These tough old Sox

Schilling out with a shoulder. Papi out with the wrist. The bad news kept coming and coming.

Name one team that would have withstood these injuries, and still make the playoffs. The 2006 Red Sox? Nah.

It all started with Schilling. Out for the year. Already, before the season even starts, a big gash is put in the balloon of the hope of returning to the playoffs. Schilling may have thrown his last pitch in the Major Leagues.

Next came Ortiz. Wrist problems on a power hitter, that's like a soccer player having his leg amputated. So who stepped in? J.D. Drew. Great month of July, keeping the Sox in contention.

Lugo, perhaps the best injury because it let Lowrie get some playing time. <Insert negative NG comment about Lugo here>.

Colon, a on/off starter who never seems to be on the roster, is gone to the 60-day DL.

That is a small fraction of the number of injuries. A fifth, actually, not including day-to-day injuries.

The Manny annual trade talk finally paid off, I guess you could say, getting his wish and being traded to LA, whcih brought hard-working Jason Bay to Boston.

These guys never give up. They go down with a number of injuries. They are reduced to putting the 5'7 Pedroia at clean-up (not saying thats a bad thing, it actually worked out quite well.) They perservered, and deserve to win the World Series.

Terry Francona: Manager of the year. He finds ways to make a powerful lineup. You put Mike Scioscia in Terry's cleats, he would run the team into the ground (pun intended.)

The Red Sox: relentless, perservering, World Series-worthy.

Have any other players you think are worthy? Comment below and I'll add them.