As Aaron Boone’s majestic home run glided down the left field line, connecting with the foul pole and ending the 2003 American League series, the chilly and forlorn breeze down old Yawkey Way returned once again.

This of course, continued Boston’s ongoing post-season misery as it tried to lay rest all the demons that had haunted them for decades

However, such memories weren’t so vivid in the mind of 30-year-old Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who two years earlier had become the youngest general manager in baseball history. The “brainchild” heated up ‘Beantown’ as he welcomed starting pitching Curt Schilling and closer Keith Foulke to the rotation. Later that July, while sitting eight and a half games back of division rival New York, and fighting for a wild-card spot, Boston traded one of the most popular players in its franchise’s history, shortstop Nomar Garicaparra. It was a very controversial move that involved four teams in a mega-deal with the Cubs, Twins, and formerly known Montreal Expos that netted the Sox Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz. This was followed by the acquisition of outfielder, Dave Roberts from San Diego.

That year Schilling won twenty-one games, Foulke had an earned run average of 2.17, Cabrera had eleven RBI’s in the postseason, Roberts stole one of the most important bases in postseason history during game 5 of the American League Championship Series, and Mientkiewicz caught the final out of Boston’s first World Series since Woodrow Wilson was in office.

The winter months in 2007 were much the same as well, as Boston signed Japanese superstar pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, cut Mark Loretta to give way to rookie second basemen Dustin Pedroia, and signed outfielder J.D. Drew.

Matsuzaka would win 15, Drew would hit .314 in the postseason, and Dustin Pedroia would go on to win the American League “Rookie of the Year” award.

The summer call-ups of outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, and starting pitcher Clay Buchholz would add the right pieces to a Boston team that would win the American League East division for the first time in 12 years, and go 11-3 in the postseason en-route to their second World Series title in three years.

2010 hasn’t gone so smoothly however, as Boston’s biggest splash of the off-season turned into quite a belly-flop as $ 82.5 million man John Lackey has been nothing short of appalling pitching behind aces Josh Beckett, and Jon Lester. Being among the league leaders in W.H.I.P. (walks and hits per inning pitched) and base on balls isn’t exactly the best way of proving yourself worthy to an over 18 and a half million dollar-a-year contract.

Beckett, the recipient of a four-year, $ 68-million contract extension in April, has spent more than two months on the disabled list with back problems, and is giving up nearly a touchdown per start (6.51 earned run average).

If you were to tell a Red Sox fan before the season that Boston would lose Kevin Youkilis to season-ending thumb surgery in August, have Dustin Pedroia miss over 40 games with a broken foot, and see Josh Beckett turn into a batting practice machine on the mound, while still being in contention of a playoff berth, they would probably dump a bowl of clam-chowder on your head.

When Boston let go of 36 home run, and 119 RBI producing Jason Bay in the offseason it was evident that the Red Sox were about to take a different approach to what their team was going to be comprised of on the field.

Epstein put the exclamation point on the idea that pitching and defense wins championships when he acquired 3-time gold glove award winning center fielder Mike Cameron, and utility infielder Marco Scutaro, a defensive specialist.

A transaction that went almost entirely unnoticed was the one year deal worth $9 million handed over to third basemen Adrian Beltre. A move that seemed quite trifling considering the downward spiral Beltre’s career was experiencing. After a near miss at the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award in 2004, Beltre struggled immensely for the American League West division doormat Seattle Mariners, who had signed Beltre to a five-year, $64 million contract.

After hitting 48 home runs in ’04, Beltre would go on to average only 20 a season in his tenure with the Mariners, raising many to believe that he had used performance enhancing drugs during his contract year with the Dodgers.

Boston took a shot with the disgruntled third basemen, and in doing so, made arguably the best move of the entire off-season.

Beltre may not have the same power stroke he did in Los Angeles but he is making a case for himself as the American League’s most valuable player as he ranks in the top ten in the A.L. in batting average (.328), home runs (22), RBI’s (80), slugging % (.556), and OPS (.932). To say Beltre has come a long way would be an understatement considering exactly a year ago last summer, Beltre was on the disabled list after getting hit with a ground ball in the “man region” during a game on August 13th. It was documented that Beltre had long played third base without wearing a cup, something he would later regret.

The Red Sox, who were supposed to be a team built on pitching, are second in the major league in home runs, runs batting in, and hits.

Terry Francona is cementing the fact that he is one of the best managers in the game of baseball today. Not only the way he has handled all the injuries Boston has experienced, but the way he dealt with David Ortiz’s situation, after Ortiz had gotten off to such a wretched start in April (1 home run, .143 batting average). Ortiz bounced back and hit .363 in the month of May with 10 home runs; enough to get the Boston sports writers off his back for the time being.

Boston sits 5 ½ back of rivals Tampa Bay and New York for the A.L. East lead with 43 games to go. 24 of those games will be at Fenway, with 18 being against teams with a record below .500.

Starting pitchers Clay Buccholz (13-5, 2.49), and Jon Lester (13-7, 2.80) have been pitching like Cy Young candidates all season, but it still comes down to Josh Beckett if Boston has any chance to make the playoffs. The thing about Beckett’s failures is that he is still striking out almost a batter an inning and walking a low amount of hitters (68 SOs, 26 BBs in 76 IP); two "Beckett-like" statistics. Francona says the velocity is there, but the lack of command on his fastball has been his downfall, citing this as the culprit to his hefty .294 batting average against opposing batters. Beckett's usual aggresive attacks on the corners of the plate have been inches off, leading to balls being left over the plate and hit hard.

With Dustin Pedroia returning this week, Boston is about to begin a nine game home stand against the Angels, Blue Jays, and Mariners; teams that they are a combined 18-5 against this season.

Expect the gap to be closed this week, with New York struggling to establish any type of rhythm at the top of their order, and with Tampa Bay still battling A.L. West leading Texas and about to head to the west coast.

Yankee manager Joe Girardi is still without a new deal on his contract after this season, and with Lou Piniella seemingly waiting in the wings for another stint as Yankee head man, this could be the perfect script for Red Sox fans predicting a Girardi meltdown, and a Yankee collapse. Girardi would be the first one to tell you that World Series titles don’t necessarily mean years of bliss in the Bronx, just ask Joe Torre. As the lead in the East starts to evaporate, don’t be surprised if Girardi breaks down, giving Boston the nod to October baseball.