Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Will 2018 Be The First 100-Win Sox Season Since The 1946 Pennant-Winners?

The Boston Red Sox have not won 100 games since Ted Williams and his 1946 pennant-winners notched 104 victories. Since then, the closest Boston has come to the century mark is 99 by the 1978 'Super Team' of Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans, Rick Burleson and Jerry Remy (not a bad crew). The legendary, curse-busting 2004 'Idiots' came close at 98 wins—but since then only the 2013 World Series champs got in the same range at 97. Could this be the year that the franchise notches its first 100-win campaign in 72 years? Before 1946, the team achieved the 100-win plateau only two other times—in 1912 (105 wins) and in 1915 (101 wins). In both of those seasons, The Carmine Hose went on to win a World Series championship. Currently, the Red Sox are on-pace to nab 111 wins. However, with the natural ebb and flow of the long baseball season (what the geeks call "regression") that total will inevitably come down. But, still, 100 wins is clearly in play. If they make it to the hallowed "century mark", 'Teddy Ballgame' would certainly be proud.