A Tale of Two Baseball Teams

The Boston Red Sox, favorite team of every stout-hearted person, are now steamrolling through the baseball season, wining series from three good teams in a row. All on the road, they have whipped the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, and the Detroit Tigers. They return to Fenway Park tonight in first place in the American League East and from all appearances are ready to make a shambles of the pennant race.

All this comes in the wake of a truly awful start, and with two of their starting pitchers on the shelf. Alfredo Aceves and Tim Wakefield have thrown the ball so effectively that we almost wish John Lackey and especially Daisuke Matsuzaka wouldn't return. The defense has been very good, and the hitting now looks terrific. Jacoby Ellsbury, who a year or two ago looked over-matched against left-handers, now sprays hits to all parts of the field and is starting to show some home-run power. Adrian Gonzalez has been as good or better than advertised and David Ortiz is having a season reminiscent of years gone by. Carl Crawford, after a dreadful beginning, is now showing what $142 million can buy, and Jared Saltalamacchia has started to hit. Even the players who have not shown well so far can be expected to get hot - Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis will equal career norms. The right-field position has not contributed much, and both J.D. Drew and Mike Cameron are clearly fading stars, but they still field capably, and offense from them is a bonus at this point.

Jed Lowery has been a catalyst for the team and has made the plays at shortstop.

Finally, these are not your father's Red Sox. They have excellent team speed, and Ellsbury, Crawford and Pedroia should move them among the league leaders in stolen bases.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies are sinking like - well, like rocks. Ubaldo Jimenez, one year ago thought of as the next great right-handed pitcher, is winless on Memorial Day with an earned run average of six. Jorge de la Rosa, counted on as his left-handed complement, must have Tommy John surgery and is done for the year. Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez are having years that are down from what was expected, and though Todd Helton has rebounded from several declining years, he doesn't hit with much home-run power anymore. Seth Smith in right-field defines mediocrity and Dexter Fowler in center-field strikes out much too much. From an offensive standpoint, third base has been a black hole.

Jonathan Herrera at second base, the man for whom the words "scrappy" and "plucky" were invented can't carry a team by himself. Chris Iannetta, behind the plate, calls a good game and throws effectively. He has some power, but his batting average barely tops .200.

The remaining starting pitchers are capable, but there is no big horse for the team to ride. The bullpen has been erratic, in particular the closer, Houston Street (and is that a great name or what).

Manager Jim Tracy and the front office are trying everything to turn things around. Veterans have been released or demoted and the youth of America has been promoted to the big club. A young right-hander, Juan Nicosia, gave the team a shot in the arm over the weekend, but it's dangerous to pin one's hopes on a rookie pitcher. Right now, their chances don't look good despite the injury to Buster Posey that weakens the Giants and the slim possibility that the Arizona Diamondbacks can continue to play good baseball. It could be a long summer in Denver and throughout the Rockies.

But then, the Broncos have always been number one around here.