Red Sox: Four reasons that will determine a winning or losing season

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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 08: Hanley Ramirez #13 of the Boston Red Sox holds a flag as he takes the field before game three of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on October 8, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

There are two sides to an argument or debate and that is certainly true with everything about the Boston Red Sox. I have my own self-argument as the season starts.

I get into some hyper baseball discussions and that comes with a special emphasis on the Boston Red Sox. The discussions are usually among those two voices swirling around my brain pan. One voice is the baritone drone that is symbolic of the Fellowship of the Miserable and fully loaded negativity. The other is upbeat to the nth degree and sees everything Red Sox as rainbows and unicorns.

In 2017, the Red Sox won 93 games and collared another divisional crown. In the grand scheme of water down baseball playoffs this is about as significant as winning two bucks on a scratch ticket. Just no bragging rights to getting closed out in the first round in back-to-back playoffs. Do they still embarrass themselves with some type of banner or flag for winning a five-team division?

The Red Sox may or may not have improved dramatically depending upon which voice is currently out screaming the other in an internal competition for why the season will be a World Series run or another year to whine about lousy contracts, overrated talent, and success from bitter rivals.

Here is a quick look at a few areas of concern and just how they may play out in 2018.

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