How does the 2004 Red Sox team aka the Idiots vs the 2013 version aka the Beards.  First off the 2004 team was so talented with a great pitching staff led by Curt Schilling who was 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA, Pedro Marinez even though not dominating Pedro of 99-02 was still 16-9 with 3.90 ERA, Bronson Arryo with 10-9 4.03 ERA and the inconsistent Derek Lowe with a 14-12 with 5.42 ERA.   However the offense was off the charts.  Manny Ramirez had 43 HR 130 RBI and hit 308. David Oritz hit 41 HR 139 RBI 301 AVG. They the balance of the rest of the lineup with Johnny Damon with 20 HR 94 RBI 304 AVG.  Kevin Millar chipped in with 18 HR 74 RBI and 297 AVG and other unsung players like Bill Mueller who missed some time with injury still hit 283 with 57 RBI and Jason Varitek with 18 HR 73 RBI and 296 AVG.  They also featured Keith Foulke Who had 32 Saves but saved his best for the postseason. The trade for Orlando Cabrerra who hit 6 HR and 31 RBI down the stretch, and also played tremendous defense was the catalyst. I have to give Theo Epstein the GM at the time credit to pull off trading a Boston Red Sox icon in Nomar Garciparra. Nomar was banged up and seemed to lose some range.  The team was personified by Johnny Damon who called the team the idiots. Damon had a care free attitude and so did Kevin Millar. This team seemed to really enjoy playing with each other on a daily basis, even in crisis. Manager Terry Francona always kept a clubhouse that he was in complete control this season. He was the best at never airing his dirty laundry with problems with players ala Bobby Valentine who to me is the worst manager in Red Sox history since 1967. It is not even close

Now this years team in not as talented as that team but they have a bunch of guys that seem to relish the opportunity to shock everyone with their fantastic play.  As I write this, their record is 95-62 which is the best in baseball. As great as the 2004 team was, they were 98-64 so this team is within range of this.  David Ortiz is still the main threat on offense with 29 HR 98 RBI 307 AVG, The gritty Dustin Pedrioa has 9 HR 83 RBI and 299 AVG. Other impressive power numbers are from Mike Napoli with 23 HR 90 RBI 257 AVG. I have to say that I dumped on Napoli a lot this summer when he was striking out a lot. He has really turned it around and had a nice finish to the season when the Sox needed him.  Jarrod Saltimaccia has hit 13 HR 59 RBI  266 AVG and has improved big time behind the plate.  The gritty Johnny Gomes who has come through with big hit after big hit as 12 HR 50 RBI as a part time player. His AVG is only 238 but seems much better because he is a big game player and it seems like his teams win all the time.  Shane Victorino who is an excellent right fielder has chipped in with 14 HR 58 RBI and 294 AVG. Lastly the impressive outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has 8 HR 52 RBI 52 SB and 299 AVG.  Daniel Nava has also chipped in as a platoon player with his 11 HR 63 RBI and 297 AVG. The team is known for their beards with Mike Napoli and Johnny Gomes leading the way and the team even had a beard night a week ago at Fenway.

As you can see this is a very balanced offense. One night Victorino can be the hero, then Ellsbury, Pedrioa, Gomes et all. But what really drives the reason why this team has a chance to be in the World Series is the excellent pitching staff. Led by Jon Lester 15-8  3.67 ERA but has been brilliant since the All Star Break.  Clay Bucholtz who is 11-1 with 1.60 ERA but unfortunately missed almost 3 months with an injury. He would have been up for the Cy Young or a strong contender if he did not get hurt.  John Lackey who is only 10-12 but with a 3.44 ERA. Lackey has been snakebit all season when it comes to run support.  If he got more he would be like 15-8 at least.  Jake Peavy has been a very good pickup at the trading deadline. Jake has a 3-1 record with a 3.68 ERA and has stabilized the staff. Felix Doubront has been decent as well with 11-6 with 4.03 ERA. The Bullpen has some holes in it but it has been led by probably the best relief pitching I have ever seen from a closer. Koji Uehara has a 4-1 record with 21 saves but has only given up 32 hits in 71 Innings. He also only has 9 walks and at one point retired 37 straight batters which is the equilavent of 13 1/3 perfect innings. That is unheard of even for some of the best closers of all time like Dennis Eckersley, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith.

Does this team has what it takes to win it all.  I think they do. The main reason why is they have a good 4 man rotation. Back in 2004 we all remember that they were down 3-0 to NY before turning in one of the most stunning comebacks in sports history.  David Ortiz was the catalyst but the unsung hero from all of this was Derek Lowe. Lowe was out of the rotation in that series but had to come in to start when Tim Wakefield took one for the team in a shellacking in game 3. The Cur Schilling bloody sock game 6 is remembered vividly but Lowe pitched 6 Innings in Game 7 in NY to get the clincher and then pitched the clincher in the World Series vs St Louis.

This rotation mainly led by Lester and Bucholtz has the capability to do the same. Detroit or Oakland will be very tough to beat as they are just as good as Boston and Det has the raining Triple Crown winner in Miguel Cabrerra who is having another monster year with 44 HR 137 RBI 350 AVG and Pitchers Matt Scherzer with 20-3 3.00 ERA and Justin Verlander who is only 13-12 with 3.56 ERA but has tons of experience and can turn it up when the playoffs start. Oakland has Josh Donaldson with 24 HR 92 RBI 307 AVG and old friends Coco Crisp has 22 HR 65 RBI 259 AVG and Brandon Moss has 28 HR 81 RBI 258 AVG.  But we all know the main reason why the Oakland Athletics are always a contender in recent years is fantastic pitching (some things never change).  Bartolo Colon who has resurrected his career is 17-6  2.64 ERA and AJ Griffin is 14-9 3.78 ERA. Their closer Grant Balfor is 1-3 2.67 ERA and 38 Saves.

I would love to see a Boston Red Sox vs LA Dodgers World Series. I have loved the Sox since I was a kid in the late 1970s and the Dodgers since 1981 when they beat the NY Yankees with Fernando Valenzuela and the enjoyed Orel Hershiser in the 80s.  It would be fun to see two traditional teams compete for this and the teams that made the huge trade last year for the Sox to dump Carl Crawfords salary and give up a very good player in Adrian Gonzalez. Adrian has 21 HR 98 RBI and 295 AVG. The Dodgers also have the 1-2 punch of the arguably the best starting pitchers in baseball of Clayton Kershaw with 15-9 1.88 ERA and Zack Greinke with 15-3 2.67 ERA and their closer of Kenley Jansen 4-3 1.93 ERA and 27 Saves. He also has 107 Strikeouts in 74.2 innings.

We shall see what happens in October.  I really hope that it is a fun ride for all.  Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. Much appreciated.