In 1972, the Red Sox and Yankees were locked in a heated four-team pennant race entering September. The Sox pretty much ended the Yankees' season by taking four out of five from New York, including a three game sweep at Fenway just after Labor Day. Boston ended up finishing 2nd to Detroit by half a game... no, I didn't make that up - the Red Sox played one less game than the Tigers that year, and MLB didn't let them make it up.
In 1975, the Yankees were in 2nd place near the end of July when the Red Sox won three straight in the Bronx to push them out out reach. The Yankees eventually faltered, finishing 3rd behind Baltimore.
I'm talking head to head pennat races where one of them finished 1st and the other 2nd. The early 70s were a part of the dark days in Yankee history and just b/c the AL East stunk that year and we finished 6 games out doesn't mean you beat a great Yankee team, we were only 3 games over .500.
Very little of what has happened in the past matters in the now - we learned that last fall. Yankee fans think their team is better because they've always been better... not because they ARE better.
We haven't always been better just in most years. Getting back to the Sox beating the Yanks I grew up in the 80s and 90s and we were thwarted by the Sox a few times and the Sox were better than us for a good stretch but those were the dark dyas of Yankee baseball Part II.
By the way, The Sox proved it on the field that they were the best team in baseball last year so obviously they were better than the Yankees. They are the Champs and deserve to enjoy and you fans deserve to enjoy it as well. I have no problem w/ that but when Sox fans start discounting all the yanks have done and saying 26 means nothing compared to your 1 last year then that's where it gets silly. Enjoy the title and everything that has come along w/ it, being a Sox fan you should know how difficult it is to win one and who knows if you(or I as a Yankee fan) will ever see one again. Chances are pretty good that we will but you never know.