Boston Red Sox: 5 Things Worth Remembering to Win the AL East

The Boston Red Sox are in first place in the AL East.

And it hasn’t been easy. 

In this entertaining season of hallelujahs and headaches, Terry Francona’s squad finds itself firmly entrenched in a first-place battle as the dog days of summer commence.

But what must be done to keep the AL East crown from the hands of the hated New York Yankees or the persistent Tampa Bay Rays? 

Here are five important things the Faithful must remember in order to win the AL East Division and host the American League playoffs on Yawkey Way.

Don't Forget About the 2010 Season

These are critical weeks for the Red Sox.  The summer grind means players are either playing injured or not playing at all.  With Carl Crawford back after the break, the fretful Faithful turn to the conditions of starting pitchers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz with memories of 2010 dancing in their heads. 

The 2010 season (the most recent season that must-not-be-named) was a lost season for two reasons:

1)  Too many players were injured.

2)  Injured players tried to come back too soon. 

The Crawford situation seems to have been handled with caution particularly because the offense didn’t suffer in his absence; however, the team cannot panic minus Lester (particularly) and Buchholz.  If the team starts to lose now, these young starting pitchers will feel added pressure to return as soon as possible.  Keep an eye on Josh Beckett’s health, too. 

If the Red Sox are careless handling these injuries, John Lackey might have no choice but to continue systematically destroying each and every Yawkey child’s hopes and dreams (every time he throws a pitch, a fairy who helps puppies learn to smile dies). No one wants that. 

Until their stars are completely healed, the Faithful will stick with Andrew Miller, Tim Wakefield, Alfredo Aceves, and Kyle Weiland.

And cross their fingers. 

Don't Forget About Right-Handed Hitters

This Red Sox team is an offensive juggernaut; there is no denying their capacity to score.  But the notion they can’t be stopped is as unrealistic as Charlie Day wanting to kill his boss who is Jennifer Aniston because she sexually harasses him. 

The Nation must remember there are plenty of elite left-handed pitchers (C.C. Sabathia and David Price in the AL East) that can stop this exclusively left-handed team. 

That is why Theo Epstein needs to make a move immediately to improve his Red Sox bench.  He’s given up on right-handed Mike Cameron and should give up on Darnell McDonald for any player-to-be-named-later-who-probably-won't-be-named-later.

If this team is going to win the AL East, Theo needs to acquire a right-handed corner outfielder who can bring a little pop to the line-up against lefties.  Chicago Cubs utility player Jeff Baker is a strong possibility with Minnesota Twins Michael Cuddyer enticing but perhaps too expensive. 

Ignore the rumors of Carlos Beltran or Andre Ethier.  The Red Sox don't need them. 

Don't Forget About J.D. Drew

Theo Epstein needs to decide what to do with an underachieving, overpaid, unlikeable and fading star: J.D. Drew (Red Sox Nation would also have accepted John Lackey after the colon).

The right (and surprising) choice is to stick with J.D. Drew only against right-handed pitchers.  This decision will certainly be scrutinized, but Drew has more upside playing the next three months of baseball than young outfielder Josh Reddick does. 

Reddick is playing baseball at a high level with far more energy, but his pace will not be maintained.  He is a young player unused to the grind of a long season who admittedly is enjoying a remarkable run (he may be a solid .270 hitter in the league, but that is his ceiling).

However, J.D. Drew should not be given up on.  He carries real potential to get on base consistently, work lengthy at-bats to raise pitch counts, and play excellent right field defense.  He may care about the game of baseball in the same way Lindsay Lohan cares about sobriety, but Drew will be inspired to finish his career in Boston on a high note. 

The Faithful will remember his redeeming October 20th, 2007 grand slam against the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS; well, Theo and Terry Francona hope there is one more timely, cathartic swing in that pop-less, wooden bat of Drew's to atone for his poor play.

That is, unless his hammy decides to bother him, and then all bets are off. 

Don't Forget About the Rays

Red Sox Nation loves to Yankee-watch.  And rightfully so. 

But it wasn't so long ago that a young and exciting Tampa Bay Rays team knocked off the defending champion Red Sox and earned a trip to the 2008 World Series.  Evan Longoria and David Price became stars and the Rays earned the Faithful's respect.

In 2011, the Rays are a team heading into their prime, while the Yanks are a team of aging stars and stem-cell-injected shoulders.  With the possible promotion of left-handed pitching prospect Matt Moore to play the role of 2008 Price (he recently threw a no-hitter in AA Montgomery), and an ailing Longoria yet to explode offensively, the Rays are poised to make a second-half run.   How better to start than by hosting the Red Sox and Yankees in Tampa Bay after the all-star break?

Joe Maddon, a strong Manager of the Year candidate, knows his team can win any series behind solid defense, starters Price and James Shields, and a resurgent Kyle Farnsworth leading an effective bullpen.  This team will not go away in the AL East.

As always, the New York Yankees will be there.  But remember the Rays.  And 2008.

Don't Forget About the 0-6 Start

It’s a long season.  There are ups, downs and evens, but the beginning of the 2011 Red Sox season was one of the most impressive opening slumps of all-time. 

The media, fickle as ever, had abandoned their sexy World Series pick and moved into attack-mode.  The fans were bewildered; some began inscribing the team’s headstone and the players were zombies (now, only J.D. Drew remains of the undead). 

Improbably, Terry Francona’s squad has delivered, but those everyone-turned-on-us cards are there for the playing, and there is no need to be complacent about it.  It may be too Belichick-ian for Francona to do so, but, in the confines of the clubhouse, there is no reason why the team can’t recall where they’ve come from in order to get where they are going.

No other team has experienced this kind of scrutiny in the 2011 baseball season, and the Red Sox are a stronger team for having gone through it—if they play it right.

Now it's your turn, Faithful.  What are things worth remembering to take the AL East crown back from the New York Yankees?