A season that began with prospects as bright as any in recent memory has, once again, faded in the fall for the Boston Red Sox.

Red Sox fans aren't surprised--only the most hopeless optimists ever actually believe that the Olde Towne Team will win a World Series in their lifetime. But this season has been marred not only by unfulfilled expectations. It is the way in which this team has fallen apart emotionally that has made the Sox such a sad spectacle in recent weeks.

Picked by Sports Illustrated to capture their first world championship since 1918, the Sox began the summer with high hopes and lofty goals. After Pedro Martinez gave up his first earned run in more than 32 innings (including playoffs) in his second start of the season, he was asked if he had thought he would ever give up another earned run. "I'm only a man," he said.

Pedro was wrong--he proved to be almost supernatural over the course of the season, compiling a miniscule earned run average in an era of hitting, not pitching. Nomar Garciaparra also duplicated last year's superior performance and is poised to win his second American League batting title in a row. It was the rest of the Red Sox team that proved far too human.

At the beginning of the year, Carl Everett was tearing up opposing pitchers. He was considered a viable Most Valuable Player candidate. People wondered how General Manager Dan Duquette could possibly have acquired him so cheaply from the Houston Astros. They soon found out--Everett was suspended for 10 games when he threw a tantrum after an umpire asked that he stand inside the batters box.

Things have gone downhill from there. Everett, who routinely arrived at the ballpark after the prescribed time, got into a profane shouting match with his manager, Jimy Williams, after he returned from his suspension. The rift erupted again recently when Everett, nursing an injury, arrived late for a doubleheader. He was enraged to see that he was slated to start the game. Swearing loudly in the clubhouse, he nearly got into a fistfight with Darren Lewis, who started in his place. Williams expressed surprise and confusion that Everett had not contacted him about being late.

Like the rest of the Red Sox team, we have nothing but the utmost respect for Williams. His no-nonsense attitude towards Everett's inappropriate behavior is an example of the correct belief that star players shouldn't receive any special treatment. In this light, it is unfortunate that Duquette choose to publically undercut William's judgement. In a sickeningly show of support for Everett at the expense of his manager, Duquette said "the bottom line is how you perform on the field." Duquette dismissed the rest as auxiliary issues.

Derek Lowe characterized the Red Sox as one "big dysfunctional family." After witnessing the Everett saga, he never seemed more right. This season has not been pretty--from starting pitchers' anger about being pulled early by Williams to the abrupt departures of Mike Stanley and Jeff Frye. But Duquette reached a new low by publicly backing one of his players over his manager.

Maybe, if the Everett issues are resolved and Duquette renews his trust in Williams, the Red Sox can recover. After all, there is always next year.