Nomar? No. It's More Mo.

With the Red Sox soaring, the obvious question to ask is, 'was Nomar the cause of this team's nearly-year long disappointment?'

It certainly seems like that might be the case...everyone seems to be having more fun, Derek Lowe is finally starting to pitch well again, what with his gold glove defense now behind him, and Pedro's looking like his dominant self. Add the steady Keith Foulke and Curt Schilling, and yes, you have a team that is now favored to represent the American League in the World Series.

Plus, remember...this team began the year strong too--when Nomar was out. The equation seems simple: Red Sox + Nomar = .500 and sad. Red Sox - Nomar = .680 and happy.

But is it really that simple? It's certainly counter-intuitive...as much as Bill Simmons likes to speculate on the Patrick Ewing effect (an MVP that makes a team worse), was Nomar's mere presence pulling the entire Red Sox team down with him? Honestly, I don't think so. I've got another--more realistic--explanation. The big Mo. And not Mo Vaughn.

The Red Sox are finally firing on all cylinders because they're confident and they have momentum. They know they have superior talent, and they're playing like it. When one win turns into two which turns into five, it's easier to run off long winning streaks, shrugging off the losses like nothing. Without this confidence, a loss gets everyone down. It's mob mentality--if everyone believes, the results are astounding. And with the team's talent, it was merely a matter of time before the wins started to roll. And then, cue the snowball effect.

So, it's not Nomar's absence that has made the team begin to win--it's simply that the Red Sox have more skilled players than their weaker opponents. They're just better. None of this baloney about the team's newly focused mindset, without the distraction of Garciaparra...you think this stuff effects Manny and Pedro? Hell, a titanic earthquake/typhoon/tsunami that destroyed 75% of earth wouldn't effect Manny. You think he cares that Nomar is upset about a contract extension? Please...the guy is just good, and it's only a matter of time before the Red Sox win when they have players as talented as Ortiz, Damon, Varitek and, yes, even Derek Lowe. Would this winning streak have happened if Nomar was on the squad? In the words of Robert Evens, you bet your ass it would.

One more point...Red Sox fans, you should be PRAYING Oakland holds off Anaheim in the west. The only way Oakland wins is if their big three strike gold in the playoffs and pitch like world beaters...something they've never done at Fenway. Anaheim provides a tougher test, with a much more dangerous offense. Since the Red Sox big bats will get to either team, Oakland is the lighter opponent.