On Monday a group of photographers assembled at the back of home plate more than a half hour prior to the Red Sox’s exhibition game against the Yankees with a reason that had nothing to do with narrating Tim Wakefield’s first pitch. Instead, they were there to publicly memorialize the verity that Red Red Sox-Yankees, the longstanding rivalry between two ardent baseball cities, has now become international.
If you missed it, let me explain you again, the Red Sox has signed a $103.1 million contract during the offseason to obtain Japanese pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka. Whereas Yankees star Hideki Matsui, the hitting counterpart of Matsuzaka is stepping into his fifth season. So now you can be sure yet another breadth has been supplemented to this multifaceted rivalry.
There was a wave of excitement among the audience present there to see both big shots from same country but playing for two different teams in a foreign country. There were quite a few bows and a few handshakes between the three players, not to state numerous camera clicks. Besides all the meets and greets, it should be rather the tone in April, when Matsuzaka and Matsui will expectedly have their first pitcher-hitter row since the 2001 Japan Series.
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Matsui is well-established in the rivalry by now. His critical double against Pedro Martinez during the epic comeback in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series was his official commencement. Matsuzaka is sure to have many contention instances with the clubs meeting 18 times this year, and probably more during that vital month of October.
So lets see watch out natives being rivals!