It's Never Over!

Shank's Sunday column laments the current state of the Red Sox - Yankees rivalry.

I had this image in my head during the papal conclave. Gathered with holy men from around the globe, there was a cardinal from Boston and a cardinal from New York. Sean O’Malley and Timothy Dolan. I wondered if our guy and their guy might get into it — right in the middle of the Sistine Chapel. A little good-natured Red Sox-Yankees ribbing. Maybe an unholy chant would break out in Latin.

But no.

The rivalry as we knew it is over. It’s no longer an issue of which team will finish first and which one will settle for the wild card.

The question now is, “Who are you going to pick to finish in last place — the Red Sox or the Yankees?’’

The column's a decent summary of the American League East as it's shaping up for the start of the season next week.