Botox For The BoSox?

After 62-games, the Red Sox are 33-29, 3-games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East division. They also trail the Minnesota Twins by 3.5-games for the AL Wild Card. Not exactly what you expected, right? Well, it's not time to panic. Not yet anyways. With 100-games left on the schedule the Red Sox are still in very good position to win either the AL East or the Wild Card which would provide them with an opportunity to defend their 2004 World Series Title. As mediocre as the Sox have been, it is very possible for them to make the playoffs. For one thing, there is too much talent on the Boston roster for them not to at least compete for a playoff spot. A team that is composed with the likes of David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon, Edgar Renteria, Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, David Wells, Matt Clement, Wade Miller and Tim Wakefield is bound to be successful. There should be enough there to win the World Series. Injuries and some disappointing starts by a few of the stars is what has led to this mediocre beginning. Staff ace Curt Schilling began the season on the disabled list after offseason ankle surgery and only made two starts before going back on the D.L. with more ankle troubles; he isn't expected back until the end of June at the earliest. Closer Keith Foulke and set-up man Alan Embree have also struggled and the bullpen has been stretched thin already because of their inability to pitch successfully in the late innings. Left fielder Manny Ramirez is off to a very slow start at the plate and the career .313 hitter is batting a paltry .251 (although he does have 12 HR and 46 RBI). The beauty of winning the 2004 World Series is that the Red Sox can afford to wait for their players to return to health and return to form. The 86-year-old pressure to win is finally gone. There is no immediate rush to go out and overpay for a starting pitcher or a dominant late inning pitcher or a power hitting outfielder. Not to say the Red Sox should roll over and play dead. It is hard to forget that this team has a payroll of more than $130 million. They certainly need help in the bullpen (even though Foulke seems to be coming on as of late) and another bat off the bench would definitely be a good idea. But it still should not force Theo Epstein's hand into giving up the farm system to make an attempt at winning the world championship. That is what happened to the Yankees of 1999 and 2000. Yes, they won the World Series in both years but now they are an aging team with few prospects in the minor leagues to help them. They are a $200 million embarrassment and I would much rather see the Sox develop a dynasty from within than gamble on the trade market. There is no guarantee of a championship just because a trade is made. With some minor adjustments, a healthy return by Schilling and a monster second half of the season by both Ramirez and Foulke, the BoSox should have enough to win. If the Sox play 10-games over .500 the rest of the way and go 60-40 over these 100-games, the postseason will be a realistic goal at 93-69. And once you get there, as Red Sox Nation learned in 2004, you never know what can happen.