Now... someone mentioned that this isn't even the best Red Sox team over the past 15 years, let alone ever. Now, World Championships mean something and certainly add a certain allure to a team. This Red Sox team has not won anything in the postseason tournament of champions, so we can only look at the regular seasons. So... lets do so.
2018 - 106-51 (current), Pythag 100-57 (current), AL East Champions (Best record in Baseball)
2013 - 97-65, Pythag 100-62, AL East Champions (Best record in AL, tied with St. Louis for best record in Baseball)
2007 - 96-66, Pythag 101-61, AL East Champions (tied with Cleveland with best record in AL and in Baseball)
2004 - 98-64, Pythag 96-66, 2nd Place, AL East (Also 2nd Best record in AL, 3rd Best record in Baseball)
Obviously, with the Red Sox season still being played, the 2018 season records could still change for the better. The Red Sox had the best record in baseball in both 2007 and 2013... but were not the sole owner of that title. Based on these criteria, the 2018 Sox win the crown of best Regular season team.
So... what about other stat based arguments.
Team Offense:
2018: .267/.337/.450/.787 (1st/1st/1st/1st) (LG:.249/.318/.416/.734). OPS+: 111 (tied with Houston for 1st). Leads league in runs (833), Hits (1452), doubles (335). 2nd in League in SBs (120)
2013: .277/.349/.446/.795 (2nd/1st/1st/1st) (LG: .256/.320/.404/.725). OPS+: 116 (1st). Leads league in runs (853), doubles (363). 2nd in Hits (1566) and walks (581). Third in Triples (29) and SBs (123).
2007: .279/.362/.444/.806 (5th/2nd/3rd/2nd) (LG: .271/.338/.423/.761). OPS+: 107 (3rd). Led league in Walks (689) and doubles (tied - 352). 3rd in runs (867), 5th in hits (1561).
2004: .282/.360/.472/.832 (t1st/1st/1st/1st) (LG: .270/.338/.433/.771). OPS+: 110 (2nd to NYY). Led league in Runs (949), doubles (373). 2nd in Hits (1613) and walks (659). 4th in HRs (222).
Looking at these numbers, I can see where people have a disconnect. From a straight up pounding out runs stand point, the 2018 offense paled in comparison to 2004. And 2007. And, mostly, 2013. But... the offense that is walking to the plate is the best offense in the league. Pitching is better than it was... and we shouldn't lose sight of that. BTW, the 2018 HR offense is better than both 2013 and 2007... and with one HR over the final five games, will have 200 for the season.
Team Pitching:
2018: ERA: 3.67 (3rd - LG: 4.25), RA/G: 3.90 (3rd - LG: 4.54). 2 CGs. 14 team shutouts (2nd in league - 0 CGSO). 1.240 WHIP (7th - LG: 1.310), FIP: 3.79 (4th - LG 4.23), ERA+: 118 (2nd). 3rd Fewest hits allowed (1258), 3rd fewest HRs allowed (167). 3rd in Ks (1499). 2nd Most HBPs (80). 7th most Walks (495). Fewest WPs (48)
2013: ERA: 3.79 (6th - LG: 3.99), RA/G: 4.05 (6th - LG: 4.29). 5 CGs. 8 team shutouts (2 CGSO). WHIP: 1.300 (6th - LG: 1.318), FIP: 3.84 (7th - LG 3.97), ERA+: 109. 4th fewest hits allowed (1366). 5th fewest HRs allowed (156). 6th in Ks (1294). 4th WORST in BBs (524). 2nd fewest WPs (47)
2007: ERA: 3.87 (1st - LG: 4.50), RA/G: 4.06 (1st - LG: 4.82). 5 CGs. 13 team shutouts (1st - 3 CGSO). WHIP: 1.273 (1st - LG: 1.412), FIP: 4.14 (3rd - LG: 4.44), ERA+: 123 (1st). First in fewest hits allowed (1350). 3rd in Ks (1149). 5th fewest walks (482), t5th fewest HRs (151). Fewest WPs (33).
2004: ERA: 4.18 (3rd - LG: 4.63), RA/G: 4.74 (4th - LG: 4.99). 4 CGs. 12 Team Shutouts (1 GGSO). WHIP 1.293 (1st - LG 1.416), FIP 4.03 (2nd - LG - 4.53), ERA+: 116 (2nd). First in fewest hits allowed (1430), First in Fewest HRs allowed (159), 3rd in fewest walks allowed (447), 2nd in Ks (1132). 2nd Most HBPs (92). 3rd fewest WPs (39).
Mirroring the Offensive numbers... this year's team is the best via traditional components (ERA/WHIP). As shown by ERA+, it is probably the second best pitching team of the four.
If we try to look at it from perspective of ranks, 2018 and 2004 are very similar in that the Red Sox have a very good offense backed by a very good pitching staff. Which is unlike 07 (relatively poor offense) and 13 (relatively poor pitching).
OK... So, what else can we look at.
Three best qualified offensive players:
2018: Mookie Betts (OPS+: 186, .343/.434/.639), J.D. Martinez (OPS+: 172, .328/.402/.622), Xander Bogaerts (OPS+: 131, .286/.357/.509)
2013: David Ortiz (OPS+: 159, .309/.395/.564), Mike Napoli (OPS+: 128, .259/.360/.482), Daniel Nava (OPS+: 127, .303/.385/.445)
2007: David Ortiz (OPS+: 171, .332/.445/.621), Manny Ramirez (OPS+: 126, .296/.388/.493), Mike Lowell (OPS+: .324/.378/.501)
2004: Manny Ramirez (OPS+: 152, .308/.397/.613), David Ortiz (OPS+: 145, .301/.380/.603), Jason Varitek (OPS+: 121, .296/.390/.482)
Worst qualified offensive player:
2018: Eduardo Nunez (OPS+ 81, .264/.288/.389)
2013: Will Middlebrooks (OPS+: 87, .227/.271/.425)
2007: Julio Lugo (OPS+: 65, .237/.294/.349)
2004: Bill Mueller (OPS+: 106, .283/.365/.446)
Worst offensive player (81+ games played)
2018: Sandy Leon (OPS+: 40, .180/.236/.281). Vazquez is at 48 (76 GP) and Swihart at 63 (77 GP)
2013: Middlebrooks
2007: Lugo. Alex Cora ranked 2nd (OPS+: 75, .246/.298/.386 - 83 GP)
2004: Pokey Reese (OPS+: 46. .221/.271/.303 - 96 GP)
Two Best Starting Pitchers:
2018: Chris Sale (2.00 ERA, 1.98 FIP, 0.854 WHP, 216 ERA+), David Price (3.53 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 1.123 WHIP, 122 ERA+). Eovaldi ranks slightly better in all stats except WHIP (1.308) over 11 games.
2013: Clay Buchholz (1.74 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 1.025 WHIP, 237 ERA+), John Lackey (3.52 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.157 WHIP, 117 ERA+). Jon Lester ranked 2nd by FIP.
2007: Josh Beckett (3.27 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 1.141 WHIP, 145 ERA+), Curt Schilling (3.87 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 1.245 WHIP, 123 ERA+)
2004: Curt Schilling (3.26 ERA, 3.11 FIP, 1.063 WHIP, 148 ERA+), Pedro Martinez (3.90 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 1.171 WHIP, 124 ERA+)
Worst Starting Pitcher:
2018: Rick Porcello (4.33 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 1.183 WHIP, 100 ERA+). Arguably Drew Pomeranz belongs here... but he now has more games out of the pen than he has starts.
2013: Ryan Dempster (4.57 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 1.453 WHIP, 90 ERA+). Felix Doubront was fairly close (95 ERA+)
2007: Julian Tavarez (5.15 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 1.500 WHIP, 92 ERA+)
2004: Derek Lowe (5.42 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 1.615 WHIP, 89 ERA+) (Tim Wakefield has a higher FIP but everything else was better)
Two Best Relievers:
2018: Craig Kimbrel (2.21 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 0.967 WHIP, 195 ERA+), Matt Barnes (3.28 ERA, 2.74 WHIP, 1.193 WHIP, 132 ERA+). Of note, Hector Velazquez has a slightly lower ERA and the same ERA+ as Barnes. Ryan Brasier deserves some consideration as well (1.71 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 0.789 WHIP, 158 ERA+ - 29 innings fewer than Barnes)
2013: Koji Uehara (1.09 ERA, 1.61 FIP, 0.565 WHIP, 379 ERA+), Craig Breslow (1.81 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 1.123 WHIP, 229 ERA+). Junichi Tazawa and Andrew Miller each had better FIPs than Breslow, but not other components.
2007: Jonathan Papelbon (1.85 ERA, 2.45 WHIP, 0.771 WHIP, 257 ERA+), Hideki Okajima (2.22 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 0.971 WHIP, 215 ERA+). Hat Tip to Manny Delcarmen who beat Oki in ERA (2.05) and ERA+ (233) in 25 fewer innings.
2004: Keith Foulke (2.17 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 0.940 WHIP, 223 ERA+), Scott Williamson (1.26 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 1.012 WHIP, 388 ERA+)
Worst Reliever:
2018: Joe Kelly (4.50 ERA, 3.59 FIP, 1.359 WHIP, 96 ERA+)
2013: Clayton Mortensen (5.34 ERA, 4.83 FIP, 1.582 WHIP, 78 ERA+)
2007: Joel Pineiro (5.03 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.618 WHIP, 95 ERA+)
2004: Curt Leskanic (3.58 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 1.446 WHIP, 136 ERA+) (Timlin and Embree had worse ERA/ERA+ numbers but better FIP/WHIP. Lenny Dinardo and Terry Adams were arguably worse in a similar number of innings. There were a bunch of pitchers with 20 or fewer innings pitchers who were not considered. 2004 is fairly amazing to look at because seemingly no one got hurt anywhere)
So... where does that put us? Interpret the numbers as you want. I think the 2018 team can certainly be considered the best regular season team over the past 15. They clearly have the best top three offense. Arguably, they have the top offense period even with the catchers dragging stuff down. They don't have an other worldly top of the bullpen, but as a collective, it might be one of their better ones (2004 is inarguably better... 13 is almost certainly worse.) The starting pitching has Sale and then a bunch of decent/good. The team dismissed their starting anchor (Pomeranz) relatively quickly... as opposed to Lowe (04) or Tavarez (07). And, David Price is probably the best second best-pitcher in the four rotations.
So, yeah, I think this is the best regular season team I have been alive for.
PS: It's funny as you go through the stats and the figures and react to certain things. Like... I clearly don't recall the Allen Webster era at all. 8.60 ERA over seven starts in 2013.