What's that you say? by Jared Carrabis
The Red Sox are a half-game out of first place?


What's that you say, AJ Burnett? The Red Sox now trail the New York Yankees by a half-game?

Wait a second! I thought the Red Sox were mathematically eliminated when they were 8.5 games out on May 23rd?

Ohh! They still had 117 games left to play at that point? Oh, all right. I was just making sure. I was just confused, because the general consensus among national baseball analysts was that the Red Sox were dead and had no chance of sniffing the postseason this year.

All it took was four home runs at a combined distance of 1,674 feet against the Yankees on Monday night, and now, realistically, the Red Sox can take possession of first place in the American League East for the first time since Opening Night, on April 4th.

I should also note that the Red Sox only entered a game as a first place team just one time this season. With 91 games remaining, the Red Sox by no means are at the "finish line," but it's a good feeling to know that those who doubted this team could not have been more wrong.

If you don't mind; take a peek at the AL East standings back on May 23, 2010:



After the Diamondbacks teed off on Burnett out in Arizona last night, here's what they look like entering Tuesday:



Keep in mind that they've made up all of this ground without the help of Josh Beckett and Jacoby Ellsbury. Mike Cameron has the same number of home runs as the number of hairs on Kevin Youkilis' head. Daisuke Matsuzaka has made more trips to the disabled list than Darryl Strawberry has made trips to rehab, and Adrian Beltre has broken as many of his teammates ribs as Clay Buchholz has wins.

Names like Darnell McDonald and Daniel Nava were virtually unheard of before injuries started to pile up, but since their arrivals, their names have become just about as common as David Ortiz. Speaking of Ortiz, he took his annual vacation in April, and the Red Sox are still in a position to take over the top spot in the American League East.

It's scary to think that the Red Sox have fought their way to tie the Yankees for the most wins in all of baseball, while hardly ever fielding the best team that they could possibly put on a lineup card. I guess what I'm trying to say is that with a little healing, and maybe some tweaking of the bullpen, there aren't many teams, if any, that I would put above the Red Sox when it comes to labeling the best team in baseball.

Cue the Pedroia video:



-Jared Carrabis

To order Jared's debut book, One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk, click HERE!





Published on June 22, 2010

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