Certainly, that's not inconceivable. The Jackets' longest winning streak is three, something they did four times this season.
But even if they fall short, at least the 2003 Jackets had something the lowly 1994 Jackets (50-86) did not.
Talent.
A few of the club's promising young pitchers, especially Jon Lester and Juan Cedeno, made significant strides in their development.
With that, here's a look back at the high and lows of the 2003 season.
MVP: Spann is a unanimous choice here. The 19-year-old from Buena Vista, Ga., emerged as one of the top prospects in the organization with a great first full season. Spann entered the final weekend fifth in the SAL in hitting with a .314 average, and has a shot at setting a franchise record for average in a season (Lew Ford hit .315 in 2001).
TOP GUN: A toss-up between Lester and Cedeno, but Cedeno gets the nod. The 20-year-old left-hander has a 3.02 ERA to go with a 7-9 record that would look much better if he had more run support. Cedeno has shown flashes of brilliance and is learning to command all his pitches. He's allowed 87 hits in 101 1/3 innings with 44 walks and 87 strikeouts.
TOP PROSPECT: While Spann deserves recognition as one of the top 10 prospects in the organization, Ramirez did nothing to diminish his place as one of the brightest talents the Red Sox have. The 19-year-old is hitting .268 and leads the club with eight home runs. He has also stolen a club-high 34 bases and has flashed a great glove at shortstop at times while committing 36 errors in 109 games. Ramirez still has the highest ceiling of any player in the system.
BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD: Spann and Cedeno did more than anyone to enhance their chances of getting on the fast track.
THE YEAR IN QUOTES
April 26
"Sned would've enjoyed this one." - Kannapolis cleanup hitter Julio Reyes, who went 5-for-6 with two RBI in the Intimidators' 17-0 win over the Jackets. That night, Kannapolis manager Sean Snedker was in an Augusta hospital undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
April 28
"The thing is, I know I stink right now, but I'm learning," - Jackets center fielder Mike Goss, another highly-regarded Red Sox prospect, who was batting .177 at the time.
May 9
"I think the development path of a player rarely goes in a straight line. He was working hard on the field. This is certainly not based on his performance on the field." - Red sox farm director Ben Cherington on Ramirez, who was demoted to extended spring training after he made an obsene gesture to the fans in South Georgia in a game a few days earlier.
May 13
"I think what the Red Sox offered was either me or a pack of gum and a dozen baseballs. I guess (the Expos) took the gum and the balls." - Jackets reliever Dan Generelli, who was offered to the Expos in the Cliff Floyd trade last season. The Expos had a choice between Generelli and cash, and they took the cash. Generelli was released by Boston in June after posting a 7.71 ERA in 17 games. The Expos signed him in July and assigned him to short-season A Vermont.
June 2
"It's definitely not aerodynamics. I usually have a fade with regular hair on top. But when the team was down in South Georgia, I decided to change things up and said 'I'm gonna shave my head."' - First baseman Brett Bonvecchio on his crew cut. Bonvechio was demoted to short-season A Lowell in July.
June 6
"The whole thing reported (in the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times) about Hanley and Goss having bats is unfair. It was dollar beer night and hundreds of people were drinking and throwing beer on our players. We had two players in the stands charting pitches, and the fans were taunting them. Hanley and Goss went up to the netting to try and yell at the fans to get off their buddy. They never waived or wielded a bat at anyone." - Cherington on the role played by Ramirez and Goss in an ugly brawl in a game against Asheville.
June 20
"I'm sorry for what I did. I know I made a mistake. I just want to forget about that and work hard. I just want to be a better player and I just want to help my team." - Ramirez on his earlier troubles
July 9
"I was real happy for him real and proud of him. He had a big smile on his face after he hit it, and that's important. It's important for him to ... feel confident again." - Hitting coach John Malzone on Bonvechio, who broke out of a 6-for-74 slump with a game-winning RBI double to beat Rome. Bonvechio was demoted a week later.
July 25
"It seems like it's been that way all year. If the pitching has been there, we hadn't hit the ball that good. And if we hit the ball, the pitching hasn't been there. We'll keep working hard and maybe we'll come around." - Spann on the Jackets' ongoing struggles.
Aug 18
"My family is real excited about it. All I can do is hopefully have some good ABs the rest of the season and maybe I'll come out on top in the end." - Spann on his quest to win the SAL batting title.
