Well the Boston Red Sox have been passed by the stupid New York Yankees atop the AL East standings, but the Sox are not far behind. All in all Red Sox ticket holders should be happy that they are where they are. The team has not gotten of to as hot a start as many fans though they would, and with their cleanup hitter David Ortiz not hitting the ball at all, they are still within a game of first place. Ortiz has been dropped in the lineup, and with Kevin Youkilis getting the cleanup hitting spot for now, the top of the order should be able to score some more runs. Jason Bay has been very good this season, and Jason Varitek has had a fantastic bounce-back season that has seen him become one of the better hitting catchers in the league, something Red Sox ticket holders everywhere are happy to see. But with the competition getting better all the time, its up to the Red Sox to step it up.

The AL East is not getting any easier, especially with the Toronto Blue Jays [tickets] playing much better than many thought they would. With their pitching they are able to surprise a ton of fans so keep an eye on them. The Tampa Bay Rays [tickets] are also primed for a breakout, as their hitting can score with anyone. And of course, Yankee ticket holders are all the sudden feeling quite talkative after a few years of having to bite their tongue because their team was no good. The team as well as Red Sox ticket holders are going to have to step it up if they are going to keep pace. Even fans with Baltimore Orioles tickets have some reason for optimism.

While the hitting woes might have been foreseen, another factor that is causing anxiousness among fans is the fact that the starting rotation has not been as dominating as many had hoped. Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield have performed admirably, however aces Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have not been as great as they have been in the past. Once these guys get going however, look out. You definitely want to buy Red Sox tickets for to see these guys because they look like they are getting hot. Daisuke Matsuzaka was awful in his first few starts of the regular season after being named the MVP of the World Baseball Classic, but after taking some time to rest up looks set to be dominant once again.

But the wild card is John Smoltz, who is recuperating as we speak. There are few pitchers as respected as Smoltz, and you know that he is going to be going hard when he joins the Red Sox. You know that its going to be a hot Red Sox ticket when he takes the mound at Fenway Park.

But if David Ortiz can't start hitting the ball like all the Red Sox ticket holders want him to, then the Red Sox offense could be in trouble.