Red Sox look to be all smiles when October comes

Coming into the 2007 season the Boston Red Sox are going to be trying to forget about last year and focus more on a new ending that looks very much like 2004. This off-season they prove to be a team on a mission to build towards making a run in the playoffs. With the acquisitions of numerous pitching talents they seem to be listening to the age-old phrase, “Pitching wins Championships”.    With the big acquisition of #18 Daisuke Matsuzaka from Japan they will be adding him to an already loaded list of starting pitchers that are on the roster for 2007. The pitching rotation will showcase Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon and Tim Wakefield. With the dominant Papelbon moving into the rotation it is seemingly like having a pitcher with the effectiveness of a number one starter placed into the four hole of the pitching lineup. This is a line up which will be anchored with Jon Lester who also has tremendous potential as starting pitcher number six (if he can reassemble last years form when he went 5-0 in his first 5 starts). This can also be good in the way of replacing any injured or struggling starters, or it may be seen as a security blanket in case the “Dice Man” doesn’t roll out as expected in the major leagues. Ask any Red Sox fan and this will not be the case. This sox fan is predicting a minimum of 15, matching Schillings final total of last season.

    Another security blanket is the ever widening, and maturing of the Red Sox bullpen and closer positions. New pitcher Joel Piñeiro from Seattle may be the new closer of the team, unless another candidate for the job bumps him to reliever. The candidates, who will fill out the bullpen, are: Julián Tavárez, Devern Hansack, Brendan Donnelly and Hideki Okajima. This may even include plausible set up man Mike Timlin, who has some experience in the closing role. Making this pitching staff even scarier is the thoughts of Matt Clement, Manny Delcarmen, Lenny DiNardo, Kason Gabbard, Craig Hansen, David Pauley, and Kyle Snyder who are all potential big arms in the bull pen race for 2007.

    The only potential concern may be the effectiveness and resiliency of the Red Sox bats, which slumped at numerous times throughout last year. If the bats, led once again by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz can help this Red Sox rotation get into October they will not be stopped. This may be the year again for the BoSox, (yes I am a Boston native sox fan, glad you noticed). With injuries plaguing the team last year, the returns of players like: Coco Crisp, Willy Mo Pena and Manny Ramirez, the lineup is looking stronger. Now with the signing of J.D. Drew in right field the Red Sox add a strong fielder with a .283 BA and 100 RBI’s last season into the lineup. It may not be too glamorous however, because Drew comes with questions about his resiliency and strength in his shoulder, giving him the potential to be an injury plagued player. The Red Sox Nation hopes he will emerge strong and ready to fill in all year in right field, with days off to give the powerful Willy Mo Pena a swing at the plate.

    The fielding may not be as solid as it was last year, which may not be so disappointing because of the season the team had in the field last year; but it looks to be a lot faster with the additions of the speedy Julio Lugo (24 SB in 122 games for 2 teams last season). This may help the Red Sox get runners into scoring position, and keep balls from exiting the infield, both of which will be a very good thing for this team. With the pitching and line up set now for the Red Sox this looks to be a very dominating year for the team (but then again when hasn’t a member of Red Sox Nation said this?). Look for the Red Sox to be entering October with smiles from Manny, Ortiz, Drew and the entire Red Sox pitching staff; (and not to mention ownership and fans, I know I will be smiling).