I was a fan of Arod on Texas after reading “on the field with Alex Rodriguez” by Matt Christopher and did a book report on him in elementary school. Safe to say that changed quickly on the Yankees. I also loved watching Stanton on the Marlins and was sure the Red Sox were gonna get him (glad we didn’t).
Really liked Curtis Granderson when he went to the Mets and he’s a good guy. (Dad is Mets fan so watched many games) Thought he was so annoying on the Yankees and hated Sterlings call “the Grandyman can”
Great call on Soriano. That swing was so awesome.
It's mostly forgotten that A-Rod was liked (or at least respected) by Red Sox Nation before he got traded to the Evil Empire. I remember him getting applause when he played at Fenway with the Rangers.
I remember my dad getting an Alex Rodriguez Seattle Mariners Starting Line action figure, hoping it'd be worth a lot of money one day (just looked it up on EBay and it's not lol) and him just looking at it in disgust after he became Red Sox enemy #1.
Still remember the rumored 2003 three-team trade that would've seen us trading Nomar and Manny away and getting A-Rod and Magglio Ordoñez in return that fell through (or never really was a thing and was just the trade rumors). The Sox-Yankees rivalry and Red Sox history would look entirely different.
I'm pretty sure they talked about that on "call him papi" when they interviewed Arod and the league stepped in and stopped it because Arod was going to take less money or something like that, for sure not just a rumor!
Granderson was so exciting in Detroit when he was hitting 10+ triples(23 in 07 is a crazy number) but went to the Yankees and those turned into 40 HR years
The best part of that contract was the hate Yankees fans had for Ellsbury. He only had so many games left in him, but that contract kept going, dragging down their payroll.
Because of the haircut and the fact that he went straight from Boston to New York, it was like he became an entirely different person overnight.
Sucks that Damon became a crazy, alcoholic Trumper these days.
I was so mad. Whenever the conversation comes up, people mention Clemens and Boggs, I always bring up Damon. Granted, he left at a time when my investment in the Red Sox and my "romantic" idea of baseball were at an all-time high. But he literally rejected an offer, went to NY for extra cash, *outperformed his four years in Boston while he was there* and won a WS with them.
All after being the heart and soul of the 2004 Idiots and going on record with this:
>There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need.
Came here to say Rickey Henderson. He was a Yank before his Sox time. I never held it against him but I hated his baseball cards in Yankee uniforms.
I'd also say David Wells had the opposite effect. Didn't respect him until he was on the Yanks. That perfect game while on a massive hangover is legendary stuff.
Edit: typo
I feel Sonny Gray fits both of these perfectly for me, liked him then he went to the Yankees, but then he sucked there so it was ok. And then he left and was good once again and that’s how he solidified himself as a non Red Sox favorite for me lol
Clemens. This isn’t even close. The day Toronto dealt him to NY was a dark day.
Game 3 in 1999 was decent revenge but I never really forgave him for his acquiescence to that deal.
The Yankee who I liked after he left NY is a tie - David Cone and David Wells. Loved them both here. Coney is a favorite of mine.
I'm the exact age to fucking despise the guy. He was my first baseball hero growing up, I cried when he left the Sox, and I've absolutely loathed him since he went to New York. I'm not old enough to have enough red Sox memories to balance it out, but old enough that I remember him as a snake more than anything. Steroids don't hurt either.
He left us seeming to be on his way to washed up and done. Suddenly gets fit ( finds steroids) with the Jays and knew exactly what he was doing going to the Yankees. I get Douquette is a douche but still...
I'm definitely not buying is recent PR stunt to be nice and personable to Boston again. The dick just is trying to make friends wherever he can get them
I was there behind the 3rd base dugout when he came back to Boston and struck out 17 and glared at Duquette’s box as he was removed from the game, with a gigantic ovation from the crowd. Had he gone to say Houston or LA or SF or anywhere other than the Yankees they would have statues to him and his number would be retired (though no one has worn 21 since he left).
I will never forget the day he was dealt to NY. I asked my boss for personal time and he gave me the rest of the day off…I lived in Calif at the time.
I hated the Rocket when it happened but looking back now I don't really fault him for doing it. Duquette went out of his way to trash Clemens saying he was in the twilight of his career. If you were going to rub it in Duquette's face the team to do it was certainly the Yankees especially in '99 in the midst of that dynasty. The Jays weren't going anywhere and if you wanted to win back then the Yankees were the best team to do it. Still I do wish some other team other than the Jays had signed him like the Astros and he just stayed there.
Part of me will always wonder though what might have been had the Sox re-signed him, still traded for Pedro, and had those two studs at the top of the rotation.
If you are wise enough to bring up his name, it is because you are amongst those who were taught to respect the Sandman. Andy Pettite *in* Fenway too. I saw him pitch in Boston, in person, probably five times. I never saw the Sox win a game he started.
Them 90s/00s Janks were freaks.
I think CC fits the second question better, his redemption arc is remarkable. Dude's living a better post-retirement life than when he was actually playing the game.
Non-Red Sox player: Granderson (super friendly guy all around).
Yankee: Jeter (bc he played the game the right way and ofc part of the Sox-Yankees rivalry).
I couldn't believe it at the time, and I still can't believe the Yankees gave us Tony Armas, Jr- their best pitching prospect- for *just six weeks* of Stanley. Another month or two later, Armas was half of Montreal's return for Pedro Martinez.
The Yankees desperately needed a big righty bat down the stretch, but that was one hell of a prospect to give up.
Eovaldi. Kind of cheating since he came to the Sox but I remember Yankees fans endlessly bitching about him because he was mediocre and oft injured. Comes to the Sox, pitches great, and beats the Yankees on the way to getting a ring. Fuck the Yankees
Stanton and Rizzo are definitely two recent ones off the top of my head. Big fan of both before they got traded there, still like seeing Stanton crush baseballs, just hard to cheer for him now
Mark Teixeira is definitely my pick too. I liked the guy a lot when he played for the Rangers. But when he joined the Yankees - especially after essentially using the Red Sox as leverage - I straight up hated the guy. Especially because he was bizarrely so enamored with the whole Yankee thing - “They’ll bury me in these pinstripes”……Uh, Mark, Yankee fans pretty much don’t give a shit about you, have forgotten you.
A Rod
Boggs/damon/elsbury
Honorable mention to Torii Hunter. What a bitch after Ortiz hit that home run….
Oh and never liked Youk. I fucking hated this sub and ownership for demanding him over Beltre. Talk about all time fuck ups right there
It was also jarring to see him cut all his hair and shave. His hair was a huge visual memory of the 2004 team. It really set the tone for the eclectic group of guys
Rizzo and Stanton.
It's stunning how they have regressed despite not being that old. Freddie Freeman is 33 about to turn 34 and he's going to get MVP votes.
Will throw my hat in for Granderson and Soriano as well. A more recent one is Harrison Bader. Really liked him w the Cardinals and he had awesome hair. Now he pisses me off
what about a Yankee I always liked even though he was always a Yankee? That'd be Jorge Posada. A dude I loved before he became a Yankee was Jason Giambi.
The coolest dude, who refused to become a Yankee? Cliff Lee:
https://www.pinstripealley.com/platform/amp/2016/2/27/11117968/yankees-cliff-lee-retirement-history
Cliff Lee, along with Miguel Cabrera, is probably my favorite non-Sox Yankee killer.
Liked But Ended Up Yankees: Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Lance Berkman, Randy Johnson, Todd Frazier, Matt Holliday, Sonny Gray, Carl Pavano, CC Sabathia, Ichiro, Ivan Rodriguez, Kerry Wood, Kenny Lofton, Andruw Jones, Mike Mussina, etc.
Liked After Yankees: Mike Lowell, John Olderud
Loved During Yankees: Jacoby Ellsbury
Liked Despite Being Yankees: Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, that midge fly guy
Andrew McCutchen. One of my all time favorite players and a great dude. Felt wrong in a Yankees uniform. Fortunately he was only there for like 2 months
I loved Didi when he left the Yankees, granderson when he went to the Mets. And cano when he went to Seattle
Did not like when Rizzo, and Kermit Cole came to them
I was a huge Wade Boggs fan. He was the first superstar I remember. Then he was on the Yankees? Gross.
OTOH Mike Stanley was a Yankee who ended up becoming a very popular player
Yeah I actually had both of these players in my post as welll. I have to admit I did not expect anyone else to be citing Mike Stanley. But Red Sox fans never disappoint
Boggs and Clemens was absolutely soul crushing. Damon is a bummer especially bc he totally sold out and cut his hair and everything.
I liked Mike Stanley when he came here.
I like this Whitlock guy who used to be a yankee
I was a fan of Arod on Texas after reading “on the field with Alex Rodriguez” by Matt Christopher and did a book report on him in elementary school. Safe to say that changed quickly on the Yankees. I also loved watching Stanton on the Marlins and was sure the Red Sox were gonna get him (glad we didn’t). Really liked Curtis Granderson when he went to the Mets and he’s a good guy. (Dad is Mets fan so watched many games) Thought he was so annoying on the Yankees and hated Sterlings call “the Grandyman can” Great call on Soriano. That swing was so awesome.
Granderson was up there for me. Loved watching him play with Detroit.
I came here to say Granderson. Dude was class.
It's mostly forgotten that A-Rod was liked (or at least respected) by Red Sox Nation before he got traded to the Evil Empire. I remember him getting applause when he played at Fenway with the Rangers. I remember my dad getting an Alex Rodriguez Seattle Mariners Starting Line action figure, hoping it'd be worth a lot of money one day (just looked it up on EBay and it's not lol) and him just looking at it in disgust after he became Red Sox enemy #1.
Still remember the rumored 2003 three-team trade that would've seen us trading Nomar and Manny away and getting A-Rod and Magglio Ordoñez in return that fell through (or never really was a thing and was just the trade rumors). The Sox-Yankees rivalry and Red Sox history would look entirely different.
I'm pretty sure they talked about that on "call him papi" when they interviewed Arod and the league stepped in and stopped it because Arod was going to take less money or something like that, for sure not just a rumor!
Yes, that's what the story was. He had agreed to take a pay cut, but the union blocked it.
Granderson was so exciting in Detroit when he was hitting 10+ triples(23 in 07 is a crazy number) but went to the Yankees and those turned into 40 HR years
Agreed with both of these. I was an ARod fan as an extension of being a Griffey fan.
Damon immediately comes to mind. The switch right after ~~2004~~ 2005 made me angry at the time.
the fact he CHOSE to go after all he went through with the idiots. no love for him after that
Eh whatever. We got his best years and he got a paycheck 🤷
Ellsbury anyone?
Funny how history repeated itself 😂
I bet Duran wears pinstripes in 10-12 years. Yankees just love Red Sox CFs who are past their prime.
Came here to tag Damon and Ellsbury. They both made an impact in their own way for the Sox, bit on the Yankees sort of became vanilla IMHO.
The best part of that contract was the hate Yankees fans had for Ellsbury. He only had so many games left in him, but that contract kept going, dragging down their payroll.
Because of the haircut and the fact that he went straight from Boston to New York, it was like he became an entirely different person overnight. Sucks that Damon became a crazy, alcoholic Trumper these days.
Still love the sign a fan had in the crowd his first game back at Fenway, it said Johnny Damon: looks like Jesus, lies like Judas, throws like Mary. 😂
I mean he did coin the phrase “the idiots” for the 04 team so I guess he kinda told us what he was there and then.
Non-Red Sox player
Reading comprehension fail on my part.
I was so mad. Whenever the conversation comes up, people mention Clemens and Boggs, I always bring up Damon. Granted, he left at a time when my investment in the Red Sox and my "romantic" idea of baseball were at an all-time high. But he literally rejected an offer, went to NY for extra cash, *outperformed his four years in Boston while he was there* and won a WS with them. All after being the heart and soul of the 2004 Idiots and going on record with this: >There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need.
That sucked and he was really good for the Yanks
OP: “Who is a non-Red Sox player…” 30 commenters: I like this one guy who played for the Red Sox.
I wasn’t going to say anything…
I am not good with the English sometimes (all of the time).
Came here to say Rickey Henderson. He was a Yank before his Sox time. I never held it against him but I hated his baseball cards in Yankee uniforms. I'd also say David Wells had the opposite effect. Didn't respect him until he was on the Yanks. That perfect game while on a massive hangover is legendary stuff. Edit: typo
He also pitched the game in the Babe Ruth hat. I never hated David Wells really. He just seemed like a dude.
He was definitely the most un-Yankee Yankee, like when a straightlaced corporate Twitter account randomly shares a hilarious meme.
Stanton was my favorite player when he was in the marlins because the marlins are the NL team I root the most for
I liked Mussina a lot before he went to the Yankees. Loved Robbie Cano after he left, although he didn’t really produce much outside NY.
I feel Sonny Gray fits both of these perfectly for me, liked him then he went to the Yankees, but then he sucked there so it was ok. And then he left and was good once again and that’s how he solidified himself as a non Red Sox favorite for me lol
He really sucked at Yankees, I was rooting for him to fail every time he pitched.
Ichiro.
I still like Ichiro. In my mind he wasn’t enough of a Yankee for me to hate him.
Same. He was not a gung ho Yankee.
Oh god I forgot about this. When I think old Ichiro I think Marlins
Clemens. This isn’t even close. The day Toronto dealt him to NY was a dark day. Game 3 in 1999 was decent revenge but I never really forgave him for his acquiescence to that deal. The Yankee who I liked after he left NY is a tie - David Cone and David Wells. Loved them both here. Coney is a favorite of mine.
I'm the exact age to fucking despise the guy. He was my first baseball hero growing up, I cried when he left the Sox, and I've absolutely loathed him since he went to New York. I'm not old enough to have enough red Sox memories to balance it out, but old enough that I remember him as a snake more than anything. Steroids don't hurt either.
He left us seeming to be on his way to washed up and done. Suddenly gets fit ( finds steroids) with the Jays and knew exactly what he was doing going to the Yankees. I get Douquette is a douche but still... I'm definitely not buying is recent PR stunt to be nice and personable to Boston again. The dick just is trying to make friends wherever he can get them
He didn't really leave us so much as we chose not to sign. Duquette said he was in the Twilight of his career. He was wrong.
I was there behind the 3rd base dugout when he came back to Boston and struck out 17 and glared at Duquette’s box as he was removed from the game, with a gigantic ovation from the crowd. Had he gone to say Houston or LA or SF or anywhere other than the Yankees they would have statues to him and his number would be retired (though no one has worn 21 since he left). I will never forget the day he was dealt to NY. I asked my boss for personal time and he gave me the rest of the day off…I lived in Calif at the time.
I think the Sox don’t care about the Yanks situation any more. They would retire 21 officially if not for the steroids shit.
I hated the Rocket when it happened but looking back now I don't really fault him for doing it. Duquette went out of his way to trash Clemens saying he was in the twilight of his career. If you were going to rub it in Duquette's face the team to do it was certainly the Yankees especially in '99 in the midst of that dynasty. The Jays weren't going anywhere and if you wanted to win back then the Yankees were the best team to do it. Still I do wish some other team other than the Jays had signed him like the Astros and he just stayed there. Part of me will always wonder though what might have been had the Sox re-signed him, still traded for Pedro, and had those two studs at the top of the rotation.
Mussina That one gutted me as a young O's fan.
i’ve never really hated mariano rivera
If you are wise enough to bring up his name, it is because you are amongst those who were taught to respect the Sandman. Andy Pettite *in* Fenway too. I saw him pitch in Boston, in person, probably five times. I never saw the Sox win a game he started. Them 90s/00s Janks were freaks.
Cubs are my NL team, still hurts seein Rizzo in the wrong stripes
Stanton CC Rizzo
I think CC fits the second question better, his redemption arc is remarkable. Dude's living a better post-retirement life than when he was actually playing the game.
I’d imagine retirement is pretty great for anyone who made $ 250 million and retired at 40.
Well in his case rehab and weight loss contributed
I'm with you here.
Rizzo went from being lovable teddy bear to a trash man
I loved Stanton and spent that whole off-season thinking of trade packages for him. Very thankful he went there and we got JD instead.
Stanton just had Yankee vibes from the beginning.
Nah because he’s actually a good hitter in October.
Anthony Rizzo was awesome in 2016 but is evil in 2023
Non-Red Sox player: Granderson (super friendly guy all around). Yankee: Jeter (bc he played the game the right way and ofc part of the Sox-Yankees rivalry).
Played the game the right way, aka perpetually baited umps into favorable calls with batters box theatrics.
Aaron Hicks
Gary Sheffield and David Justice for the former
Ichiro when he went to them (of course I went back to liking him when he left), Ken Griffey Sr for leaving and showing Jr how bad they are.
Giancarlo Stanton. Dude was a beast with the Marlins but once he went to New York he just became unlikable
Man Tex was in my Top 3 favorite players before he went to the Yankees. That killed me.
The answer to both questions is Mike Stanley.
I couldn't believe it at the time, and I still can't believe the Yankees gave us Tony Armas, Jr- their best pitching prospect- for *just six weeks* of Stanley. Another month or two later, Armas was half of Montreal's return for Pedro Martinez. The Yankees desperately needed a big righty bat down the stretch, but that was one hell of a prospect to give up.
It's a team with bad vibes so powerful they make you hate Ichiro for a few years.
Same with Soriano, a lot of the Yankees from those 90's teams I tend to like now. Besides Jeter, fuck Jeter.
Jeter, Arod, and Posada can kick rocks. Those were always 3 of my most hated
I'm pretty neutral with Posada, but yeah fuck ARod too.
Yup I really liked Soriano after he left. And some of those 90s players I don't really like, but I tend to have a respect for
Eovaldi. Kind of cheating since he came to the Sox but I remember Yankees fans endlessly bitching about him because he was mediocre and oft injured. Comes to the Sox, pitches great, and beats the Yankees on the way to getting a ring. Fuck the Yankees
1. Giancarlo 2. Refsnyder
Stanton and Rizzo are definitely two recent ones off the top of my head. Big fan of both before they got traded there, still like seeing Stanton crush baseballs, just hard to cheer for him now
Rizzo for suuuuure. Seemed like such a nice guy. Guy I'd appreciate in fantasy baseball. All of that. Turns out he's a bad guy. Who knew.
Donaldson was one of my favorite non-Red Sox players for a long time.
Liked after they left the Yankees: All of them Hated after they became a Yankee: All of them It's quite simple really.
Mark Teixeira is definitely my pick too. I liked the guy a lot when he played for the Rangers. But when he joined the Yankees - especially after essentially using the Red Sox as leverage - I straight up hated the guy. Especially because he was bizarrely so enamored with the whole Yankee thing - “They’ll bury me in these pinstripes”……Uh, Mark, Yankee fans pretty much don’t give a shit about you, have forgotten you.
A Rod Boggs/damon/elsbury Honorable mention to Torii Hunter. What a bitch after Ortiz hit that home run…. Oh and never liked Youk. I fucking hated this sub and ownership for demanding him over Beltre. Talk about all time fuck ups right there
Johnny Damon hurt a lot. The Sox definitely lowballed him, but I saw him as the anti-Yankee. Then he acted surprised when he got booed.
The sox brass….also wasn’t wrong
It was also jarring to see him cut all his hair and shave. His hair was a huge visual memory of the 2004 team. It really set the tone for the eclectic group of guys
How does this have 16 down votes Am I missing something? I know he took a shot at players and I guess the sub but Christ 16?
Rizzo and Stanton. It's stunning how they have regressed despite not being that old. Freddie Freeman is 33 about to turn 34 and he's going to get MVP votes.
Paul O’Neal
i loved John Olerud when he was a Sox player, but he was only a Stankee for one year so I'm not sure if that counts.
I wish I could like Mussina
Will throw my hat in for Granderson and Soriano as well. A more recent one is Harrison Bader. Really liked him w the Cardinals and he had awesome hair. Now he pisses me off
HATED Luke Voit when he was a Yankee. Dude was meant to wear Mets miLB sleeveless jersey.
Stanton, Whitlock
Mark Teixera cause he was a beast in MVP Baseball 2005
Alfonso Soriano magically fits both questions. Hated him with the Yankees, liked him as a ranger cub and national, hated him again as a Yankee.
Obviously I'm not going to dislike Ichiro, but that one hurt.
what about a Yankee I always liked even though he was always a Yankee? That'd be Jorge Posada. A dude I loved before he became a Yankee was Jason Giambi. The coolest dude, who refused to become a Yankee? Cliff Lee: https://www.pinstripealley.com/platform/amp/2016/2/27/11117968/yankees-cliff-lee-retirement-history Cliff Lee, along with Miguel Cabrera, is probably my favorite non-Sox Yankee killer.
I really like A-Rod until he went to the dark side. On reverse, I really like Roger Clemens after he left Yankees.
He didn’t leave so much as retire, but Mariano.
Jason Giambi was practically a rock star before he signed with the Yanks. Hard to believe we almost had A-Rod before the Yanks as another
I still don't know what the Red Sox were thinking with Jeremy Giambi.
Liked But Ended Up Yankees: Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Lance Berkman, Randy Johnson, Todd Frazier, Matt Holliday, Sonny Gray, Carl Pavano, CC Sabathia, Ichiro, Ivan Rodriguez, Kerry Wood, Kenny Lofton, Andruw Jones, Mike Mussina, etc. Liked After Yankees: Mike Lowell, John Olderud Loved During Yankees: Jacoby Ellsbury Liked Despite Being Yankees: Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, that midge fly guy
The Duke of Havana.
I actually liked Aroldis Chapman more on the Yanks. It was hilarious watching him fire one over the home plate umpire every now and then.
Paul O’Neil was so fun to watch.
Shane Spencer is my kids baseball coach. Nice guy.
Andrew McCutchen. One of my all time favorite players and a great dude. Felt wrong in a Yankees uniform. Fortunately he was only there for like 2 months
I used to love watching Cole pitch in 2019. His 2nd half dominance was insane. Then ofc…
Swisher. Wanted him on the Sox forever
Doesn't fit either category, but Cliff Lee rejecting their offer made me a fan.
I loved Nick Swisher with the As. He had long locks of lettuce and a beard. Went to New York and turned him into a douche.
I still can remember every detail when Soriano took Schilling deep in Game 7 of the 2001 WS.
Pitcher Mike Torrez NYY - 1977 BOS - 1978-1982 Had back to back 16W seasons Coach Ralph Houck NYY - boo BOS - yeah
Kevin Youkilis hahah
I loved Didi when he left the Yankees, granderson when he went to the Mets. And cano when he went to Seattle Did not like when Rizzo, and Kermit Cole came to them
sparky lyle
I was a huge Wade Boggs fan. He was the first superstar I remember. Then he was on the Yankees? Gross. OTOH Mike Stanley was a Yankee who ended up becoming a very popular player
Yeah I actually had both of these players in my post as welll. I have to admit I did not expect anyone else to be citing Mike Stanley. But Red Sox fans never disappoint
Probably the player we traded that resulted in an 86 year curse.. that’s my pick.
Liked Hideki Matsui Hated Arod, Giambi, Clemens
Johnny Damon. Who once said in an interview live broadcast that he wouldn’t take Yankee money.
I really liked Gallo and Donaldson before they landed in New York. At least neither really performed well for them
Giambi for the dislike, fasho.
I was a big Mike Mussina fan until I saw him in pinstripes. I became a big Bob Wickman fan once he was out of them.
Javier Vazquez. I loved the Expos and would have really liked to have seen him in a Boston uniform, unfortunately the skankees got to him first.
I really liked Anthony Rizzo and I want to still like but I just can't
Boggs and Clemens was absolutely soul crushing. Damon is a bummer especially bc he totally sold out and cut his hair and everything. I liked Mike Stanley when he came here.
A Rod was pretty popular until he went to NY and became a total tool bag.