True Rival for Yankees in Words and Deeds

True Rival for Yankees in Words and Deeds The Yankees are gone, off to Detroit, where they began a four-game series Tarps against the Tigers on Monday. But they did enough damage during a weekend stay here to leave Red Sox Nation feeling dubious about its chances in 2010.

Boston did salvage something from the series by defeating the defending World Series champions on Sunday night by a 9-3 score. But the Yankees romped in the first two games at Fenway Park, and have now won 9 of 10 series they have played this season.

So Yankees haters should brace themselves. The Yankees are already five games ahead of Boston in the American League East, and their rivalry with the Red Sox may not amount to much for the rest of the season. A new rival may be needed to keep things interesting. Of course, it’s possible the Yankees already have one, although he is on the other side of the country. Introducing Dallas Braden, the Oakland pitcher who produced the 19th perfect game in major league history on Sunday.

Tarps Braden first made news last month when he angrily called out Alex Rodriguez for crossing over the pitcher’s mound while returning to first base after a foul ball. Braden, who was the Oakland pitcher that day, said Rodriguez had intruded on his work space and violated an unwritten baseball rule.

At the time, Rodriguez, sitting like Zeus with his World Series ring, dismissed Braden’s complaint as the irritating barking of a player with no standing. After all, Braden had never won more than eight games in a season. So who was he to initiate a silly war of words over some murky baseball taboo?

As if on cue, Braden barreled into history Sunday and truly made a name for himself. Afterward, Rodriguez effectively patted Braden on the head and said it was great that he pitched a perfect game and even better that he beat Tampa Bay, which, at least for the moment, has been having an even better season than the Yankees.

Braden, now that he has pitched a perfect game, should be able to hold court whenever he wishes. Who can question his status now?

Actually, Rodriguez’s own manager, Joe Girardi, said Sunday that he thought that any player should be encouraged to express himself, regardless of how long, or distinguished, his major league résumé is.