Playing nine innings while watching a third of the season pass without the Red Sox figuring out how to get their best lineup on the field . . .
1. Their 25-26 record isn’t exactly the confirmation we’d want here, but the Red Sox have the talent to be an excellent team, one that at the very least should earn a wild-card berth. There are many reasons why they haven’t been more than a mediocre underachiever. Some are understandable (excluding Patrick Sandoval, a half-dozen starting pitchers began the season on the injured list, have had a stay there, or are stuck there now).