by Mark Fuery
In 2008 the Boston Red Sox fell just one game short of their second straight World Series appearance. In 2009 the Red Sox will be among the favorites to get back into the fall classic.
The Sox looked to add free agent Mark Teixeira to give the lineup an extra boost, but over the final few days they were outbid by the rival New York Yankees. As a result, the Sox took a different route and pursued some more cost efficient players to fill some of their holes.When it was all said and done the Red Sox looked primed for another run at a title.
Starting Rotation: Boston has one of the best rotations in baseball. They are led by playoff hero Josh Beckett, who has proven in past years that he can be an ace if healthy. However, that has proven to be a big “if,” as Beckett has missed his share of starts over the years, including last year when he was limited to 174.1 innings. In his seven full seasons, Beckett has only topped 200 innings twice, which could be a cause for concern for the Red Sox.
The man in the second spot may end up being considered the team’s true ace by season’s end. Jon Lester had a phenomenal season in 2008 when he went 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA. He will look to build on that performance this season, and at age 25, he will have plenty of time to improve. With one full season behind him Lester will have a good chance to step up and win 20 games in 2009.
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