Thoughts on a Strange Season

Sometimes the bloom is off the rose, or is it? Have the Red Sox simply become Yankees Light, outspending teams to win? If we examine the 'everyday' lineup, the Red Sox do have "developmental" players.

• Jarrod Saltalamacchia may not be a Sox farmhand, but he's not a 'purchased' hire. After Ortiz, Gonzalez, Youkilis, and Ellsbury, Salty has the FIFTH highest OPS among "starter". 
• Gonzalez. They had to lay out big bucks, but the FARM brought the player, with Anthony Rizzo, Casey Kelley, and Rey Fuentes all legitimate prospects. 
• Pedroia. Home grown. Problem is the 'under (sized) boy' is showing tread wear. 
• Lowrie/Iglesias. Out of the system...although Iglesias out of the country.
• Youkilis. System product. 
• J.D. Drew. Mercenary. Didn't work out exactly as planned. 
• Ellsbury. May not make the All-Star team but has a legit claim at this point. 
• CC (Crawford). Horrendous start, another mercenary, call it what it is. 

After a start of biblical catastrophe, the Sox have recovered beyond our wildest dreams. 39-26, with 37-16 post misery. That's almost .700 baseball, which is just ridiculous in these times. 

After the Big Three (Lester, Beckett, Buchholz) with 24 quality starts, the drop off is still pretty astounding, though with Lackey at three. 

As for Unsung Hero candidates, the leaders in the clubhouse are Matt Albers, Alfredo Aceves, and Tim Wakefield. But the 10th player award is Ellsbury's to lose.