Red Sox Review: Evaluating the first third of the 2018 season

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BOSTON, MA – MAY 29: Red Sox Manager Alex Cora in the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on May 29, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Outlook – The Positive

This is about as solid a Red Sox team as I can remember and I go back a very long way. A road trip used to represent a feeling of impending doom. The typical Red Sox team built and designed for Fenway Park with a preponderance of one-dimensional sluggers moving station to station. No more.

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This team is built for any game you want. There are boxers who can both go toe to toe or finesse you – the Red Sox can do just that. Win a slugging match or a pitching duel and sometimes do it with speed. This team has a bevy of very good baserunners.

Boston has had some early season testing and done rather well. A sweep on the Angels and a season split with the Yankees. You are supposed to control your division and the Red Sox have accomplished that so far. April was a great month (19-6) and May has followed up with 18 more wins. Consistency.

Manager Alex Cora has done an excellent rookie job and even veteran job taking hold of the baseball tiller. Mistakes will be made, a turmoil will happen, a disgruntled player will surface – that is all part of a long season. So far, any potential issues have been addressed. Cora is in charge.

Next: Schilling offers words of wisdom to Price

The Red Sox have shown a willingness to do the unpleasant as with Pablo Sandoval and now Ramirez. Dave Dombrowski is a noted proponent of the trade market and especially the younger brood on the farm system. Boston’s farm system is a bit bleak so you may not see an epic trade, but holes will be patched.

Is 100+ wins possible? Without a major injury or a multitude of them, I would certainly expect that outcome.

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