BOSTON -- Emptying the notebook after a long Boston Red Sox road trip and before Alex Rodriguez's final games in Fenway Park:
A 5-6 record on the West Coast felt like a wasted opportunity, especially since the Red Sox lost three games started by purported ace David Price. But while it's reasonable to bemoan a trip that could have gone so much better, it's also worth noting that a .500 record (or thereabouts) on the road really ought to be good enough to reach the postseason.
Consider this: Thirty of the Red Sox's remaining 52 games will be played on the road.