The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees have the most storied rivalry in Major League Baseball, stemming originally from a trade bringing Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees after the 1919 season. The two teams have had more benches-clearing brawls than they have had playoff meetings. The most recent brawl came during the 2004 season, before the Red Sox would end their 86 year World Series drought. Bronson Arroyo beamed Alex Rodriguez in his elbow pad and the benches erupted after A-Rod starting jawing at Arroyo. The Red Sox routed the Yankees later that season after being down three games in the American League Championship Series and went on to win the World Series. The 2004 season epitomizes the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. Spectators saw two World Series-contenders who hated each other almost as much as they wanted to beat one another.

 As thrilling as the 2004 season was for the rivalry, it makes me rather sad. This was the last season of the greatness in the rivalry that we’re used to. A couple seasons later, almost every player from the 2004 heyday of the Red Sox has either left or retired, minus David Ortiz who is still on the Red Sox. All of the Mike Lowell’s, the Mariano Rivera’s, and the Jason Varitek’s are all long gone. Essentially new generations have been ushered into Red Sox Nation and Yankees Universe. The Sox and the Yanks haven’t swapped punches in more than a decade. The rivalry over the past few seasons has been extinct, but that is going to change in 2014.

 The offseason for the Yankees has been nothing unusual for the Bronx Bombers. They shelled out a whooping $465 million on free agent signings. This is staggeringly more than many teams’ payrolls combined. The Yanks signed Jacoby Ellsbury, a five tool outfielder and 2014 World Series Champion with the Red Sox. Red Sox Nation subsequently lost its cool and I fully expect Ellsbury to be booed upon stepping in the batter’s box on April 22 when he returns to Fenway Park. If I were a betting man, I’d say the Sox and the Yanks clear the benches by the their third series.

 Aside from Ellsbury, the Yankees signed a few other former AL East players, such as former Baltimore Oriole Brian Roberts and former Tampa Bay Ray Kelly Johnson. The Ellsbury signing alone will add some fervor to the previously stagnate rivalry, but the other signings between the two powerhouses could potentially bring the rivalry to its previous state because players like Roberts and Johnson come from other teams in the AL East. The AL East is often regarded as the most competitive division in the majors. All five AL East teams have cleared their benches with a division opponent in the past few years.

 In 2014, baseball fans everywhere will witness a rebirth of the storied Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. We’ll catch a glimpse of what this rivalry has been in prior years, especially because the Red Sox are poised to win another championship and the rival Yankees have a line up that is arguably the best in baseball, on paper. Fans can start anticipating the season series between the two teams; these games will no longer be another game of the 162 game season.

 So, baseball fans, tune into the first meeting between the two rivals at Yankee Stadium on April 10 and be thankful that this rivalry is being reborn. It’s been too long since these storied franchises have swapped punches.