It seemed pretty funny a month or so ago when among the slew of books the Boston Red Sox’s 2007 World Series championship spawned was one called “Dynasty.”

The team goes from 1918 through 2003 without a title. It carves out a place in history as the most star-crossed team in the American League, then finally breaks through in 2004 for its first win in 86 years. Three years later, Boston wins its second title in 90 seasons and, voila, it’s a dynasty?

The nerve of these Bostonians to go from humility to arrogance faster than a funny car does the quarter-mile. The New York Yankees were on about their 21st title before Peter Gollenbock wrote up the Pinstripe dynasty. Boston gets two and suddenly it's claiming equal billing? No wonder some fans are starting to seriously dislike the Red Sox.

But now I look at the standings after Boston has played 35 games, and there are the Red Sox, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the best record in the American League and already 3 1/2 games clear of the field in the AL East. I see a team that’s got the league’s highest batting average and the most runs, a team that’s fourth in pitching. I see a team that just might trample the division and the league into the dirt by August, if not sooner. I see a team that could keep right on riding roughshod over the division for years to come

I tip my hat to the Boston Herald’s Tony Massarotti, who came up with that dynasty idea. The test is in this season, but if the Red Sox keep doing what they’re doing, he’s going to be right on the money. These are not your father’s and your grandfather’s and your great-grandfather’s Red Sox. They’re a force. The Yankees are old and limping and festering in the Wrath of Hank. The Red Sox are young and fresh and hungry and implacable.

It has happened right under our eyes. A team that was good enough to win in 2004 has been almost totally retooled and made better on the fly.

A lot of people weren’t so sure about what team architect Theo Epstein was doing at the time. He let Johnny Damon and Pedro Martinez and Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller and Derek Lowe all go to greener pastures, plugging new people in who didn’t look the equal of those who had left.

By last season, just the third since 2004, there were just two position players — catcher and captain Jason Varitek and left fielder Manny Ramirez — left over from the Curse Busters. DH David Ortiz also remains, but the other six hitters are all new.

Gone are first baseman Millar, second baseman Mark Bellhorn, shortstop Pokey Reese, third baseman Mueller, center fielder Damon and right fielder Gabe Kapler. Also gone starting pitchers Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez and Bronson Arroyo, along with closer Keith Foulke.

In their place are first baseman Kevin Youkilis, promoted from a utility role in 2004; second baseman Dustin Pedroia, a budding all-star; shortstop July Lugo; third baseman Mike Lowell; and outfielders J.D. Drew, Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury. The pitching staff has added ace Josh Beckett and Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzaka to the starting staff and is backstopped by Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon, who are pretty much the equal of the Yankees’ Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera.

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