There's nothing quite like being part of Red Sox Nation, especially this season. So far this season, they are dominating their division. Although the Boston Red Sox have dropped a couple of games to Oakland in the last few days, and more than their fair share to the Yankees, they are still definitely one of the best teams in the MLB this year for many reasons. It's still early in the baseball season, and of course the Sox have started off strong and fizzled by the end in the past. But they are looking very strong and they have a great chance of making it far into the playoffs, and dare I say, to the World Series. By looking at their performance so far this season, it's obvious there is something special going on. They are ten games ahead of any other team in the American League East and have shown well against every team they have played against. They have one of the best records in baseball currently and will surely be a contender for the 2007 World Series. The Red Sox pitching is excellent this year, led by Curt Shilling. Shilling has an Earned Run Average of 3.91 this season and has only thrown eighty-nine hits in seventy-six innings pitched. Josh Beckett is also doing fantastic this season with an ERA of only 2.95 and only fifty-one hits in sixty-four innings pitched. Rounding out the Red Sox starting pitches are Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, and Julian Tavarez, each with strong performances this season. And Lester is due to come back to the rotation soon, which will only make the rotation even stronger. They also have great relievers and closers as well. Hideki Okajima has excellent so far and has an Earned Run Average of only 1.27. Rounding out the bullpen are Jonathan Papelbon, Brendan Donnelly, J.C. Romero, and Joel Pineiro. The quality of the Red Sox pitching has made it very hard to score against them and has helped neutralize some of the strong offenses they have faced. Pitching wins games and gets teams to the post season. A team's defense is vital for wins. So far this season, the Sox pitching is foing its job well. The Red Sox also have a very good offensive side led by third baseman Mike Lowell and designated hitter David Ortiz. Mike Lowell and David Ortiz have slugging percentages above .500 and batting averages of .332 and .333 respectively. However, Lowell and Ortiz are not the only forces behind the plate. Manny Ramirez has a batting average of .286 along with eight home runs and thirty-two runs batted in. Kevin Youkilis has a batting average of .346 with seventy-three hits, eight home runs, and thirty-one runs batted in. Dustin Pedroia has been on fire lately offensively as well. And one of the most consistent players who seems to always get his bat on the ball is Kevin Youkalis. If Manny Ramirez starts to bat the way we all know he can, he'll be an even more serious weapon in the lineup. In the past, Ramirez has heated up as the season progressed, so I expect his batting average to continually improve. The Red Sox have had some hiccups along the way and have lost some games this season they were expected to win. The have lost to the New York Yankees several times this season despite this being one of the worst seasons in recent Yankee history. The Sox really don't have any superstars on the team. However, the are playing play excellent technical baseball and work well as a team. They are always doing what it takes to win and playing smart baseball. The Boston Red Sox are a sure bet to win their division as they are leading the Blue Jays, Yankees, Orioles, and D-Rays by 10 games or more. However, they do have some competition in other MLB divisions. The Angels, Brewers, Dodgers, Padres, and Mets are all having great seasons as well and could pose a threat to the Red Sox in the post season. However, the Sox have one of the most solid and consistent teams in the MLB this year and they have a great chance of holding together all the way to October. It's true that the Sox have struggled so far this year with the Yankees and more recently, the Athletics, but by the end of the season, they will have an excellent chance of winning the AL Pennant. Look for them to be the team to beat in the post season.
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