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Red Sox affiliate offers youth jersey to drop Yankees
Associated Press

LOWELL, Mass. -- The Yankees would be wiped out in New England, if a Boston Red Sox farm team has its way.

The Class A Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League say that if youth baseball leagues across New England change the name of a team from the Yankees to the Spinners, Lowell would pay for new uniforms.

In a message on the Spinners' Web site, general manager Tim Bawmann said many children in New England are devastated when they are assigned to be on a team called the Yankees.

"When you are a kid playing baseball it is pure fun, and worrying about what team you are on should be the least of your concerns," he said.

"We figured the easiest and best solution was to replace those Yankee teams with the Spinners, who are part of the Boston Red Sox system," he added, calling the promotion "all in good fun."

As part of the deal, any team changing its name to the Spinners also will be invited to play on their namesake's field before a game this year.

According to the Spinners, about half of New England's youth baseball leagues have teams called the Yankees. The rest eliminated the name as the rivalry between their major league teams intensified in recent years.

The Lowell Spinners are part of the New York-Penn League, which also includes the State College Spikes.