For the second consecutive game started by David Wells, the Sox overcame a shaky outing by the big man and even shakier pitching by their relief corps and just straight outslugged the opposition. Squandering an 8-run lead would be cause for concern on most days but not this one. It took the Red Sox just 8 pitches in the top of the 8th inning to jump back ahead by 4 runs after blowing the big lead. They would win 12-8. Behind the bats of Mark Bellhorn, Manny Ramirez and Jason Varitek the Red Sox tacked on their 7th straight win and their llth in their last 12 games. There was little doubt that this was a good team when they left Boston last Sunday night but questions remained about their ability to win on the road. No longer. The Red Sox have swept two good teams on the road and now there is no more need to employ a qualifier when judging this team. It’s a damn good one, period.

That said, warning signs still loom. If you kept Keith Foulke, Mike Timlin and Mike Myers (I guess) but swapped Alan Embree, Matt Mantei and John Halama for Jeremi Gonzalez, Cla Meredith and Lenny Dinardo, would there be any dropoff whatsoever? These questions need to be answered. The proper steps have been taken with respect to 2nd Base. Dustin Pedroia is in Pawtucket and as I see it, Mark Bellhorn now has 30-to-45 games to demonstrate that he is the best 2nd Baseman employed by the organization. So far so good, as Bellhorn had what was easily his best game of the season yesterday. Competition ain’t a bad thing, you know.

The final area that may or may not need to be addressed is 1st Base. The Red Sox have received dead-average production from the position thus far, as they rank 15th in MLB in OPS from the position. Under ordinary circumstances, I would be content with this. Only a spoiled baffoon that does not understand the nature of MLB roster construction could have a real beef. When you have the best catcher, DH, a top-3 LF, a top-3 RF, the best CF and so on, merely average production form 1st Base is not the end of the world. I only take exception because Boston is not fielding its best. Roberto Petagine continues to dominate AAA pitching and since he is 34 and has no real MLB track record, his market value falls way short of his potential value to the Boston Red Sox. There is but one argument against calling him up to which I am sensitive. Kevin Millar is an obvious team-favorite and John Olerud, another popular veteran, has performed magnificently since joining the club. If the Sox have determined that the potential lift from Petagine does not justify the clubhouse shake-up that would ensue as a result of the potential departure of either Millar or Olerud, then fine. I’d like to think I know baseball a bit but what I doubtless am altogether ignorant about is a Major League clubhouse and the potential on-field ramifications that could result from such a disruption. I am just not sure that even all the good chemistry in the world can make up for a .575 August OPS from Millar or the re-appearance of the .350/.375 John Olerud.

We’ll see.

The Tribe comes to town tonight, as Bronson Arroyo and Kevin Millwood once again square off.