01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, September 30, 2003

Call me a homer. Call me irresponsible. Call me a fool. Call me anything you want. But don't say I don't believe.

For the Red Sox are going to win the World Series.

At least I think so.

And here are 10 reasons why:

PEDRO

He is many things, our Pedro, not the least of which is a diva. But between the lines, with the ball in his hands, he is still the best pitcher in the game, still the one you want on the mound in a defining game. Even if he doesn't have the consistent heat anymore.

For nearly four seasons now he has been protected by the Red Sox, babied if you will. He's been on a rigid pitch count, given extra days off between starts, been treated like a hothouse flower, all to save him. Save him for October. Save him for games that count.

Save him for now.

This is Pedro's time, and it's coming when he appears the strongest he's been in a long time.

BIG BATS

Remember the '27 Yankees, the group that's long been the mark of offensive excellence, the so-called "Murderers Row?"

Well, forget them.

These Red Sox are the real Murderers Row.

They have more hits than the '27 Yankees had, more home runs, a better slugging percentage. They have set Major Legaue records for extra base hits and total bases, and and have six players who have at least 20 home runs.

They are the best hitting team in the game, and no lineup in the playoffs scares pitchers like this one does.

LACK OF A GREAT TEAM

There's no overestimating this.

For all of the well-publicized Red Sox failures in the postseason during the past half century, most of them happened because the other teams were better. The Cardinals in '67. The Reds in '75. The A's in the late '80s. The Yankees in '99. In fact, take away the '86 Series against the Mets -- and we all know how that turned out -- and the Red Sox never have had the best team in the postseason in 50 years.

Now?

Now this is not the case. There is no great team out there. No team the Sox can't compete with.

CAREER YEARS

One of the keys to teams that win the whole thing is they have a number of players having great years. Remember the Angels' David Eckstein last year?

Well, the Red Sox have a slew of players having career years. Go right down the list: David Ortiz. Bill Mueller. Jason Varitek. Trot Nixon. All have had career years, to the point that you can make a case that the team's offensive superstars -- Nomar and Manny -- have not had to carry this team, even with their production.

OTHER TEAMS HAVE MORE PRESSURE

Well, this isn't exactly true.

The Red Sox in the postseason always have the weight of history draped all over them, the laundry list of past sins. But this is the A's fourth trip to the playoffs in this Billy Beane era, and they haven't gotten past the first round yet. And if they don't do it this year, does some of the luster come off Beane?

Then there are the Yankees, prisoners of their own success, where if they don't at least get to the World Series the season is viewed as a disaster.

The point?

Take away the Twins and everyone's got pressure, not just the Sox.

DEREK LOWE

He got off to a slow start, and he's had his problems on the road, but he won 17 games and once again has been a quality number two starter. Put him behind Pedro and the Red Sox have arguably as good a one-two punch as anyone in the playoffs.

KARMA

If someone told you six minths ago that the Sox were going to play Oakland in the playoffs and the A's wouldn't have Mark Mulder, wouldn't you have been thrilled? Wasn't the big fear about playing the A's is that you had to face their three great pitchers?

Not now. Now you only have to face their two great pitchers.

That and either the Twins or a Yankees team that's nowhere near as good as they were four years ago to get to the Wolrd Series.

And you still don't think this team is blessed?

KARMA II

This may be the last roundup for this particular group.

Someday soon the Sox are going to have to make serious decisions on Pedro, Nomar, Varitek and Lowe, for all will be in the last year of their contracts next season. Will they all be back? Probably not.

So this might be their last chance, their last run at a legacy.

Can you say fate?

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO

Nonsense, of course. Right up there with the Easter Bunny and things that go bump in the night. Last time I checked the Bambino was saying, "Curse? What curse? I never put any curse on the Red Sox. I loved being traded to the Yankees."

AND THE BEST REASON WHY THE SOX ARE GOING TO WIN IT ALL?

It's time.

Lord knows it's time.