Shooting For The Stars: Will The Red Sox Finish In 3rd For The Third Straight Season?

So here we are again: it feels like only yesterday that the Boston Red Sox were blowing one final game (to the Baltimore Orioles) and polishing off one of the worst collapses in MLB history last October.

There have been plenty of changes to the Red Sox since then although I think pretty much all of them are downgrades. Theo Epstein went to the Cubs and now Ben Cherington (Theo 2.0) is Boston's GM. Terry Francona was run out of town and replaced by Bobby Valentine, one of the biggest blowhards in professional sports that most recently was a commentator on ESPN's MLB coverage. Jonathan Papelbon wasn't resigned so he went to Philadelphia, who was more than happy to pay him. In his place, the Red Sox traded for A's closer Andrew Bailey. He might not even see the field this season for the Red Sox since he had thumb surgery today (he's expected to be out 3-4 months). Hell, even Heidi Watney left for the West Coast (Lakers games) while NESN replaced her with her Zoomass, non-union equivalent Jenny Dell.

I can never recall going into a Red Sox season with this many question marks. Sure, there's been plenty of teams that didn't have nearly this much talent (most of the 1990s and early 2000s) but who has any confidence in this group since it's most of the same heartless losers that choked last season.

Boston still competes in MLB's toughest division. The Yankees and Rays are still both loaded in their own unique ways and I expect each of them to finish ahead of the Red Sox. The good news for the Red Sox is that a third-place finish this season could potentially end in a playoff berth. This is the first year of two Wild Card spots so keep that in mind. Maybe, Toronto will finally get over the .500 mark and do something. The Baltimore Orioles are still one of the worst teams in baseball until further notice.

I'm sorry it's taken me this long but here's some things we can positively count on: Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez will all continue to mash. Unfortunately, there's plenty of negative things that you can set your watch to: Mike Aviles will make a ton of errors at shortstop, Josh Beckett will get hurt multiple times with minor or fake injuries, David Ortiz will go through a long drought and the back end of the Red Sox' pitching rotation with Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard could likely be a disaster.

I wish I didn't care as much as I do but I can't help it. I'll watch all the games and fiendishly read about them in many forms. I enjoy baseball and no summer is complete without a Red Sox game on the TV or radio. There's a calming serenity to it all and that's probably the cheesiest thing I've ever written on this blog. All I ask for is effort and a team that makes it much easier to root for them. Also, if they could find a way to not let Valentine talk more than five minutes a day to the media, that would be fantastic.

The 2012 season begins tomorrow afternoon in Detroit as the Red Sox play the Tigers three times. Jon Lester gets the Opening Day start against Justin Verlander.

Here is the Opening Day roster for the Sox:

Pitchers (13): Scott Atchison, Alfredo Aceves, Matt Albers, Daniel Bard, Josh Beckett, Michael Bowden, Clay Buchholz, Felix Doubront, Jon Lester, Mark Melancon, Franklin Morales, Vicente Padilla, Justin Thomas.

Catchers (2); Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Kelly Shoppach.

Infielders (6): Mike Aviles, Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Nick Punto, Kevin Youkilis

Outfielders (4): Jacoby Ellsbury, Darnell McDonald, Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney


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Red Sox Sweep Orioles, Head Into All-Star Break Up 1 Game On New York

After one more win (8-6) over the Baltimore Orioles (36-52), completing a four-game sweep at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox (55-35) head into the All-Star break on a real high.

The Red Sox have won 10 of their last 11 games, including six straight, and they hold a one-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees. Most importantly as they sit a season-high 20 games over .500, they've made the 0-6 and 2-10 starts to the season a distant memory that's pretty much laughable now.

Boston is the powerhouse that we all knew they would be. They lead the AL in most offensive categories: batting average, runs, hits, total bases, doubles, doubles, RBIs, slugging percentage and OBP. This is the sixth time in the last seven seasons that they've led the AL East at the All-Star break (showing how irrelevant that stat can be).

They're sending six players (Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester) to represent the team in the All-Star Game in Arizona.

Kyle Weiland made his MLB debut yesterday afternoon for Boston and it was memorable, albeit not for positive reasons on a personal level. In four innings, he gave up six earned runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He was ejected in the fifth after hitting Vlad Guerrero with an errant pitch. Terry Francona was also tossed since both managers had been warned.

Later, Orioles manager Buck Showalter and reliever Mike Gonzalez were thrown out in the sixth after Gonzalez threw behind Ortiz.

Baltimore jumped out to a 6-2 lead on Weiland with six runs in the second but predictably, they couldn't hold on as Mitch Atkins was gone after 1.2 innings and Jeremy Guthrie (3-12) took the loss.

Boston went up 2-0 in the first on an RBI single by Ortiz and a sacrifice fly by Josh Reddick.

The Orioles put up six thanks to a two-run bomb by Derrek Lee and four RBI singles (three of the infield variety).

The Red Sox immediately tied it up at six in the second as Marco Scutaro (fourth), Dustin Pedroia (11th; 3 runs, 2 hits) and Youkilis (13th, two-run) all went deep.

Ortiz walked with the bases loaded in the fourth and Ellsbury (2 hits) produced an RBI single in the seventh for an insurance run.

As he's been most of the first half, Red Sox jack of all trades pitcher Alfredo Aceves (4-1) was the unsung hero. He pitched three scoreless innings with no hits allowed and four strikeouts.

Daniel Bard got his AL-leading 21st hold in the eighth, extending his career-long scoreless streak to 19 1/3 innings, before Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 20th save (out of 21 chances) with a walk and two strikeouts in the ninth.

The best team in the American League earned its four days off while everyone scatters to different parts of the country. If possible, enjoy Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. The Red Sox get back to work on Friday with three games in Tampa Bay (who are six games behind Boston) then three in Baltimore.

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