They were idiots.

The Boston Red Sox of 2004 were self-proclaimed idiots, a raucous bunch that was defined by Johnny Damon’s long hair and beard, Kevin Millar’s “Cowboy Up” slogans and a generally wild-and-crazy, fun-loving, esprit de corps that produced the organization’s first World Series title in 86 years.

In claiming their crown, the 2004 Sox overcame long odds, fashioning an unprecedented comeback from a 3-0 hole in the American League Championship Series, against their archrivals, the New York Yankees, no less.

Boston closed its 2004 title run by going 8-0, including a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

The Red Sox of 2007 were relatively low-key in the clubhouse, adopting a quiet, methodical, grind-it-out approach on and off the field in notching the organization’s second World Series championship in four years.

In claiming their crown, the 2007 Sox overcame long odds, earning a berth in the World Series by overcoming a 3-1 ALCS deficit to the Cleveland Indians.

Boston closed its 2007 title run by going 7-0, including a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.

So, if the 2004 Red Sox met the 2007 Red Sox in a winner-take-all Super Series, which team would win?

CATCHER

2004 – Jason Varitek

Unparalleled preparation. Outstanding handler of a pitching staff. Solid backstop. Consistent production offensively.

2007 – Jason Varitek

Unparalleled preparation. Outstanding handler of a pitching staff. Solid backstop. Not as consistent as an offensive contributor.

Edge: 2004 Sox

FIRST BASE

2004 – Kevin Millar

Power here and there. Below average defensively. One of the top “idiots” who helps keep club loose, a professor of chemistry, if you will, in a very palpable, positive sense on this team.

2007 – Kevin Youkilis

High on-base guy, one of the game’s best “grinders” at the plate, working over the pitcher for walks, not chasing many pitches, helping escalate the pitch count and force the opposition into its bullpen. Occasional home-run pop. Mixes in extra-base hits. Didn’t make an error all year at first.

SECOND BASE

2004 – Mark Bellhorn

Picky switch-hitter at the plate, more known for walks (and strikeouts) than power, but crunched key postseason homers. Adequate defensively. Check his pulse. Is he breathing?

2007 – Dustin Pedroia

Aggressive, confident (cocky?) diminutive rookie who plays with a chip on his shoulder. Offensively, uses the whole field, and has occasional home-run power, notably setting the tone by clouting a leadoff homer in the World Series. Converted shortstop who is outstanding defensively, at times spectacular. A winner.

Edge: 2007

SHORTSTOP

2004 – Orlando Cabrera

Can do it all defensively, showing range, arm and intelligence. At the plate, a pesky, fearless hitter.

2007 – Julio Lugo

Shaky defensively — his dropped popup versus Cleveland could have made him the new Bill Buckner. Inconsistent at the plate.

Edge: 2004

THIRD BASE

2004 – Bill Mueller

A steady, unspectacular switch-hitter who knew how to work pitchers and was immune to pressure, notably on two swings against great Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, a game-winning homer in July and a game-tying single in Game Four of the ALCS, with the Sox staring at being swept. Gold Glove caliber defense.

2007 – Mike Lowell

A career year in terms of production (120 RBI). He turned into a clutch performer who filled in admirably in the absence of cleanup hitter Manny Ramirez down the stretch. World Series MVP. Gold Glove-caliber defense.

Edge: 2007

DESIGNATED HITTER

2004 – David Ortiz

Clutch hitter extraordinaire. When the Sox needed a big hit, Ortiz was providing walk-offs with amazing regularity in the more pressure-packed situations, notably the 12th-inning Game Four ALCS walk-off homer that was followed by a Game Five 14th-inning walk-off single.

2007 – David Ortiz

A fearsome offensive force, though with fewer dramatic moments. A balky right knee, which needs to be surgically repaired, limited his long-ball power a bit.

Edge: 2004

LEFT FIELD

2004 – Manny Ramirez

Consistently power-packed hitter to all fields while still hitting for a high average as part of the game’s most fearsome one-two punch (with Ortiz). Average defensively.

2007 – Manny Ramirez

Slightly less consistent power, and it’s mostly to right-center, though he did launch a monstrous walk-off homer that beat the Angels in Game Two of the A.L. Division Series at Fenway Park. Average defensively.

Edge: 2004

CENTER FIELD

2004 – Johnny Damon

A bon-vivant, hustling leadoff hitter with on-base skills, stolen-base expertise and occasional power, notably a grand slam and a two-run homer in Game Seven of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium. Good range defensively, but very weak arm.

2007 – Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury

Crisp was an inconsistent hitter but consistently spectacular defensively, running down balls he seemingly had no chance to catch, though his arm is Damon-like. Ellsbury added an offensive dimension of speed, looking like a young Damon.

Edge: 2004

RIGHT FIELD

2004 – Trot Nixon

Grit and determination. Perfect for the “keep the line moving” offense, taking his walks and showing occasional power.

2007 – J.D. Drew

Solid defensive player but a disappointment at the plate until the postseason. The polar opposite of Nixon’s demeanor.

Edge: 2004

STARTING PITCHING

2004

Two aces in Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling. Bronson Arroyo was solid, Derek Lowe struggled and Tim Wakefield was typically up and down.

2007

An ace in Josh Beckett, an erstwhile ace in Curt Schilling, a budding ace in Daisuke Matsuzaka, promising Jon Lester and the venerable Tim Wakefield in his up-and-down season.

Edge: 2007

BULLPEN

2004

Alan Embree, Mike Timlin, Mike Myers, Keith Foulke. A veteran crew that generally was effective in turning games over to Foulke, who was a veritable innings-eater as a closer, often working off a tightrope, though successful more often than not in escaping danger.

2007

Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez, Mike Timlin, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon. The trio of Delcarmen, Lopez and Timlin had their positive moments and Okajima was an amazing find as a setup man, saving Papelbon from being overused. Papelbon was the lights-out closer in the Rivera mold that every team craves, a dominant ninth-inning presence or longer when needed in the postseason.

Edge: 2007

MANAGER

2004 – Terry Francona

Working his way into the role in his first year in Boston with four mediocre managerial seasons in Philadelphia, comfortable in allowing his zany crew to develop and carry through its rambunctious but winning personality.

2007 – Terry Francona

Very comfortable in his role in the intense spotlight that never shuts off in Boston, comfortable in allowing this team to find its own personality, albeit a much different one than in 2004.

Edge: 2007

BENCH

2004

Dave Roberts, Pokey Reese, Doug Mientkiewicz, Gabe Kapler

Versatility with speed on a team that needed to platoon for late-inning defense (Millar, Bellhorn).

2007

Alex Cora, Eric Hinske, Ellsbury/Crisp, Bobby Kielty

Not called on to do much, but offered some versatility and speed.

Edge: Even

KEY MOMENT BY UNLIKELY HERO

2004

The stolen base by Dave Roberts, summoned from the bench by manager Terry Francona to run for Kevin Millar after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth with the Sox trailing, 4-3, and only three outs away from suffering a sweep at the hands of the hated Yanks. Roberts was going to go. The Sox knew he would be trying to steal second to get in position to score the tying run. The crowd of 34,826 knew it. The Yankees knew it. Still, Roberts was safe — barely. He scored the tying run moments later, Boston went on to win, 6-4, on David Ortiz’s two-run homer in the 12th. And the rest is history.

2007

Bobby Kielty dusted the cobwebs off his uniform and his baseball bat when Francona summoned him to pinch hit for Mike Timlin in the eighth inning at Coors Field in Game Four of the World Series. It was Kielty’s first moment on the field in the Series. He saw one pitch in the 2007 World Series — and he crushed it into the left-field seats for a solo homer off Colorado’s Brian Fuentes, leading off the eighth, giving Boston a 4-1 lead. The Sox then had to hold off the Rockies, winning, 4-3. Kielty’s homer turned out to be the winning run. The victory gave Boston its sweep.

Edge: 2004

So which is the better team?

Even though the 2004 team gets the edge in more areas, to these eyes the winner is 2007. While there are several similarities, and for the most part there is little to choose between the teams on the field, though each team had its own unique personality, the 2007 team had an automatic in the starting rotation (Josh Beckett) and a game-over closer (Jonathan Papelbon).