Boston Red Sox Fans Sad about Arroyo's Deal with whateverteamheplaysfornow, New York is also a City Where Baseball is Played

As a fan of a small-mid market midwestern baseball team, being exasperated over the ridiculous eastcoast bias in sports reporting among major sports news networks (si.com, espn.com, and the like) is a favorite hobby of mine.

Here are a few recent examples that make me want to beat people up:

1) Here's SI's Jon Heyman getting paid by one of the foremost sports journalism entities in the world to not accurately research ex-manager Davey Johnson's history, describing him as the "ex-Mets, Orioles, and Dodgers manager."

Maybe I'm nitpicking or presuming too much...but it isn't surprising to me that the one team he forgot (overlooked? purposefully omitted? MURDERED IN THEIR SLEEP?!!) was the Reds. Even though Davey took them to the playoffs in 1995 (and likely '94 if it weren't for the strike) and managed them a year longer than he did either the Dodgers or the Orioles.

Whatever, Heyman. Get a clue, jerkface.

2) We, the forgotten midwesterns, aren't even asking for good attention from the national media- Nay! - Even a firm slap in the ass every once in awhile will tell us that you know we're there. Love me, damn you!

Exempli gratia, ESPN's John Shea decides that the Boston Red Sox are the team to watch as the "Cold Plate Special" (whatever that means- either worst or greatest drop-off from what I can tell) in the "everyday lineup" category. REALLY?! You mean the lineup featuring Manny Ramirez AND David Ortiz (much less either one)?! The one that added J. D. Drew and lost no one of offensive note?! That's the "Cold Plate Special"?!!! Seriously, John Shea, you couldn't think of any team outside the state of -assachusetts*?!!?!

Here are a few teams (just from the AL) that have a worse lineup than the Red Sox:

Blue Jays
Devil Rays
Orioles
Royals
Athletics
Mariners
Angels

Here are teams whose lineups are arguably worse or at least equal to that of the Red Sox:

Indians
Tigers
Twins
White Sox
Rangers

Teams with lineups pretty clearly better than the Red Sox:

Yankees

Have I driven this point home enough? No. The Red Sox were ranked 2nd in OPS and 6th in runs scored in the AL last year. In other words, THEY ARE NOT LEGITIMATE CANDIDATES FOR SOME BIZARRELY TITLED (oh, I just got it: like "homeplate" cold plate...I thought they were referring to some sort of oily pasta salad. Which might explain their inclusion in the "Wet Noodle Posse") LAME PUNNED FEATURE HIGHLIGHTING POSSIBLY TERRIBLE LINEUPS. Bitch.

I think it's safe to say that John Shea is sufficiently quivering in realization of his lazy wrongitude by now. The cornbelt can only hope.


*Oh my God, I am a genius.