Suprising Start

Kevin Hench wrote an interesting and revealing piece today about the success of the Sox this year. Sitting tied atop the East at 20-13, they've proven themselves resilient, to say the least. The offense has been incredibly inconsistent, no doubt in part due to the absence of Coco since the final game in Baltimore at the beginning of April, and the middle relief (Seanez, Riske, Tavarez) has been throwing BP. It's the defense and the starting pitching, not to mention the emergence of Jonathan Papelbon as, apparently, an elite closer that has permitted the Sox to run with the leaders of the pack.

One of the more interesting developments of the last month or so has been the way Tony Francona... oh, wait, sorry.... I thought I was writing for the Post. Anyways, it's the the way Francona's been acting in front of the cameras: more confidently. Whereas last year it seemed as if Francona was just the unlucky chaperone of a motley crew, this year he seems to really be the captain of the ship. That's not to say that he's making amazing managerial decisions, but he is at least putting some confidence in them, declining offers to explain the unsuccessful ones before the media.
As a fan, this attitude breeds a little more confidence and even a little hope. Maybe he's not just our bumbling, bald, Ovaltine-and-tobacco downing manager. My one request is that he do something soon about Rudy Seanez and his spot in the rotation. I realize the guy pitched great last year, but it's coming to the time where he should be replaced with younger blood.