The Red Sox clinched a playoff spot last night &, at the same time, eliminated the Yankees from playoff contention to end their streak at 13 consecutive post-season appearances. The times are a-changing...
From Spring Training to Japan & now 92 wins later, here are my top 10 reasons why the 2008 Red Sox have had an improbable road to the playoffs.
10) No Curt Schilling all year. If the Sox management had let Schilling get his surgery during Spring Training, he might be available now for the playoffs. Bad choice.
9) Julio Lugo going on the DL was a blessing in disguise. With Lugo at short the Sox were one of the worst fielding teams in the AL. Without him they are now #1 in defense.
8) Coco Crisp was rumored to be on the trading block all Spring. Look how valuable Coco has become with the injury to J.D. Drew.
7) Jed Lowrie, another rookie from the farm system, gets his shot & makes the most of it. Excellent defense at SS, 3B or 2B. 44 RBI in 3 months of work. Even in his current slump, Lowrie's defense has remained steady.
6) The farm also produced Justin Masterson's & his 2008 debut to the big team. Justin was a more-than-adequate fill-in starter during the 1st half & has now morphed into a go-to late innings reliever over the 2nd half. He wasn't on the radar in the Spring.
5) Jacoby Ellsbury saw the highs & lows of his first full 162 game season. Stealing bases at a record clip in the 1st half, Jacoby is now adjusting to the adjustments other teams are making to him. He catches anything near him in the outfield. Now his offense is coming back around as well.
4) David Ortiz & his wrist caused him to miss about 1/3 of the season. Who would have thought that J.D. Drew would keep the team afloat in his absence? Since Big Papi's return it is as if Drew & Ortiz have changed places. Drew is unlikely to see any further action in 2008 due to his back problem. Meantime, Big Papi is producing again out of the 3-hole.
3) Kudos to Theo & Company for getting rid of Manny & bringing in quality baseball players to the team in return. Jason Bay, Paul Byrd & Mark Kotsay have all contributed to big wins in the 2nd half.
2) Kevin Youkilis has emerged as a power hitter at the right time. Who would have thought that Youk would be the HR leader on the team this year with guys like Manny, Ortiz & Lowell in the lineup? His versatility in the field & versatility in the batting order make him a huge staple in the Red Sox lineup.
1) The emergence of Dustin Pedroia & Jon Lester top my list of Sox stories in 2008. Pedroia went from good & solid to great & solid. Lester went from an OK middle rotation starter to a #1 starter. Pedroia threw in 200+ hits & Lester pitched a no-hitter for good measure.
It's been a great ride from March through September for Red Sox fans. It has been an improbable path to the playoffs. The rest of the season is gravy.
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