They had a lot of talent. It is not like he took a bunch of journeymen to the playoffs. That is my only point. The Yankees fell apart that season as they changed managers, and the Red Sox played a big chunk of the stretch drive without Beckett who then got injured in the playoffs. It was a best case scenario for Maddon's young squad. He deserves credit for keeping that young group together and engaged. I think he helped them believe in themselves, but there was a lot of talent on that squad and his subsequent teams. After going to the WS, they developed a cockiness as a squad with Longo as the leader.