When spring training starts, baseball players think about the World Series and their team’s chances of making it that far. In February of 2004 when spring training opened, the Red Sox were optimistic about getting to the World Series and winning. After all, in 2003, we got to the seventh game of the League Championship with the Yankees. Over the winter, Red Sox management had strengthened the team with the acquisition of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke, a new closer. As good as 2003 had been, I had the feeling this was a special year.

At the beginning of the regular season, we felt we could win 90 to 95 games. Our feelings were reinforced in April as the team played well. We also enjoyed serious success over the Yankees, winning both series from them. Unfortunately, the team then played .500 ball through May, June and the first part of July. Winning half of your games does not bode well for the post season. However, in late July, the team got hot. We began to win more regularly and, at one point in early August, we had won 10 games in a row and were back in the American League wild card race. However, our goal was still to win our division. ... continued