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BOSTON — You need to see past the tiresome self-importance of Red Sox Nation, past the Boston Red Sox's money, past the way they've squeezed every extra nickel out of Fenway Park. You need to look past the image of adults on their knees peering underneath the fence surrounding the players parking lot to see — well, to see what exactly? Tires? Feet?
Because in the lead-up to Friday's American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, you'll need the cliché riot squad out to handle all the piffle about how the Rays have done it "the right way," by building through youth. The draft. By playing the game the right way … yadda, yadda.
Truth is, when it comes to drafting and developing and building from within, the Red Sox have been at least as good as the Rays. Considering that they haven't had the luxury of drafting first because they've been busy winning things such as World Series and doing things like — oh, I don't know — making the playoffs, it can be argued that the Red Sox have done a better job.
Manager Terry Francona finds himself thinking about this at odd times. Like early yesterday, as he stood by the door outside the postgame interview room, where Jed Lowrie and Jon Lester were talking.
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"I was just standing by the doorway when they were talking and I was looking and thinking, 'Boy, they're young,'" Francona said after Lowrie had driven in Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., for the winning run in a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. "Not in a bad way. We've brought some kids up and they have done such a phenomenal job of competing. I think our organization should be proud."
Lowrie, Lester — who pitched 14 shutout innings in the series, including seven in Game 4 — likely AL most valuable player Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis are home-grown products. So is Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson.
The Red Sox hit on Ellsbury (23rd overall) and Lowrie (supplemental pick, 45th overall) by making good use of mid to late first-round picks. Youkilis went in the eighth round (243rd overall) and Papelbon was chosen 114th overall in 2005.
By comparison, the Rays have drafted and developed six players: Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, David Price, James Shields, Andy Sonnanstine and B.J. Upton.
The Red Sox's first five picks from 2005 have all reached the major leagues. This year, the Red Sox were the only organization to have all its farm teams play .500 or better. In short, the cupboard is far from bare, and general manager Theo Epstein has shown a knack of not just letting young players develop, but also using them in trades.
After the win in Game 4 — delivered on Bay's head-first slide — both Epstein and designated hitter David Ortiz noted that the winning run had been scored by two players who weren't on the roster at the start of the year.
"It's fitting it was those two, Jed and Jason, involved in the play," said Epstein, dressed in a red sweatshirt and with a bottle of champagne dangling at his side. "All year long we've had to learn how to mix and match, and overcome some of the adversity we've faced."
Just before the playoffs, in a wide-ranging interview with The Boston Globe, Epstein talked of the necessity of "creating redundancy," in assembling a team, adding: "The quickest way to sink a team, whether it's over 162 games or in October, is injuries and attrition. If you can create depth and redundancy through a strong organization and a complementary move here or there, then you're better off for it."
Lowrie, who was 4-for-11 (.364) in the ALDS, could be this year's Ellsbury. Starting the year at Triple-A Pawtucket, the 24-year-old switch hitter finished with 46 runs batted in, second most for any Red Sox rookie switch hitter behind Reggie Smith's 61 RBIs in 1967.
He committed two errors in 238 total chances at second, shortstop and third base and set a major-league record for rookies with 155 chances without an error in 49 games. There was fear he hit a wall in September, when he batted .213, but Francona has stayed with him.
"That's the thing with Terry," Lowrie said. "He'll not only give you a shot. He'll stick with you. He respects you, regardless of age. I mean, I think I've earned the respect he's shown me, but I know he had to give me the opportunity, first."
