The Boston Red Sox did little to please the professor in 2014.
The defending World Series champions staggered to a 71-91 record, finishing in last place in the American League East. Boston never really was in contention, as the club stumbled out of the gate and never gained traction while quickly plummeting to the bottom of the division.
World Series hangovers are nothing new. The last repeat champion was the New York Yankees, who won three straight World Series titles from 1998 through 2000. That reality does little to soften the blow, though, as the Red Sox are striving for long-term, sustainable success. Two last-place finishes in a three-year span simply is unacceptable, even if there was a championship separating the tumultuous campaigns.
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington and manager John Farrell addressed the media Monday at Fenway Park, touching on several topics pertaining to Boston’s disappointing 2014 season and the interesting offseason that lies ahead. They clearly weren’t pleased with this year’s results, though there are plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward.
Boston’s best course of action is to turn the page — quickly. But before doing so, let’s break out the red pen and grade the 2014 season.
