Yankees Outdo Red Sox in Soccer

Liverpool FC will be playing AS Roma at Fenway Park on July 25th. The Sox owners also own Liverpool so it makes sense. However, the Yankees recently announced that they'll be hosting a pair of soccer games, and both of them blow Fenway's out of the water.

On July 22 in Yankee Stadium, Chelsea FC (recently crowned European Champions) will play Paris St. Germain (PSG). PSG finished second in the French league, and will be playing in next season's Champions League. So will Chelsea, who finished 6th in England, but are still one of the most popular teams in the world, loaded with star talent.

On August 8th, Yankee Stadium hosts an even bigger game. Real Madrid are playing AC Milan. Real Madrid won the Spanish league (for the 32nd time), and have won the Champions League 9 times. AC Milan finished 2nd in the Italian league, have won that league 18 times, and have won the Champions League 7 times.

All four teams the Yankees host will be in the 2012-13 Champions' League.

Meanwhile, Fenway Park will host the 8th place English team, and the 7th place Italian team. Neither team will be in the Champions League or any other European competition. The two teams combined to win 30 games, lose 28, and draw 18.

Why care so much about soccer teams and exhibition games? Because it's another example of how big a world the Fenway Sports Group entered into when they bought Liverpool. They're out of their element.

Real Madrid is worth over three times as much as Liverpool, $1.877 billion compared to $619 million (Source: Forbes). Real Madrid and AC Milan combined are worth $2.866 billion, while Liverpool and AS Roma are together worth $973 million.

The Red Sox and Liverpool will both make some money when Liverpool comes to town, but the on field product isn't nearly as exciting or as enticing or as profitable as the giants that will be playing down at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees aren't attached to a mediocre English team. They can invite the best teams from Europe to play. And that will attract fans who will pay lots of money to see them play.

Liverpool is a 2nd rate team in danger of becoming 3rd rate. Fenway Sports Group was a big fish in a small pond when they bought Liverpool. But now they're in a much larger ocean. And the sharks are much bigger.

-The Captain

Reason Why Rivera's Surgery Was Delayed

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who suffered a torn ACL shagging fly balls last week, also has a blood clot in his right calf and has been placed on blood-thinning medication.

“I was more concerned about the blood clot than the knee,” Rivera said at a press conference Wednesday. “For a minute I thought, ‘What else is going to happen?’ … I was scared. I never hear good things about blood clots (WEEI).”

We were wondering the reason, and this seems to be it. Makes sense since when you have a blood clot they put you on blood thinners, and that's not something you want to be on when they cut you open.

Rivera says that if he comes back next year he is going to continue to sag fly balls...

"It happened doing something I love," he said of the injury. "After 22 years of shagging, it happened."

Which is one of the funniest statements I have heard in awhile.

Rivera Surgery Delayed

"Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera (knee) "ran into complications" during his visit with doctors on Monday, his agent told the New York Post. Rivera is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL while shagging fly balls during batting practice last Thursday at Kansas City. However, according to ESPN.com, the issues are not considered serious, but the team was unable to set a date for surgery."

This is a huge blow for the Yankees as it makes a bullpen that looked to be pretty good a lot weaker, and with a weak starting rotation the Yankees look vulnerable. I hate the Yankees more than anything, but I do hope Rivera comes back next year. He is the greatest closer of all-time and I don't want to see his career come to an end while shagging fly falls for some journeyman call up.

Rivera, for his part, has said he is coming back. I believe him. You have to question how good he will be after missing the rest of the season, and being yet another year older, but if anyone can do it it's probably Rivera.

Michael Pineda Out For The Year

Remember the blockbuster trade this summer where the Yankees traded hitter Jesus Montero for Seattle Ace Michael Pineda and all of us Red Sox fans were pissed because Pineda was going to be a surefire Ace? Things just got a lot more tricky as Michael Pineda will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder and will be out for the rest of the season.

This is a big deal for the Yankees as shoulder issues are a big risk on pitchers. Curt Schilling, Tommy Hanson and Jake Peavy have all survived the scare. The surgeon described himself as "cautiously optimistic" that Pineda will regain his ability after surgery, because Pineda's rotator cuff is undamaged, but he acknowledged that "shoulder surgery is challenging." The fact that the surgery will be performed arthroscopically rather than with an open incision also works in Pineda's favor.

I have a feeling Pineda will be back and be fine next year due to that, but this is certainly not what the Yankees thought they were trading for. Luckily for them Andy Pettite will be there to eventually unseat Freddy Garcia.

How Bad Are the Red Sox?

The Red Sox grounds' crew didn't even put a tarp down yesterday afternoon. There was a 90% chance of rain, but a 100% chance that the Sox were not going to play on Sunday. And who could blame them.

The 3 inning, 14 run collapse of the bullpen on Saturday was almost humorous. The ways this team finds to lose ballgames seems too surreal to be true. To be up 9-1 in the 7th inning and still lose. How is that possible?

With this team, though, it's expected.

This team finished 3rd place last year, and what did the Front Office do in an effort to improve? Lose a closer, lose a short-stop, fire a manager, lose a GM. Should we be surprised that this team is struggling?

It's not Bobby Valentine's fault. He inherited a circus. And even if you change ring leaders in a circus, clowns are still clowns. But I don't think that Character is the problem with the Sox. At least not the biggest problem.

There simply isn't enough talent. Vicente Padilla was on the scrap heap for a reason. The Red Sox haven't acquired a sought-after reliever since Keith Foulke. They sign a bunch of question marks to fill in their bullpen depth chart and hope one or two work out. Then they move their 2nd best reliever to the rotation.

This team is a mess. On the field, off the field, everywhere. They don't score runs consistently. They've already lost twice when scoring 9+ runs. Their bullpen is horrific. The rotation is still questionable.

This team sucks. Only the Royals have a worse record in the AL.

They're in Minnesota tonight. Bard has been skipped and Lester will be starting. He'll oppose Jason Marquis. I think the Sox are desperate for a win, and putting Lester on the mound gives them a good chance of getting one.

-The Captain