It's "Nap-time" for the dreams of a winning 2014 Red Sox season

Jennifer Warner
Contributing Writer
Photo Courtesy of Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
ESPNBoston.com

With the 2013 season seeming like some wonderfully, magical, wet dream of days gone by, the 2014 Red Sox season has been more of a 180-day long date from Hell, with no end in sight. The only way this season could have been any worse, was if Maury Povich showed up with paternity test results and a line of potential baby daddys. But I digress...

It may have been an unrealistic expectation to think the Sox could repeat last year's dominant performance, but many of the Fenway Faithful still held out hope. With the apple cart being upset with the departure of Jacoby Ellsbury to the Evil Empire, some speculated that the "chemistry" that held the team together was now in jeopardy. And that sentiment was recently reinforced by one player who played a significant role in that 2013 World Series win, first baseman, Mike Napoli.

"I think a lot of people don't understand how things went last year. Everything went right. There was just such a perfect mix of guys. I mean, we didn't lose four games in a row," Napoli commented to The Boston Herald after Tuesday's Red Sox-Yankees match up.  "Everybody in the lineup meshed so well together. It's hard to duplicate."

Big things were expected out of Napoli this season, but after suffering a dislocated left finger in April which sent him on a brief DL stint (but still has not healed), and back spasms which recently left him unable to get out of bed one morning, the 32-year-old has faced one of his most challenging seasons physically, and many feel that he has been unable to perform to previous standards.  However, with 17 home runs, and 51 RBI's on his injury-shortened season, Nap has still managed to sport a fairly decent batting line at .251/.371/.433. He also has one year left on his contract with the Red Sox and  is owed $16 million in 2015.

One thing is for sure, Napoli does not want to spend his next season in a Red Sox uniform the way he has had to spend this one...looking up from the cellar. "It's not a good feeling going out there and seeing the standings on our Green Monster every day. That hurts. This is something that I never want to go through again. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Yes it does, Mike...yes it does.

So, fear not, members of Red Sox Nation, this train wreck of a season is nearly behind us. I, for one, am ready to load up on alcohol and kill any brain cells which may be responsible for the memories of the 2013 Red Sox season, but hey, feel free to hit up some Total Recall-esque clinic for the same effect,  if alcohol is not your thing.  Just remember, the 2015 season is a short 7-months away, and we get another shot at a winning season.

Follow Jennifer Warner on Twitter @Soxfan012