Red Sox Win World Series

Someway, somehow, the Boston Red Sox went from "worst to first" (as the saying goes) as they beat the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to two, to win the 2013 World Series.
The Bosox were a last place team under former manager Bobby Valentine a year ago, finishing 69-93 in the American League East.
So why the turnaround in just one season?
There were many reasons.
The Red Sox hired John Farrell to manage the team and unlike the silly Valentine, he took on a no nonsense approach, and the team bought in early on.
They also signed many veteran players who were said to be "washed up" ... players such as Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Jared Saltalamacchia, Jonny Gomes, Stephen Drew, pitchers Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy and John Lackey, and relief pitchers Andrew Bailey and Mike Hanrahan.
That is quite a re-vamp and it worked out as those players, shucking the "re-tread" role, contributed along with key veteran players Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury to win the rugged American League East. Outside of Hanrahan and Bailey, who wound up on the disabled list for practically the entire season, everything went just right for Boston in 2013.
They even wound up with a closer by default as Koji Uehara emerged as the anchor and savior of the bullpen when the duo of Bailey and Hanrahan went down.
The Bosox finished with a 97-65 record (the best in baseball along with St. Louis) which was a 28-game turnaround from a year ago.
From there, they beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the Divisional round of the MLB Playoffs in four games, winning three games to one. After that, they managed to defeat the Detroit Tigers four games to two to win  the American League pennant.
In the World Series, The Red Sox were able to overcome a two games to one deficit by winning three straight games to win it four games to two, clinching the series in Fenway Park.
Indeed, it was quite a year for the Boston Red Sox, which nobody saw coming as these "bearded wonders" shocked the baseball world.
Congratulations are in order because I certainly didn't believe this team could do it.
But, they better enjoy it because next season they will not be sneaking up on anybody.
Baseball is a funny game and yesterday's fortunes can turn bad in a hurry. Just ask the San Francisco Giants, who went from being the World Series champions of 2012 to finishing in fourth place in the National League West in 2013.
But for now, the Boston Red Sox can bask in the glory of being called World Series Champions!