81 of the 162 games of the 2008 season have been played. The 13-mile mark of the marathon has just passed and if the season were a typical, 9-inning ball game, it is now the middle of the fifth. Here is a recap of the Red Sox storylines from the first half:
Storyline #1: Bright and Early on the Other Side of the World
The Sox start their season ahead of schedule, playing the first two games of the season in late March in Japan. This is only the beginning of an exhausting road trip to kick off their World Champion title defense. At the end of the trip, in Toronto, they run out of steam and get swept.
Storyline #2: Papi's got no Pop
Big Papi starts the season mired in a terrible slump, batting below .100.
Storyline #3: Spring Feverishness
The flu makes its way through the clubhouse, hitting Tek, Dice-K, MDC, among others.
Storyline #4: Ow! That Hurts!
The DL is hoppin' with injured players. Mikey Lowell has a bum thumb, Casey tweaks his hip, Cora hurts his arm, Clay breaks a nail, Dice-K gets the cold shoulder, Papi's painful wrist clicking, Bartolo's back's whack due to swinging for the moon, and Schill had season-ending surgery.
Storyline #5: Manny's 500
Manny starts the season 10 homers shy of 500. After weeks with special numbered baseballs, #24 reaches the milestone in Baltimore on May 31. Now, with a balky hammie, Manny is limited to DH-ing and extra precautions on the basepaths.
Storyline #6: Bumpy Road
The Sox do amazingly well at home, but once they leave Fenway for other cities and ballparks, the bats get lost with the luggage.
Storyline #7: Lester Comes Into His Own
Lefty cancer-surviving starter Jon Lester emerges as an up-and-coming ace, throwing a no-hitter on May 19 and following up with some very strong outings
Storyline #8: The Returning Vet and the Exciting Newbie
Bartolo Colon, a low-risk signee during the off-season gives the Sox some strong outings in the absence of injured starters and Justin Masterson, who started the season in AA impresses the Sox and the fans alike with his poise, maturity, and a nasty sinker.
Storyline #9: J.D. Who Knew?
After a frustrating and disappointing 2007 season, JD Drew lights it up in the 3-hole after Papi goes down with his wrist injury.
Storyline #10: Uh-Oh-kajima
First, Oki struggles with inherited runners, then he gets into trouble all on his own, especially with teams of the avian persuasion.
Storyline #11: No Rays of Sunshine
Those dang Rays! Suddenly they're not so easy to beat anymore and they're making for a tight race for the top of the AL East. While the Sox are still sitting in first, the lead is not nearly as comfortable as it was last year and tensions between the two teams are rising. They drive Coco loco!
Storyline #12: A Travesty of Errors
It sure isn't easy being Julio Lugo this season. Having made 16 errors so far, he's an adventure on the field, to put it mildly. On the upside, his batting average has improved. Now if only the could grab some more RBIs to go along with it.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
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