In response to SpacemanEephus' comment:

You could always wear it to a Dodgers' game to reminf Adrian of the good times. :-)

In response to carnie's comment:

Ha.  I will do that Carnie, but only if it is God's will.

I am part of the optomistic group. There is too much talent on this team if they can stay healthy and play up to their potential not to be considered a playoff team.

One year and one month does not define a player. A group of guys playing for the team and each other instead of whining about playing sunday night games or why they have to bat in a certain spot to be comfortable.

Back to a hard nosed manager who can be a players coach as well. All new coaching staff and a group of FA players that are not only talented ballplayers, but positive influences in that clubhouse.

They also have some extra $$ and some prospects to make a mid-season move if need be along with good organization depth.

I seriously wouldnt be surprised if they won 90 games. With good health, good performances and a little luck....Why not us???

In response to SonicsMonksLyresVicars' comment:

Atchisons brilliance last year, lets see RS thought so much that they basically let him walk.

Knew I should have mentioned Ells 2011, but w/ his 192 avh in 2010 and his 313 obp last year almost wipe out his terrific 2011 season for me, and the fact that he's made it pretty clear that he has little to no intention of rejoining RS past 2013.

Ortiz was having a terrific season last year but if you want to look at career year for Ortiz you might want to look at his 04-06 seasons as career yrs [54 hr's 137 rbi's /47 hr's 148 rbi's] even if he stayed healthy last yr have a hard time believing he was getting to those #'s

Beckett 2011 not his best. If you can't win a game down the stretch when team needs you most really puts a stench to that season.

Pedroia's 2012 by his standards was OK. Doesn't compare to his MVP season. Even he would admit last yr not one of his best.

You give me Youk and his last [2] seasons were good enough to get him shipped out for Lillibridge / Stewart really?

I'll give you Ells would be the one who had a career yr in last 2 seasons but were surrounded by [2] very bad yrs. For me a wash, and Atchinson who pitched in mostly non leverage situations as your best examples. Lets face it for the past [2] seasons the RS have had a mostly overpaid underperforming team. You don't pay 180 mil for Sept collapses and 69 win seasons.

 

Salty had a career best year.

Middlebrooks made a big but brief splash.

Cody Ross.

Ciriaco.

Andrew Miller found his niche and had his best career year.

Morales.

Albers & Atchison had unsung years.

 

All was not gloom in 2012.

 

We added Breslow (and extended him).

We found some hope in Doubront.

We shed the killing salaries and got nice prospects.

 

 

 

I am putting the over under at 85

In response to moonslav59's comment:

Oddly enough, Gomes was a better FA according to Keith Law.

In response to moonslav59's comment:

I would opt for hopeful. I would like nothing better than for all the parts of this team to come together and witness an unexpected run at the playoffs. At the very least this team ought to be more fun to watch than last year's debacle.

I'm part of the pessimistic optimists and the realistic objectivists and the positive realists. :) 

I'm pretty optimistic about the team and like the farm system talk I"m hearing lately with more good prospects in the mix. 

My biggest concern aside from my own hangup with the starting pitching is the overall competition in the AL East. Contrast for example with football where the Pats have a huge leg up getting to the postseason being in a crummy division. 

Not the case with the Red Sox. But I'm not big on watching other teams in the end. No reason why this can't be at least a very good team. As for clean slates I don't really buy into those but teams can certainly turn it around from year to year...

I am oft painted into the rose-colored corner of "optimist".  But, this is incorrect.  

As a student of the game, I am well-aware of the faults of this particular Red Sox incarnation, of the negative trending of players, of injury-risks, of uncertainties, of imbalances, of the divisional quality they are up against.

However, as a die-hard fan (related to but not the same thing as student-of-the-game), I am, as always, for better or for worse, utterly hopeful.

Hopeful is not equal to optimistic.