Boston Red Sox: 5 Bold Predictions for the Second Half of the Season

The Boston Red Sox are on a tear of late and it seems as if the New York Yankees are going to keep pace with them the entire season. However, there are five bold predictions that I have about the Red Sox that will make a case that they will run away with the AL East title.

These predictions include position players, pitchers, and even the managers of the Red Sox and how they will do the final two and a half months of the season.

Red Sox Pull Away from New York Yankees to Win AL East Crown

The Red Sox will finish the season series against the Yankees with an astonishing 16-2 record against their AL East rivals. They will win the division by seven games above the Yankees and the Yankees will barely win the Wild Card.

The Yankees win the first game of the final series in late September, but lose the final two games at Fenway Park. The Sox will sweep the two series in August—one at Yankee Stadium and one at Fenway.

Adrian Gonzalez Hits 40 Homers and Drives in 150

Adrian Gonzalez is the leader in the American League with 78 RBI and a .337 batting average, but these final couple of months will be amazing for him. He will hit 23 home runs and drive in 72 runs in the stretch run to the playoffs.

Adrian will also fight to be the first player to complete the triple crown since a former Red Sox player, Carl Yastrzemski, did it in 1967. However, Jose Bautista will hit 50 homers to beat Gonzalez out in the home run category.

Jocoby Ellsbury Goes 25/50

Jacoby Ellsbury will continue his return to the dominant player he was before his injury-plagued 2010 season with a 25/50 season. He will finish the season with 25 homers and 50 stolen bases and will lead the league in stolen bases.

Jacoby will give Gonzalez a good run for his money for AL MVP as well as Josh Beckett for Comeback Player of the Year. He will be a great asset for the Sox moving forward into the playoffs and future seasons.

Josh Beckett Win Win All His Starts in the Second Half

Josh Beckett has returned to his ace form for the Red Sox and has been the only healthy pitcher for the entire 2011 campaign (well if you don't count leaving his last start before the All-Star break for precautionary reasons). He is 8-3 on the season with a 2.12 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. He also has 100 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched

He will dominate his remaining starts and will finish with 21 wins and with this record no one will be able to take the AL Cy Young Award away from him in 2011.

Terry Francona Will Replace J.D. Drew with Josh Reddick for Remainder of Season

The struggling J.D. Drew will finally be placed on the place where he deserves to be—the bench. Terry Francona will have enough his poor show of power and striking out looking at least once a game. He will be replaced with Josh Reddick for the rest of 2011.

Reddick is hitting .378 heading into July 20's game with the Baltimore Orioles and has four home runs and 18 RBI. This is only in 82 at-bats.

Drew is hitting only .223 with four homers and 22 RBI in 233 plate appearances. It is this like of production in the lineup for Drew that will make Francona replace him with the surging Reddick.