By banding together, Red Sox get job done

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BOSTON -- Second baseman Dustin Pedroia sat in the Boston Red Sox' dugout Monday afternoon and gazed at the A.L. East standings on the left-field wall at Fenway Park. He thought out loud that the Red Sox had won 91 games and were on the verge of their fifth postseason appearance in the last six years. Impressive. What's more extraordinary is how Boston accomplished the feat. Despite 15 players on 20 disabled-list stints for a total of 551 man-games lost, clubhouse controversy and trades, the Red Sox have beaten adversity and could still be the favorites to repeat as world champions. "There's not a lack of effort -- ever," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "There's a tremendous amount of positive energy." Injuries have been a major factor, with starters David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo, along with pitchers Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka, spending extended time on the DL. Still, the Red Sox have won 90-plus games. "Guys have stepped up," Pedroia said. "(Jon) Lester has pitched awesome all year long, Dice-K has been great, and now with Beckett back, our pitching has been solid. Guys have stepped up, and that's the reason why (we've been successful)." Because the Red Sox have been able to win despite the adversity, it has created a certain psyche within the clubhouse that once the postseason begins, and everyone is back in the lineup, Boston will be the team to beat in October. "We're going to be that much better when guys are healthy," Pedroia said. "We can win without those guys, because we've done it all season long. Whoever we run out there we have a good chance of winning, and finding a way to win. That has been the biggest thing for us all year; we've been doing all the little things to win games." Case in point: Boston enjoyed nothing but success in 2007, winning the A.L. East with a 96-66 record. There are still six regular-season games remaining this year, and whether they repeat as division champs or settle for the wildcard, there's a chance the Sox could match last year's win total. "Not bad," utility man Alex Cora said. "Obviously, we still have a week to go for the division, but to be (five) wins away from last year, with everything from injuries to drama to all this stuff, is just a testament to how they run this organization." The drama centered on frustrated slugger Manny Ramirez, who was traded to the Dodgers at the July 31 deadline. It has become similar to the transaction the club made in 2004, when it dealt disgruntled shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and, suddenly, order was restored and the Red Sox eventually won the World Series. With Ramirez gone, the feeling is the same. "Everybody likes Manny as a guy," Pedroia said. "I think he stopped playing because of his contract situation, and he was mad at other people. I don't think he was necessarily mad at his teammates, but in reality it affected us. It affected what we were trying to do, so there needed to be a change, and we got a guy (Jason Bay) who has played great. We didn't lose anything. We got a complete player, a winning player." Boston went 18-9 in August, and is 12-8 in September. Since the Red Sox acquired Bay, Mark Kotsay and Paul Byrd, Francona has said the addition of true baseball players has made a significant impact. All three have adjusted well to this demanding market, and the players in the clubhouse have welcomed them. "I think it's obvious, especially the last six or seven weeks, that I've really enjoyed how our team has gone about its business," said Francona. "It's not always gone perfect, but I've really enjoyed it and our staff has enjoyed it. "When you seem to be going in one direction -- the right direction --- it makes competing more enjoyable. Enjoy really is the right word because there are some nights when you lose and it really kicks you right in the stomach. But I like what we're doing, and I like it with this group -- a lot. I hope it's noticeable because they have been a pleasure to be around." It's not just the performances on the field or the chemistry in the clubhouse. Most, if not all, of the Red Sox players will credit Francona with keeping peace and harmony within the clubhouse, which has translated into production on the field. Since Francona's arrival prior to the 2004 season, the Red Sox have recorded four 90-plus-win seasons in his five years at the helm. "Getting to the playoffs is no small feat," Francona said. "It's very difficult to do. It's a big deal getting to the playoffs, and knowing that you're going to keep playing is a huge deal."(Contact Joe McDonald at jmcdonal@projo.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)