BOSTON — Ultimately, the Red Sox could not maintain their spot at the summit of the baseball world. But that isn’t to say that 2005 wasn’t an extremely entertaining and eventful year for the fabled franchise.
Though there was no magical repeat as World Series champions, the Red Sox did qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive year, a first in franchise history.

With a barrage of injuries and a decline in performance from their two key pitchers (Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke), the Red Sox still were able to will themselves to 95 victories.

In heroic fashion, American League MVP Award runner-up David Ortiz carried the Red Sox on his back for weeks on end. Manny Ramirez, after a slow start, put forth his usual gaudy numbers.

Leadoff man Johnny Damon was brilliant in the first half and courageously played through an assortment of injuries down the stretch.

And some of the old stalwarts — Jason Varitek, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield, Bill Mueller — stepped up with their typically solid performances.

With every excuse available for a decline in performance, the Red Sox gritted their teeth and stayed highly competitive, right up until the postseason, when they were swept by the eventual World Series champion White Sox.

Once the games ended, the news continued to roll in, keeping the team on the front-burner of New England’s sporting conscience.

It was a roller-coaster year that took many twists and turns. Here is a look back at a memorable, 12-month journey that started as defending World Series champions and ended with the team taking a new shape as it embarks on ‘06.

January
The first big piece of news to interest Red Sox fans came from the Bronx, where the Yankees landed future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson. Red Sox players and officials took the news in stride. Hall of Fame election day was bittersweet for the Red Sox, as Wade Boggs gained entry on the first try, but Jim Rice once again fell short. Bronson Arroyo and Theo Epstein took a break from their day jobs and rocked out for a good cause. By the end of the month, the Red Sox settled their first base situation, trading Doug Mientkiewicz, which provided relief for Kevin Millar.

February
The ball that Mientkiewicz caught for the clinching out of the 2004 World Series was ceremoniously returned by the team’s first baseman to Fenway Park. When the Patriots won back-to-back Super Bowls, the Red Sox dreamed of repeating as well. On the eve of Spring Training, Red Sox right fielder Trot Nixon officially kicked off the rivalry by ripping Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez. Spring finally came, as the defending World Series champions reported to camp. For the first time since 1989, the Red Sox had a captain in camp, though this one had been an unofficial captain for years. Who could have known that Ramirez would want out of Boston by the end of the season when he showed up at camp with a smile from ear to ear. All eyes were on Schilling, as the ace took his surgically repaired right ankle to the mound for the first time since Game 2 of the World Series.

March
The month started with the champs getting the royal treatment at the White House. The Grapefruit League slate started with a win. Hanley Ramirez showed the thrilled crowd at City of Palms Park why he received so much attention in the Minor Leagues, turning a triple play. In a sign of the times, Red Sox players spent the pregame hours undergoing baseball’s new mandatory tests for steroids. It seemed odd to see David Wells take the mound in a Red Sox uniform for the first time. The Red Sox lost one of the most colorful characters in team history, when former closer Dick “The Monster” Radatz died at the age of 67. The Red Sox acknowledged that Schilling’s goal of pitching Opening Night at Yankee Stadium against Johnson was no longer a reality. Instead, the honor went to Wells. Fenway Park worshippers got terrific news, when the team formally announced it had no plans of leaving the fabled ballpark. Damon proved prophetic in his Spring Training assessment of hard-throwing righty Jonathan Papelbon. An old friend returned, with the news that the Red Sox had re-acquired lefty specialist Mike Myers from the Cardinals. Byung-Hyun Kim’s frustrating run with the Red Sox ended with a trade to the Rockies.

April
The season began with a thud, as Wells was hit hard by his former Yankees teammates, and Johnson lived up to the hype in prime time. Manager Terry Francona scared everyone after being taken from Yankee Stadium to the hospital with chest stiffness. Fortunately, he wound up being fine. One of the most magical days in Red Sox history came when the World Series rings were unveiled in front of a packed house on a sun-splashed home opener against the Yankees. All in all, it was an uneven month (12-11), ending with the bad news that Schilling was headed back to the disabled list after just three starts.

May
A 16-12 month started in torrid fashion, with Boston ripping off nine victories in 11 games. One of the most memorable two-day stretches of the season came when Millar and Varitek belted walkoff homers against Oakland’s Octavio Dotel. An otherwise frustrating Sunday in Seattle came with a milestone for star slugger Ramirez, who belted career homer No. 400. As the Red Sox embarked on a three-day, weekend set in the Bronx, veteran first baseman John Olerud officially came on board. The Red Sox put a historic, 17-1, walloping on the Yankees in the middle game of the series.

June
The Red Sox charged into first place with a solid 17-9 record for the month. Big Papi made June feel like October, taking B.J. Ryan for a walkoff homer. The return to St. Louis, where the Red Sox won the World Series eight months earlier, was flat to say the least. The Red Sox went to Wrigley Field for the first time in their history, but the opener was one they’d like to forget. Manny belted a grand slam in Philly, capping off a flawless 6-0 road trip.

July
Despite a mediocre 14-13 month, the Red Sox were able to maintain their hold on first place. The Red Sox finally got an answer for the perplexing struggles of Foulke, as the closer underwent knee surgery. With his rehab going slower than expected, the Red Sox found a new role for Schilling, making him the closer. Five Red Sox players joined Francona at the All-Star Game in Detroit. Schilling’s first appearance as the closer ended in disaster. Déjà vu anyone? That’s what it felt like when the Red Sox recorded another 17-1 pasting against the Yankees. There were smiles all around the clubhouse with the news that Gabe Kapler was returning from Japan. Without question, the scariest moment of the season came at Tropicana Field, when Matt Clement was drilled just above the right ear by a Carl Crawford line drive. Clement was OK, and so were the Sox, who rallied behind their fallen pitcher with one of the most inspiring victories of the season. The month ended with discussions of trading Ramirez to the Mets, but the Sox hung on to their valued slugger, who celebrated his stay with a game-winning hit.

August
The bats were huge, carrying the Sox to their best month (18-9) of the season. Varitek’s first career grand slam gave the Red Sox an eight-game winning streak. Ortiz did his best impersonation of, well, Ortiz, driving a stake into the heart of the Tigers. The Red Sox announced that Schilling was ready to go back to the rotation.

September
Backed by an 18-13 month, the Red Sox qualified for their third consecutive postseason appearance. Wells returned from a suspension by pitching a gem. Ortiz did his thing yet again, bringing down the house with a walkoff blast against the Angels. And then he did it again, this time on the road. And, ridiculously, again, two nights later. Needless to say, the debate for MVP was officially under way. Kapler’s return from Japan took a demoralizing turn for the worst, when he ruptured his Achilles tendon. With the Red Sox fighting to stay alive, Ortiz gave them hope.

October
In the final game of the regular season, the Red Sox at last solidified their berth to the postseason, earning a matchup with the White Sox in the Division Series. The postseason ended abruptly, as the Red Sox were swept in three straight by the eventual World Series champions. The month ended with a Halloween stunner, as Theo Epstein decided not to accept the team’s contract offer to stay on as general manager.

November
Without a general manager, business remained open — Timlin re-signed for one year. Club president/CEO Larry Lucchino unveiled plans for a committee to run the team at the general manager’s meetings. Despite a gallant effort, Big Papi loses the MVP race to A-Rod. Red Sox Nation got a Thanksgiving jolt of excitement, thanks to a trade that landed right-hander Josh Beckett.

December
The Winter Meetings were filled with news, as the Sox traded Doug Mirabelli to the Padres for second baseman Mark Loretta, and dealt shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Braves for top prospect Andy Marte. The next order of business was bringing closure to the general manager situation, and that was done with the announcement that Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington, two trusted aides of Epstein’s, were named co-GMs. Meanwhile, rumors continued to fly that Epstein would re-emerge in some capacity before all was said and done.