Shadenfreude

The Yankees are never far from Boston fans' thoughts.

As you move past Hartford, the New York stations start to fade. The rain lessens and then stops, and two Boston sports-talk radio stations start to boom in loud and clear.

Surely, the listeners are exulting in their Red Sox, back in the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2004, when they rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees and go on to win their first World Series since 1918.

So what are they talking about? The Yankees! Oh, yes, and they are enjoying themselves. The guys on WEEI (850 AM) have a tape of Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling, the Yankees’ announcers, wrapping up Monday night’s season-ending defeat on WCBS (880 AM).

On it, Waldman breaks into soft sobs when telling Sterling of the somber mood in the Yankees’ clubhouse. The Boston hosts play it over and over again, laughing and hooting over her tearful words. “Daddy, why is there evil in the world?” cackles one of the hosts.

Finally, they take a call from a Red Sox fan, “Steve from Marlborough,” who adds that he is a doctor and that it is not all that impressive for Boston fans to kick people when they are down. The hosts pause and give this objection some thought.

They note that Waldman is from the Boston area and is gracious and knowledgeable and that they like her. Then they resume their kicking. “Uh-oh!” one of them says as they play the tape yet again. “Cinderella just lost her slipper!”

A shame. Better pitching from "The Wanger," a few timely hits, and far fewer midges, and we'd be reveling in the glorious over-hype of another Red Sox/Yankees Illiad.