We all know how big the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is but what are the Red Sox newcomers to the lineup saying about their first experiences in the greatest rivalry in sports.

Reliever J.C. Romero:

“The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, that’s one of the reasons I signed here. I wanted to be a part of that. Everybody in baseball talks about that rivalry, and I wanted to experience it myself. It was just like I expected – a good, exciting series. The fans were great. They were into it the whole game.

I really would have loved to contribute more than I did, but it’s early. We’ve got a long way to go.”

SS Julio Lugo:

“I was impressed that two teams could bring that much energy in a regular-season game. I’ve been to the playoffs, and the energy is high, but not like that. We feel it. You feel the energy even before you get into the stadium.”

Reliever Brendan Donnelly:

“Everybody in baseball knows the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, When I came over here in the offseason, I knew I was leaving a good rivalry in Anaheim-Oakland and coming to the best. It was fun this weekend. It was exciting. You could feel the energy in the ballpark, and I know it’s going to be the same thing in Yankee Stadium. It’s going to be hostile there.”

“Every time the Red Sox and Yankees played, it was the national game. We used to watch the games from California. I remember watching one of the games last year and they showed the clock flash to midnight. The games are so long because every pitch matters and there’s so much emphasis throughout the whole game. Everything’s amplified when it comes to these two teams.”

Reliever Joel Piñero:

“It’s always a big series between these teams. Every pitch counts. I think it might have been a little different if I got in a game, but it’s always going to be a big game. Even when they were just announcing the lineups, it felt like it was the ninth inning. The energy in the ballpark is amazing, and that energy feeds onto us.”