FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Boston Red Sox.
In a little more than half of a decade, the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox have done a 180-degree turn. Once a franchise of managerial incompetence, front office ineptitude and fatally flawed teams, the Sox have become a well-oiled winning machine -- smarter than the Yankees, but with similar financial might.
Fans in New England can thank owner John Henry and general manager Theo Epstein for the turnaround, and with a player development system that continues to crank out star-caliber players, they can expect to contend for a championship almost every single season. That will be the case again in 2009. After falling one win short of the World Series last year, Boston lost only one major contributor (Coco Crisp) over the winter and added significant depth to an already loaded pitching staff.
If the Sox can survive the cutthroat AL East, a third title in the decade could be within their sights.
| Lineup | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jacoby Ellsbury | CF |
| 2. | Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 3. | David Ortiz | DH |
| 4. | Kevin Youkilis | 1B |
| 5. | J.D. Drew | RF |
| 6. | Jason Bay | LF |
| 7. | Mike Lowell | 3B |
| 8. | Jed Lowrie | SS |
| 9. | Jason Varitek | C |
| Pitching Staff | ||
| 1. | Josh Beckett | R |
| 2. | Jon Lester | L |
| 3. | Daisuke Matsuzaka | R |
| 4. | Tim Wakefield | R |
| 5. | Brad Penny | R |
| CL | Jonathan Papelbon | R |
In: Rocco Baldelli, OF (free agency); Brad Wilkerson, 1B/OF (free agency); Takashi Saito, RP (free agency); Brad Penny, SP (free agency); John Smoltz, SP (free agency); Ramon Ramirez, RP (trade)
Out: Coco Crisp, CF (trade); Sean Casey, 1B (retirement); Alex Cora, IF (free agency); Kevin Cash, C (free agency); Paul Byrd, SP (free agency); Bartolo Colon, SP (release); David Aardsma, RP (trade); Mike Timlin, RP (retirement); David Pauley, P (trade)
Storylines
Shift of Power ...
The Red Sox have been known for offense for most of their history. Though their fortunes on the field have changed this decade largely on the strength of a dominant pitching staff, the dynamic hitting duo of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez became the most recognizable symbols of success. Ramirez is gone -- off to Hollywood after finally wearing out his welcome at Fenway Park -- and Ortiz is in his 30s and coming off a wrist injury that sapped much of his power in 2008.
All of a sudden the lineup is much more of a concern than the pitching staff. If you need proof, look no further than the team's high-profile failed pursuit of Mark Teixeira this offseason. Those concerns are likely overblown. The Red Sox were spoiled by the Ortiz-Ramirez 1-2 punch over the years, and they still have one of the best offenses in the American League on paper, but in the East, who knows? They might need a boost to best the Rays and Yankees.
Who's in Rotation? ...
Boston might not have the best starting rotation in baseball Nos. 1 through 5, but it has unquestionably the deepest. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka are locks in the top three spots, but after that manager Terry Francona will have to performa a juggling act. Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will get plenty of rope, but the Sox will need to find a role for former All-Star Brad Penny, for rehabbing John Smoltz sometime in May or June and for Clay Buchholz, who has been outstanding this spring. Injuries will likely sort some of it out, but the Sox might have some tough decisions to make ahead.
In Training ...The division, a playoff spot, even a championship could be won or lost in the Fenway Park trainer's room in 2009. The Red Sox medical staff is highly regarded within the game, but they'll be earning their keep this season. Penny and Smoltz are coming off seasons lost to injury, third baseman Mike Lowell had major surgery this winter, Beckett and Matsuzaka missed significant time last year, fourth outfielder Rocco Baldelli is limited by a treatable form of channelopathy and J.D. Drew is still J.D. Drew. Boston is deep, but it will need most of those guys on the field when it counts to meet the high expectations of Red Sox Nation.
Oh, Captain, My Captain ...
Jason Varitek, in many ways the heart and soul of the Red Sox over the last decade, returns to Boston after a winter of contentious negotiations. The backstop was horrible at the plate by pretty much any metric in 2008, posting a .220/.313./.359 line (all career lows). It's fair to wonder if, at 36 (soon to be 37), he's done as a positive offensive force. If he is, the Sox will be looking at a black hole at the bottom of their order and could be forced to maneuver for a replacement.
2009 Outlook
Why You Should Watch: To find out if Mike Lowell and David Ortiz can still produce at an elite level, to find out if Josh Beckett can return to his 2007 form, if Daisuke Matsuzaka can continue his tightrope act with runners on base, if Jon Lester will emerge as an ace and if Dustin Pedroia can build on his 2008 AL MVP campaign. Their fans might grate on you, but the Red Sox remain one of the most intriguing teams in the sport -- particularly with the Rays now much more than a bit player in the New York-Boston passion play -- even with the Curse of the Bambino well in the rearview mirror.
What Defines Success: The Red Sox don't live by the Steinbrenner Doctrine (World Series or bust), but there are lofty expectations placed on the team. Even in the toughest division in baseball, Boston's season will be considered a failure if it doesn't qualify for the playoffs.
Related Links
- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Producers Galore in Lineup, Pitching Staff
- Better Know a Prospect: Boston Red Sox
