Red Sox Second Half Predictions



Ryan MacLeod
Contributing Writer

The Boston Red Sox have had quite the first half of the season. They have the most wins in the Major Leagues, are Leading the AL East by 2.5 games over Tampa Bay and have not had a long period of bad baseball played all season. The second half of the season is where teams make it or break it. Here are my predictions on what will happen during the second half of the season:
1) There will be no big names traded for or traded at the deadline.
This Red Sox team was flooded with Jacoby Ellsbury controversy early this year, would he be traded at the deadline? I for one thought that he would if the team was playing poorly, but the team is leading the AL East, trading Ellsbury would be very detrimental to the team. The option to replace Ellsbury would be Jackie Bradley Jr. Someone that needs more time to develop his game before he is an every day starter. The Sox could also look to add a big name starter, but the need for one seems to be dwindling with the emergence of Lackey as a solid #3 man this year.
2) The Red Sox will win the AL East.
It may not sound like a shock but the Red Sox are in a great position to win the AL East this year. I expect them to have one bad stint of baseball, sometime in August, a time where they lose their lead in the East but then recover to win the top spot back. I predict that the Red Sox end the season with 96 wins, the opposite to the number they had last season, and have the 2nd best record in Major League Baseball when the season ends.
3) Will Middlebrooks will be called back up to the club.
Middlebrooks has been playing well in AAA with Pawtucket. He could get called up to play 3rd base again but personally I think a move to first would be a good move for the future of the team. An infield of Middlebrooks at first, Pedroia at second, Drew at short and Iglesias at third could be a great infield. This is all pending on Middlebrooks' ability to switch corners of the infield.
4) Jacoby Ellsbury ends with 60 steals.
Ellsbury currently has 36 steals this season and is leading the majors in this category. The task of swiping only 24 more seems like an easy task for the always speedy Ellsbury. With this being a contract year he is going to try to prove that he is the fastest man in baseball. 60 may be a low number for Ellsbury, he may end up with a number close to 70 if he is feeling well and is on first often.
5) Red Sox make the World Series.
This has been a tough year for Boston, the Red Sox will continue to rally around Boston Strong, and when they make the playoffs they will be unstoppable. They will ease past the first round and then face Detroit in the ALCS, taking them 6 games before winning it in a pitching match-up of Buchholz vs Verlander. As for the World Series, its still a little early to predict that but I would not be surprised to see millions of members of Red Sox Nation watching the duck boats travel around Boston.

The second half of the season starts on Friday, and who better to start it against other than the Yankees. Do you agree with my predictions for the second half? Let me know in the comments below or tell me on twitter what you think @Ryanthahawaiian.