Sox tooled up for run at Yanks

By John Roberts Sports Central Columnist

"You've gotta have heart, all you really need is heart. When the odds are sayin' you'll never win, that's when the grin should start. You've gotta have hope, mustn't sit around and mope."

-- "Damn Yankees" musical

The Boston Red Sox certainly weren't sitting around feeling sorry for themselves during the weeks leading up to Wednesday's trade deadline.

With interim general manager Mike Port sounding the rallying cry, Boston is making its latest best bid to slay the hated Damn Yankees in the AL East.

The Red Sox, with the dearly departed "Splendid Splinter" frozen in limbo, would gladly sell their souls for another shot at a World Series title -- but no one is buying.

The Yankees always seem to be standing in the way, though. From the "Curse of the Babe" to Bucky Dent's blast, Boston has been tormented by failure at the hands of the Yanks.

"No more," says Nomar Garciaparra!

Boston was among the most active traders. The Sox wooed Cliff Floyd from Montreal for pitchers Sun-Woo Kim and Seung Song. And with the deadline passed, Floyd, who was traded three weeks earlier from Florida to Montreal, finally can unpack his bags.

The Red Sox also added relievers Alan Embree and Bobby Howry to help set up Ugueth Urbina.

No Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo., in the whole lot. But the mere fact the Sox countered the Yanks' adding Raul Mondesi and Jeff Weaver gives fans of the Old Town Team reason to believe the boys won't wilt down the stretch as they have so often in the past.

Perhaps Pedro Martinez can revive those dreams of drilling the Babe in the butt.

Garciaparra says he was happy with the team before all the trades -- and he should be pleased that the team is in the hunt for a wild card. But, the Yankees and the World Series are the big prize, and the Sox weren't going to make a run at either without management going to bat. Something it hasn't done much of before during the reign of ousted GM Dan Duquette.

Port and the Sox showed they've got heart -- now it's time to put the horse before the cart and get it done because, as all the baseball world has witnessed before, whatever the Yankees want, the Yankees (usually) get.

World Series, the Yankees want you.

A Red Sox title would cause mayhem in Beantown and might help Ted Williams' children settle their arguments over the final disposition of his body.

What better way than a triumphant World Series to help "The Kid" finally rest in peace?

Article courtesy of Sports Central.