Returning players who helped their team annex a championship are given a grace period the following season. What it means is even if they struggle, they remain in the lineup based on their previous year’s production.

And when that particular team hadn’t won a championship in 86 years, that grace period is extended.

It’s understandable.

But the grace period will help cost the Red Sox a playoff berth this season.

I know I made a similar prediction two years ago and even included the Patriots in the Will-Miss-the-Playoffs category. I was dead wrong on both counts.

But the American League East has three legitimate playoff contenders and a dangerous spoiler (Toronto) this year instead of just the Red Sox and the Yankees.

Baltimore has the best lineup in the division and Toronto is a young, up-and-coming club with a legitimate stopper in Roy Halladay.

Boston reliever Alan Embree has clearly benefited from the grace period and that has cost them at least three games. He should be released or sent down to Pawtucket to work on his breaking pitch, a changeup and/or a three-quarter arm delivery. All he throws is a 92-93 miles-per-hour and it as straight as an arrow.

Mark Bellhorn and Kevin Millar are two other beneficiaries although the addition of veteran first baseman John Olerud may spell the end of Millar’s grace period.

Bellhorn hasn’t shown any signs of reducing his ridiculous strikeout ratio of a year ago (177 strikeouts in 523 at-bats). Yes, he had some clutch hits in 2004 but he is stunting the development of Kevin Youkilis.

Bill Mueller should be moved over to second from third and Youkilis should be playing third. Or play Youkilis at second like they did Monday night.

With the exception of Matt Clement, the starting rotation is a mess all of a sudden.

Who knows how long ace Curt Schilling is going to be sidelined and how effective he’ll be when he returns? I think we’re now beginning to understand just how bad his ankle was a year ago when he led the Red Sox to the World Series title.

Tim Wakefield and David Wells are inconsistent.

You can’t predict Wakefield’s knuckleball and people run like crazy on him. Wells is a control pitcher who has to change speeds and hit corners or he’ll be lucky to last five innings.

Bronson Arroyo was one of the most pleasant surprises in the big leagues until his last two starts, which were abysmal.

The jury is still out on Wade Miller, who was pounded in his last start against Toronto. But he still could turn out to be a steal. Time will tell.

Miller missed the final three months of last season with shoulder tendinitis so his health is a question mark.

With the exception of Mike Timlin, the bullpen has been an adventure. Even closer Keith Foulke has been homer-prone and his outings have become seat-squirmers.

However, I trust he’ll straighten himself out..

Hey, don’t be bummed out. The curse has been exorcised and there are some promising youngsters on the horizon like Portland Sea Dogs shortstop Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

The farm system has been rebuilt.

I don’t mind sacrificing a year so GM Theo Epstein can evaluate players during the grace period and put together teams that will contend for World Series championships virtually every year.

I trust Epstein.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.