If you haven't been paying attention to Hank "Raul Castro" Steinbrenner's words about the Red Sox in the last few days, congratulations! You're officially aware of the 28 other teams of the league.
In an interview this weekend, Little Stein said that Red Sox Nation was an invention of ESPN, who's filled with Red Sox fans, and that this is still a country of Yankee fans. Even me. That Detroit Free Press insert hanging on my wall that they were handing out after the Tigers 2006 ALDS victory over the Yankees? It's because I really like the New York team.
That alone is enough proof that what Steinbrenner said is true. And now the retort by steel-drivin' Red Sox owner John Henry:
I'm a big Hank fan," Henry wrote. "Just to ensure he knows how cool Red Sox Nation is, today we officially inducted him as a member of Red Sox Nation and we are sending him his membership card giving him access to an array of options including our newsletter, bumper stickers, pins, Green Monster seats and a hat personally autographed by David Ortiz."
Not a hat! What a bitch. Steinbrenner would do well to counter this gift basket move with a charitable gambit of his own: a Wilson Betemit-autographed batting glove. Better yet, just Wilson Betemit.
Loudmouth Hank Is Now A Member of RSN [Sox & Dawgs]