Every good story needs a bad guy, a villain, whether it be Dr.Octavius or the Joker. Viewers love to see how horrible a villaincan be, only to see its tragic downfall by a fearless hero. Inother words, every David needs its Goliath.
For 19 years I’ve been around, and only once have I seenmy team, the Kansas City Royals, win the World Series. Granted, Iwas only nine months old at the time, but I still consider myself amiracle baby for being born the same year the Royals earned a worldchampionship.
Since that October in 1985, the Royals have yet to even make itback to the World Series. And in my lifetime as an avid baseballfan, I have learned to hate the Yankees.
Perhaps its the way in which owner George Steinbrenner managesto go out every off-season and purchase new players, buying his wayinto the playoffs year in and year out.
Or maybe its the way in which the Yankees have dominated everyteam in the American League for the past five years, including mybeloved Royals.
And so, through years and years of having to see those damnedYankees in the playoffs, I’ve managed to build up a level ofhatred that I’ve never felt before. And finally, I havereason to let that anger go.
After debating with a friend on how the Yankees are the worstthing for baseball, my friend made a point that I’d neverrealized before; the Yankees are the best thing for baseball.
Now, this point was not based on the fact the Yankees haveperhaps the most storied history in baseball. It was based simplyon the fact that baseball needs a villain, and Steinbrenner and theYankees fit the bill perfectly.
Take for example Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi. Giambi wasa great player with a small market club in Oakland on the verge ofdoing something special.
Yet rather than sticking with David, Giambi elected to jump onwith Goliath for a fat paycheck. Luckily, it has yet to payoff forGiambi as the Yankees have not won a World Series title since hisarrival to New York in 2002.
I must also discuss the issue of Alex Rodriguez.
Rodriguez began his career in Seattle, thriving with the likesof Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson. Yet following theredepartures, Rodriguez decided that playing to win was lessimportant than filling his wallet, signing with the Texas Rangersfor a record 10 year, $252 million deal in 2001. After twounsuccessful years in Texas, Rodriguez demanded a trade and endedup in New York despite being offered a chance to play in Boston.But Boston couldn’t put up enough money to support A-Rod andlost him to the hated Yankees.
Actions like these made by Steinbrenner exhibit why the Yankeesare the most hated team in baseball. But they also exhibit why ateam like the Yankees are good for baseball, relating to my earlierpoint of every David needing his Goliath.
I’ve come to realize that as the Yankees continue to buytheir way in the playoffs, seeing them get knocked out every yeargets even sweeter. That’s why I’ll be pulling for theMinnesota Twins in the postseason. This year, the Twins are thegood guys. A team based primarily on home-grown talent and a strongfan base is what deserves to win it all. Hopefully the Twins willtake on the role of last year’s Florida Marlins the 2002Anaheim Angels, both world champions.
But all I can hope for is that history will repeat itself andthat David will once again prevail. After all, the bad guy alwaysgets it in the end.