Boston finished in second place last year, finishing an exciting AL East race with a 95-67 record. Boston then went on to lose to the Tampa Bay Rays in 7 games in the ALCS.
This offense is one of the best in baseball, and it didn’t seem to lose a beat all year, even after Manny Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers. This team scored 845 runs, second most in the AL.
The Sox hit .280 as a team, and led the majors as a team last year in OBP, with an impressive .358. They also showed some speed on the base paths, stealing 120 bags.
This offense should only get better. Dustin Pedroia (.326 AVG, 17 HR, 54 Doubles, 118 Runs, 83 RBI, 20 SB) has made his mark as a franchise player, winning the AL MVP last year.
Kevin Youkilis (.312 AVG, 29 HR, 43 Doubles, 115 RBI) is picking up the the cleanup role nicely, and Jason Bay (.293 AVG, 9 HR, 37 RBI) has been everything the Red Sox have hoped for since trading Manny Ramirez.
David Ortiz (.264 AVG, 23 HR, 30 Doubles, 89 RBI) hopes to bounce back from an injury plagued ’08 campaign.
Boston’s pitching wasn’t bad either. They gave up 694 runs last year with a team 4.01 ERA. Teams hit .250 against the Red Sox’s pitching staff. They led the AL in strikeouts with 1185 K’s, and this pitching staff should only get better.
Jon Lester (16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 K’s) has made himself known as a front-line type of starter, and Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-3, 2.90 ERA, 154 K’s in 167.2 IP) has shown that the Red Sox’s investment to be a good one.
osh Beckett (12-10, 4.03, 172 K’s) looks to get back to his amazing ’07 form. Jonathan Papelbon (2.34 ERA, 41 SV’s, 77 K’s) continues to look like a pitcher who will close for Boston for the next 10-15 years.
This staff and offense should only get better. Lets see what the Red Sox did in free agency:
Key Additions:
Rocco Baldelli, OF (.263 AVG, 4 HR, 13 RBI in 80 AB’s with Rays)
Brad Penny, SP (6-9, 6.27 ERA in ’08/ 16-4, 3.03 ERA, 135 K’s in ’07 with Dodgers).
Takashi Saito, RP (2.49 ERA, 18 SV’s, 1.19 WHIP, 60 K’s in 47 IP with Dodgers)
John Smoltz, SP (2.57 ERA in 6 games in ’08/ 14-8, 3.11 ERA 197 K’s in ’07 with Braves)
Ramon Ramirez, P (2.64 ERA, 70 K’s in 71.2 IP with Royals)
Josh Bard, C (.202 AVG in 178 AB’s with Padres)
Key Losses:
Coco Crisp, OF (.283 AVG, 20 SB, 55 Runs in 361 AB’s)
Mike Timlin, RP (5.66 ERA, 49.1 IP)
Paul Byrd, SP (11-12, 4.60 ERA)
Lets face it, Boston has reloaded. They also lost Curt Schilling, Sean Casey, and Alex Cora, giving them money to spend this off-season to reload their roster. This team has lots of depth. It starts with the pitching staff. Lets look at the Red Sox pitching staff.
Rotation:
Josh Beckett (12-10, 4.03, 172 K’s)
Jon Lester (16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 K’s)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-3, 2.90 ERA, 154 K’s in 167.2 IP)
Tim Wakefield (10-11, 4.13 ERA, 117 K’s)
Brad Penny (6-9, 6.27 ERA in ’08/ 16-4, 3.03 ERA, 135 K’s in ’07 with Dodgers).
John Smoltz (2.57 ERA in 6 games in ’08/ 14-8, 3.11 ERA 197 K’s in ’07 with Braves
Bullpen:
Jonathan Papelbon, CL (2.34 ERA, 41 SV’s, 77 K’s)
Hideki Okajima, SU (2.61 ERA, 60 K’s, 23 Holds in 62 IP)
Justin Masterson, RP (3.16 ERA, 68 K’s in 88.1 IP)
Takashi Saito, RP (2.49 ERA, 18 SV’s, 1.19 WHIP, 60 K’s in 47 IP with Dodgers)
Manny Delcarmen, RP (3.27 ERA, 72 K’s in 74.1 IP)
Ramon Ramirez, RP (2.64 ERA, 70 K’s in 71.2 IP with Royals)
This pitching staff is loaded. When a guys like John Smoltz, a shoo-in in most pitching staffs in the league, may be used in the bullpen, that is great depth. The Red Sox have the team to be the best in the majors this year, and it starts with their great starting pitching depth.
The bullpen is stacked as well. They have lots of young arms, and they all are experienced pitchers. They also have Clay Bucholz, Wes Littleton, and prospect Junichi Tazawa they can call up, giving this team even more depth.
Speaking of depth, lets look at the lineup:
Lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF (.280 AVG, 98 Runs, 50 SB)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B (.326 AVG, 17 HR, 54 Doubles, 118 Runs, 83 RBI, 20 SB)
David Ortiz, DH (.264 AVG, 23 HR, 30 Doubles, 89 RBI)
Kevin Youkilis, 1B (.312 AVG, 29 HR, 43 Doubles, 115 RBI)
Jason Bay, LF (.293 AVG, 9 HR, 37 RBI)
J.D. Drew, RF (.280 AVG, 19 HR’s, 64 RBI in 368 AB’s)
Mike Lowell, 3B (.274 AVG, 17 HR’s 73 RBI, 58 Runs in 419 AB’s)
Jason Varitek, C (.220 AVG, 313 OBP, 13 HR’s)
Julio Lugo, SS (.268 AVG, 12 SB, in 261 AB’s)
Bench:
Josh Bard, C (.202 AVG in 178 AB’s with Padres)
Rocco Baldelli, OF (.263 AVG, 4 HR, 13 RBI in 80 AB’s with Rays)
Jed Lowrie, INF (.258 AVG, 46 RBI in 260 AB’s)
Mark Kotsay, 1B/OF (.276 AVG, 25 Doubles, 49 RBI in 402 AB’s)
This lineup is one of the toughest from top to bottom. I expect Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie to platoon and whoever is hitting the ball better will play.
Lugo was expected to be a guy to lead off for Boston when he was signed, but since he was signed, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations set for him. Lowrie is a young player, and I believe that the would like for him to win the job at short.
Rocco Baldelli is a great addition and depth. He’s a veteran bat who can play anywhere in the outfield, but more importantly, he’s a good power bat off the bench. He and Kotsay will most likely be the bats that are called upon when Boston needs a clutch hitter.
Outlook
The Red Sox were one of the best teams in baseball last year, and nothing says that they won’t be there this year. In fact, they got better over the off-season.
They went out and added key free agents that are going to help this club, both from a talent and a leadership perspective, but more importantly, it will give them the depth they need to withstand injuries.
On paper, this pitching staff looks like it could be the best in baseball. It’s a nice thing when John Smoltz (even at this stage of his career) has to battle for a job in the rotation. No team has a break against these starters, as I believe that they have the one of the best rotations in baseball.
Not only that, they have added bullpen depth that makes this team even more scary. When you have a bullpen that has a good arms that are young, that is a recipe for success. It may also be the bargaining chip used if the club needs to add a bat via a trade.
They also re-built their lineup, and its possible its better than the previous one. The Red Sox do hit home runs, but long gone are the days of them being known for that only.
This team can hit to all fields, has a good balance of veteran and young bats, and can run. Expect to see more hit-and-runs, run-and-hits, and work on the base paths. Working the base paths isn’t necessarily stealing all the time. Watch for them this year to be running the bases hard, from 1-9.
By adding the talent the have, and the depth that they have pitching wise, I think that the Red Sox are too much for the Rays and Yankees.
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