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Is 2016 Season A Failure If Red Sox Miss Playoffs?

BOSTON (CBS) -- For the first time since the season's opening month, the Boston Red Sox are out of the playoff picture.

They currently trail the Baltimore Orioles by three games in the East (with Toronto also two games ahead of them), and they are half-a-game behind the Detroit Tigers for the second Wild Card spot. After it looked like they were destined for the playoffs for much of the season, their recent slump and tough road schedule the rest of the way makes it look seem like they'll be watching from home when October baseball gets underway.

Would the season be a failure if the Red Sox missed the playoffs? Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti broke it down to start Thursday's show.

Mazz doesn't see them making the playoffs, so he wouldn't consider the season a failure if they're not playing deep into October. Felger didn't think they were a playoff team to start the season either, but the talent on their roster has changed his opinion -- and expectations.

"I was wrong back in April," he admitted. "We all underestimated the team. They're a good, talented team. I'd say half the roster, maybe 75%, has exceeded our expectations.

"We underestimated them coming into the year, and they should be a playoff team," Felger continued. "If they miss the postseason, massive fail... You have one of the best teams in the American League, pure talent-wise. There is no excuse for you not to be in the postseason."

Mazz adds the team "looks better on paper than they do on the field." He says they have plenty of talent to make the postseason, but there is one big variable for their lack of team success: David Price.

"I blame him more than anyone else on the team," Mazz said of Price. "They're 11-12 when Price pitches. Who do you blame there? I blame [Price]. I blame him for the fact they're not in."

Listen to the full discussion in the podcast below:

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