After a 2-10 start, the Red Sox have gone 36-16 and now have the best record in the AL at 38-26. Many fans in Boston called for manager Terry Francona's head, others for hitting coach Dave Magadan's. General Manager Theo Epstein didn't get off lightly, as free agent Carl Crawford started off looking like a huge bust and Adrian Gonzalez, acquired in a trade, lacked power.
Yes it was only 12 games in but if you know Boston at all you know many fans panic game to game let alone two weeks of abysmal play. How can you blame them with the expectations put on them this year? Almost every media outlet chose the Red Sox as their World Series pick. The way they came out of the chute, I was saying they need to just concentrate on the wild card this year but I'm in the category of "panicking Boston sports fan."
On a current 8 game winning streak, the Red Sox are far from that team that started the season. This looks like the best offense in the league and they back it up with the most runs scored in the AL. Josh Beckett looks 100% healthy and has been dominating. He looks like the Cy Young award front runner. With Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz pitching very well and Tim Wakefield and Jon Lackey consistently keeping the Sox in games, the starting pitching staff is one of the best in baseball.
Sox have come across a few injuries early. The bullpen has suffered most and has been shaky because of it. Starting Pitcher Daisuke Matszusaka is also gone for the season with Tommy John surgery. If their core of players stay healthy, their depth should overcome bumps in the road here and there injury-wise.
The season now looks very promising. The new guys, Crawford and Gonzalez, are producing like they should. There's a legit chance Boston fans, myself included, can watch the Red Sox dump champagne over themselves in October. I'll be throwing some cold ones back in my living room, enjoying the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment