“It can’t be, because so much of the brand is a reflection of the competitive success we’ve had over the last 10 years,’’ he said. “And a few years ago, we were coming off a not-too-distant world championship, coming off playoff participation.

“To some extent, that brand — and a significant component — is attributable to the on-field success. We’ve taken a few hits.”

The Red Sox lost the first two games of this series. The owners watched from Denver as Aaron Cook’s dismal throwing error in the sixth Wednesday turned a chance to win into a nightmare once again. Thursday night, they saw a glimmer of hope as the Sox bounced back from a 3-1 deficit to win, 6-3.

The owners are seeing what everyone else sees. They heard it from their fellow owners in Denver, where they voted to approve the $800 million sale of the Padres, a team Werner bought in 1990 for $75 million.

Everyone is wondering how a team so talented can be struggling so much. It’s baffling to the rest of baseball.

But sometimes, as on Thursday night, they show their talent.