Widespread panic, nervous breakdowns and an increase in foul language is being reported across the Boston area. The Red Sox are now 0-6 after dropping a 1-0 game to the powerhouse Cleveland Indians (que the laughter) when pinch-runner Darrell McDonald was trapped off second base to close the game on Thursday. For a team people have penciled in playing the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series you need to go back to 1945 to find a worse start to the season (team record 0-8) for the Red Sox.

Despite the horrible start by the Boston Red Sox, oddsmakers (listed below) still have them favored to capture the American League Pennant and only second to the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series. Red Sox fans please take a deep breath before reading the next sentence. (pause) (pause) (pause) No American League team in history has ever lost their first six games and made the playoffs. After spending $161.8 million in the offseason, from being the AL favorite to play in the World Series to not even making the playoffs could be one of the bigger disappointments in recent baseball memory.

Even with the 0-6 start and history against them, it is still only six games into the season. The team sitting in first place is the Baltimore Orioles who are 30-1 to win the American League Pennant. This Boston team is a powerhouse regardless if they are already -22.0 in run differential so far in the 2011 season. With their hated rival New York Yankees coming to town and the next 10 games being played at Fenway Park, let the next two weeks play out before anyone starts planning a mass suicide. Is it possible two weeks of baseball can essentially dictate how the Red Sox end up? Well, unless they win the Yankees series and have a monster home stand they could be going back on the road in a deep hole and changing up there high priced line-up with players from Triple-A Pawtucket. If you start seeing guys from Triple-A Pawtucket getting pulled up this early on, local sports radio in Boston better have grief counselors on staff to deal with the pandora's box of depressed and disgusted Red Sox fans who will be calling in.

MLB : Odds to Win American League Pennant
Baltimore Orioles +3000
Boston Red Sox +175
Chicago White Sox +1000
Cleveland Indians +10000
Detroit Tigers +1600
Kansas City Royals +10000
Los Angeles Angels +1600
Minnesota Twins +1200
New York Yankees +275
Oakland Athletics +1400
Seattle Mariners +4000
Tampa Bay Rays +1600
Texas Rangers +700
Toronto Blue Jays +1200
*odds courtesy of BetUS

MLB : Odds to World Series 2011
Arizona Diamondbacks +12500
Atlanta Braves +2000
Boston Red Sox +325
Chicago Cubs +5000
Chicago White Sox +2000
Cincinnati Reds +1400
Cleveland Indians +15000
Colorado Rockies +2000
Detroit Tigers +3000
Florida Marlins +5000
Houston Astros +12000
Los Angeles Angels +3000
Los Angeles Dodgers +2500
Milwaukee Brewers +2500
Minnesota Twins +2500
New York Mets +5000
New York Yankees +600
Oakland Athletics +2500
Philadelphia Phillies +250
San Diego Padres +3500
Seattle Mariners +7500
St Louis Cardinals +3000
Tampa Bay Rays +3000
Toronto Blue Jays +2500
Washington Nationals +10000
Pittsburgh Pirates +20000
Baltimore Orioles +5000
Kansas City Royals +15000
Texas Rangers +1400
San Francisco Giants +1600
*odds courtesy of BetUS