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The Red Sox managed to make a mediocre first week anything but boring, and other thoughts

COMMENTARY

In pure hindsight, of course it started this way. The Red Sox brand today is scoffing at your lessons about moderation. In the tiger-blood laced words of 2011 Charlie Sheen, they have one gear: “Go.” Here’s a 119-win season! Here’s four last-place finishes in nine years! Here’s Bobby Valentine! Here’s four World Series championships in 15 years! Here’s an all-time defensive outfield! Here’s an all-time defense outfield leaving!

The 2021 edition is supposed to be a .500 crew. As dawn breaks Thursday, they’re a .500 crew. They got there by following a three-game sweep with a three-game sweep, and have a reasonably even run differential (plus-4) despite half their games being decided by seven runs.