Old rivals, new stripes
The New York Yankees still play in this league, they just have a new home.
The Hudson Valley Renegades now host the High-A prospects for the Yankees, setting up this year — and the next 10 years of the Professional Development License — for more Mets vs. Yankees rivalries in our backyard.
With the adjustment of the minor league system and the removal of the Staten Island Yankees, the Battle for the Bridge has come to an end.
This time around, it’s an old rival in new stripes.
Robert Pimpsner, the founder of Pinstriped Pros, has covered the Staten Island Yankees and the Yankees vs. Cyclones matchups for years and years.
“Hudson Valley is as much Yankee country as any other part of New York,” he said. “They’re roughly 30 minutes from Yankee Stadium so the support is there.”
It’s true that the fans in and around Wappingers Falls supported the Tampa Bay Rays for the past few seasons, showing passion unlike many others in the old New York-Penn League. And it’s also true that upstate Mets fans would turn out to see the future of the Mets: the Brooklyn Cyclones.
But under the cover of those old Renegades and Rays hats are Yankees fans — tons and tons of New York Yankees fans.
“It’s going to be a fun rivalry,” Pimpsner said. “Hudson Valley as a franchise has always done a great job. They’re very excited to host the Yankees.”
The front office in Hudson Valley rebranded themselves to include the famed (eye-roll for Mets fans) pinstripes.
This year, the Cyclones (read: Mets) and the Renegades (read: Yankees) will meet 30 times.
That’s more times than you and your Amazon delivery driver see each other in a week.
Brooklyn hosts Hudson Valley May 18–23, June 8–13, and August 3–8, while traveling up the Taconic July 6–11, August 17–22, and September 7–12.
In fact, the Cyclones are selling a “New York, New York” ticket package — 15 select Cyclones vs. Renegades games in Coney Island for $15 each.
For Pimpsner, even the purchase of the New York Mets by Steve Cohen has kick-started a rivalry. He believes that Cohen’s aggressiveness and innovations will put the pressure back on the Yankees to make headlines and attract attention away from Citi Field.
“When he bought the Mets, the first thing I thought about was that he has the money and the foresight to completely change Major League Baseball,” Pimpsner said. “I think Steve Cohen can ignite that competitive fire from Queens to the Bronx that has been lacking in recent years.”
With High-A players just steps from the Major Leagues, 2021’s 30-game head-to-head schedule will stir the pot between some of the best Mets and Yankees prospects at this level and down the road when they get to the bigs.
We’re just happy to have the rivalry back and recharged.
After all, this city has always been a battleground between the Yankees and the Mets.
And that’s the way we like it.
