red Sox have been more effective at spending their money. The Yankees have wasted money!
Lagace: The Red Sox have used their farm system effectively. They developed personnel who they used in key trades.
Magnanti: Curt Schilling was developed through the Red Sox farm system.
Rosenfield: Varitek! The best trade ever was Heathcliff Slocum for [Derek] Lowe and [Jason] Varitek. It would have been a good trade if they had traded Slocum for nothing.
Graves [changing the subject]: Will the Red Sox give Manny away?
News@: Okay. What's your prediction for the Playoffs and the World Series ?
Lagace: The Red Sox will stay in first place, and they will play California. They will go to the World Series…but I do have some concerns. We don't have the pitching, and Francona can't manage the bullpen.
Graves: It's a bit premature to make predictions.
Rosenfield: The Red Sox will go to the Playoffs, and will make it to the ALCS or World Series.
Magnanti: I think it will be Reds Sox vs. Cleveland in the Playoffs. I'm very, very nervous though. We could slip up, and we could be out.
Graves: I think the Yankees have a good chance for their 27th world championship.
Rosenfield: There are children growing up in New York who have never seen the Yankees win!
Magnanti ended the discussion by suggesting that some of the group members come to MIT to address less weighty issues in between Red Sox games. By the time this article appears in print, we will know who will be going to the playoffs – the Yankees and/or the Red Sox. You can be sure our article participants will have something to say about that!