Team Name: Boston Red Sox
2008 W-L Record: 95-67
Place in division:2nd
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2009 Projected Lineup |
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Player |
Pos. |
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Varitek/Bard |
C |
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Kevin Youkilis |
1B |
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Dustin Pedroia |
2B |
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Jed Lowrie |
SS |
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Mike Lowell |
3B |
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Jason Bay |
LF |
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Jacoby Ellsbury |
CF |
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J.D. Drew |
RF |
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David Ortiz |
DH |
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Key Bench Players |
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Player |
Pos. |
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Julio Lugo |
IF |
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Rocco Baldelli |
OF |
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Mark Kotsay |
UTL |
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2009 Projected Rotation |
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Player |
Pos. |
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Josh Beckett |
SP1 |
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D. Matsuzaka |
SP2 |
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Jon Lester |
SP3 |
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Tim Wakefield |
SP4 |
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Brad Penny/Smoltz |
SP5 |
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Key Relievers |
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Player |
Pos. |
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Papelbon |
Closer |
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Delcarmen |
Setup |
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Okajima |
Setup |
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Saito |
Setup |
2009 Outlook:
Their off-season was solid. Yeah, yeah, they failed to get Mark Teixeira, but what they did get includes a bunch of players undervalued due to injuries and signed for amounts they outperform. The Sox also avoided trading their youth, although catcher is still going to be a position of need within a year, assuming Josh Bard isn't re-signed after a solid year.
Josh Beckett's ERA lies. Since arriving in Boston Beckett's ERAs have been 5.01, 3.27, and 4.03, his FIPs: 5.12, 3.08, 3.24. Win values of 2.1, 6.5, and 5.1. Beckett missed time last year and was still worth ~23 million, that's impressive.
Speaking of missing time. The Red Sox have enough starting pitching depth that guys like Beckett, Daisuke Matzuaka, Brad Penny, John Smoltz, and Tim Wakefield can miss time without the Sox losing too much ground. This roster is extremely well built, almost too well.