Too Much Love

I’ve had enough.  I initially tried to ignore the hype, and get beyond the fact that everyone has seemingly crowned the Red Sox the champions of 2008.  The prognostications, in-depth analysis’, and “expert” opinions I can take no longer.  Someone must take a stand against ‘Red Sox Nation’ besides Hank Steinbrenner.  Let ’41’ join the battle.

Boston won the 2007 World Series.  I understand that.  I realize that it can be reletively easy to select them to repeat, or at the very least, make a strong push for back-to-back titles.  But if I hear, “They’re the team to beat in all of Major League Baseball”, one more time on ESPN, I’m going to cook my radio with my next batch of scalloped potatoes.  I love scalloped potatoes.

But in all honesty, all the Red Sox REALLY that good?  Can they REALLY take over the American League again?  I for one don’t believe they can, and I think they’ve been surpassed by not one, but three, perhaps even four other teams in the A.L.

The Red Sox on paper at the moment looks virtually identical to their team a year ago.  They’ve added a few fresh faces, such as Sean Casey, David Aardsman and Danny Kolb, but does that make them any stronger than they were last year?  I think not.

I think what gets under my skin more than anything at this moment about the Red Sox, is the amount of respect and admiration that Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia are receiving.  Did they have great rookie campaigns?  Yes.  Did they both play an instrumental role in helping the Red Sox win the World Series?  Yes.  Do their combined 203 games of regular season experience make them All-Star locks, and alternating MVP’s year after year?  Hardly.  I think they’re both incredibly over-rated, at least where their offense is concerned.  While they’ll get on base from time to time, giving ‘The Big Two’ juicy RBI possibilities, I have a hard time accepting that these guys will produce game, after game, producing results that have currently earned the Red Sox the flawless reputation they now have.  Over/Under on combined totals of 200 Runs, 30 HR, 120 RBI, 40 Steals?  I’ll take the under.

The Sox’ pitching isn’t as dominant as it’s being billed either.  Say what you want about Beckett’s back and that it’ll be fine, the fact is, he has a career-long history of blister problems, and if his back is even flared a little, it’s a cause for concern. 

What has Clay Buchholz done in the majors?!  It’s not like he’s thrown a no-hitter already… Wait… Yes he did.  But to me, that doesn’t matter, and doesn’t make him the second coming of Nolan Ryan.  Highly touted prospect, perhaps, but overrated just the same.

Tim Wakefield will get shelled every other outing and go cane-shopping in between starts.

Schilling’s career is possibly over, and if it isn’t, he’s coming back to a +5.00ERA and a smattering of Fenway boo’s.

Jon Lester has some decent stuff, but I certainly wouldn’t slot him in as a number 2 or 3 man in a rotation.

And Dice-K is a WHIP killer, and it’ll eventually catch up to him, and he eventually won’t escape those tough innings he seemingly has a tendency to get himself into.

Alright, so maybe I’m being a little too negative about the prospects of the defending World Series’ champions, but I’m honestly trying to take an objective viewpoint.

I do think that there are a few teams in the American League that have leap-frogged them in terms of talent and projection.  Namely, the Kansas City Royals and Oakland A’s… Congratulations… You’ve managed to manuver through my sarcasm.

The Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are all as strong, if not stronger than the Red Sox heading into the season.  Detroit’s notable off-season aquisitions and development of players such as Curtis Granderson, in my eyes, has catapulted them to the top of the American League stratosphere.  The Indians arn’t far behind, and will seek major improvement from last season.  The Yankees are the Yankees, and the Blue Jays are the greatest team ever assembled to play on a baseball diamond.  Buck Coats for MVP.  Book it.

While my above statements may lack statistical data or any relevant findings, I go on gut instinct and careful watch with the naked eye.  The Red Sox simply arn’t… that… great.

They’ll probably find a way, and Epstein could do something bold at the deadline(s), but I’ll strongly stand by my statement that the Red Sox will NOT repeat as World Series Champions, and will not even make it out of the American League.  You heard it here, folks.

’41’