POLL: If the Sox are to catch the Rays, who’s the key?

In the latest edition of the Firebrand poll, we asked: Cool Standings has the Red Sox with an 83.8% chance at making a postseason appearance (as of 8/12) with a 42.5% likelihood of overtaking the Rays in the A.L. East. Call it now, how will this pennant race play out?:

• atch out Rays, here we come and we’re taking the A.L. East title with us

  63% of all votes

• The Wild Card has treated us well in the past, bring on the Angels

  26% of all votes

• 3rd place in the A.L. East, what is this 2006?

  7% of all votes

• Close but no cigar, no playoffs (but at least we beat the Yankees)

  4% of all votes

Now that we established unabashed optimism has replaced the “morass of negativity” in the Greater Boston area, let us consider how the Red Sox will mount that comeback and specifically who the keys to that run might be in this poll courtesy of Daniel Rathman.
New Poll (to the right): If the Red Sox are to make the playoffs and succeed in October, which one of the following struggling players absolutely must right his ship?

• Jacoby Ellsbury
• Jason Varitek
• Josh Beckett
• Clay Buchholz