Pete J Says : This team will score some runs. Not only do they have possibly the best one-two punch in the heart of the order since Gehrig and Ruth, but they also have a strong assortment of guys to back them up.
Coco Crisp will rebound after a troublesome first year in Beantown where he was playing catch up after an early injury, Julio Lugo brings a new dynamic to the top of the order with extra speed (even if he doesn't have the patience you'd like in the leadoff spot) and Kevin Youkilis adds another option for the club to get guys on base in front of the big two.
The thing that could really take the team to another level will be a return to form by Mike Lowell and a full season from newly acquired (and way overpaid) outfielder, J.D. Drew. When Drew is on he is a complete player who uses a sweet stroke to generate good power and knows how to get on base.
Much has been made of the rotation and on paper it looks formidable with Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka and Papelbon all potential All Stars but Schilling and Beckett have bad health histories in recent years, Papelbon has yet to prove himself as a starter and wore down last year working out the pen and Matsuzaka has never had to pitch as many innings as he will be expected to this year. We shall see how these all pan out.
The real question is what will happen in the pen with no real established option as a closer. Plan A seems to be Joel Pineiro but he hasn't been that convincing for a couple of years now but the move to the pen might reignite him but I'm far from convinced. Plan B is...err...I guess it could be Timlin even if he's carrying a knock through Spring, or Julian Tavarez who is a journeyman middle reliever. Craig Hansen could end up being the guy, he's got the stuff but has yet to really put it together in The Bigs.
Brendan Donnelly was a great pick up but can you Boston fans say lefty reliever? Not entirely sure who's supposed to fit into that role.
If everything falls into place this could be an awesome team but very rarely does everything go right for anyone. The bullpen is full of holes and could fall apart and the rotation could collapse at any minute. Until it does this will be a tough team but they won't be able to last with the Yankees and the teams in the Central. They better hope they can reclaim second place in the East or the axe could be coming down.
Conor C Says : I have spent alot of time considering Boston's propsects for the season, and the more I look at it, the more I think they have a great team assembled. They have a good leadoff guy in Crisp, the absolute perfection of a number two guy in Youkilis, and a heart of the order consisting of Manny, Big Pappy, and JD Drew. From 2 right through to 5 they have guys who can really hurt you and who one would expect to see make a serious assault on 150 homers between them.
Julio Lugo is a decent shortstop although he had a poor second half last year and will be a very good AL 9 hole guy to get things going again.
Consider the sheer power of Willy Mo as the back up outfielder as well and its all scary. Lowell at third is the perfect hitter for Fenway with power to the left field wall. Boston can be very happy with the offence they've put together and will know that it will safely blow most teams away.
Pitching wise, I wasn't surprised to see Papelbon back to the closer role since no one else could grab it. Besides, Beckett is due one good year, Schilling may be on his last legs but he's making a run at Hall of Fame type numbers and will maybe step it up a gear, even if they only squeeze 6 innings out of him every fifth day. Dice-K will blow teams away for a few months and like Pete has said, will probably hit a wall sometime around September. Tim Wakefield seems evergreen and is a brilliant change of pace in the middle of a series.
This team WILL compete with the Yankees this year barring a severe injury crisis and should make for a very interesting AL East race.
Pete J Says : Obviously I wrote the first bit of this before word of Papelbon's move to the pen came out but even with him there the pen is still not very good and coupled with a good few key players with health concerns (Beckett, Schilling, Timlin, Drew), even if they do start well, they will have an incredibly hard task keeping track with New York. I can see why most people like their chances because, on paper, they look very strong but once you start poking around at the grey I strongly feel that there are too many issues.
And as a bit of a P.S., does anyone else feel that the more Wily Mo Pena plays, the more ordinary he looks?
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