The Red Sox are 15-16 through 31 games, and already there is panic in the streets of Boston. It doesn't take much for the locals to get all bent out of shape about the Red Sox. But this time it may be justified. The Red Sox are 7 games behind the Yankees and 7 1/2 games behind the Rays. It's only May 9. The Sox have lousy pitching and defense. Adrian Beltre already has seven errors. Actually, they're hitting, although David Ortiz is batting .178. His bat looks slow and tired. Meantime, the Rays and Yankees have gotten off to excellent starts. They are a combined 8-1 against the Sox with all nine games played at Fenway park. Boston has lost 13 out of 15 against New York dating back to last year. The Yankees, and this is a beat-up New York team, have opened the season by winning nine of their first ten series. The Rays, to steal Emeril's line, have kicked it up a notch. Their pitchers are leading the league in era and their hitters are second only to the Yanks in scoring. That said, the season is just 20% complete, and the Red Sox are just one game under .500. But their next 17 games are against New York, Toronto, Detroit, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay. As I type this, all of those aforementioned teams are playing over .500. But something tells me the Red Sox aren't going to run and hide. They have too much quality and too much character. Finding it seems to be the major issue.