The Boston Red Sox entered the 2013 season after a last-place finish in the American League East and three consecutive absences from the playoffs.

Likewise, two years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers were an organization in shambles. The squad had a controversial owner, Frank McCourt, who bought the team on borrowed money and was forced to sell the team to the Guggenheim Baseball Management group with Magic Johnson as a prominent figure for two billion dollars.

Last week, both franchises made a resounding statement following a long road of failure and adversity. Boston clinched the American League East for the first time since 2007 on Friday night, while on Thursday night, the Dodgers clinched their first National League West division title since 2009.
It may seem likely, after a sluggish start, that both teams will cross paths in the World Series. So-how formidable are the Dodgers?

A slew of injuries had the Dodgers off to a rocky start to the season. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez, all-star center fielder Matt Kemp and free agent signee pitcher Zack Greinke all missed significant time. On June 21, the Dodgers were 30-42 and nine and a half games behind the first place Arizona Diamondbacks. On Aug. 17, though, they were 69-50 and well on their way to securing a first place finish in the National League West.

That win on Aug. 17 topped off an unheard-of 42-8 run, the best 50-game stretch in the last 100 years. In fact, that is the most notable stretch of victories in the live-ball era.
Outfielder Yasiel Puig could be the biggest reason this run occurred.

During those 50 games, Puig's on-base percentage dipped below .400 once-to .398-and was consistently around .425. He played center and right field at an exceptional level, especially while his all-out style of play fueled the team on a nightly basis. Just a month into his baseball career, he was the center of a television advertisement marketing baseball on ESPN. He is not only important for the Dodgers-he is making the sport more popular.

Once they were healthy, though, Ramirez and Greinke played tremendously this year. They have both put up all-star numbers since the middle of June. Greinke is 15-3 with a 2.45 earned run average on the year, good for fourth in the league. Ramirez is batting .351 with 20 home runs and 57 runs batted in despite battling injuries all season. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez has 98 runs batted in and has been a force in the field and in the third spot in the lineup during the season.

Clayton Kershaw, the ace of the pitching staff, currently has a 1.94 earned run average. He has drawn comparisons to former Dodger Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His 14-9 record is deceiving because he has pitched so well. A little bad luck has contributed to the oddly mediocre winning percentage. Nevertheless, he is on pace to win his second Cy Young award and has made a strong case for the National League Most Valuable Player award.

The bullpen has been a huge boost. A formidable bullpen makes a good team great, and therefore, that's exactly what has happened for these Dodgers. Closer Kenley Jansen has led the staff to post a 1.69 earned run average since the all-star break.

The biggest contributing factor, though, is money. The Magic Johnson-led group has infused an incredible amount of cash into the organization. After an unprecedented trade with the Red Sox in July 2012 in which the Dodgers acquired $220 million in salary, Los Angeles also extended Kemp and outfielder Andre Ethier's contracts. With the additional signings of premier starting pitcher Greinke as well as No. 3 Ricky Nolasco, the Dodgers boast a $220 million payroll, tops in the league.

The Dodgers have championship aspirations, and ultimately, it's looking as if this surging squad will draw the Red Sox in the World Series.

That would be quite a turnaround.