If.

"The amazing thing about all the injuries the Red Sox have had is that they could still be right there with the Yankees and Rays if Josh Beckett hadn't pitched like this kind of scrub before and after he was on the DL."

1) I am too focused on the exciting race between the Yankees and the Padres. I am not even paying attention to the Rays and the Red Sox.

2) A team with a $160 million payroll should be able to replace injured players.

3) Math. Logic. Deduction.

"If Josh Beckett hadn't picked like a scrub, the Red Sox would be right there with the Yankees and Rays."

Why?

If Lupica is allowed to play baseball in Imagination Land, then so can I:

• If Burnett had won 20 games.
• If Vazquez had won 19 games.
• If ARod had hit 45 HRs.
• If Joba had a 0.99 ERA.
• If the Yankees had never lost a game the whole season.

The Red Sox are the only team with injuries and under-performing players?

Every team is a playoff contender if you take their bad players and re-imagine them as good players.