Projected Batting Order / Position / Career BA / Career OPS*
Jacoby Ellsbury / CF / .297/ .764
Dustin Pedroia / 2B / .307 / .825
Victor Martinez / C / .299 / .837
Kevin Youkilis / 1B / .292 / .878
David Ortiz / DH / .282 / .922
J.D. Drew / RF / .283 / .896
Adrian Beltre / 3B / .270 / .779
Mike Cameron / LF / .250 / .788
Marco Scutaro / SS / .265 / .721
This is an amazing defense as the Red Sox have potential Gold Glove winners at almost every position. After what was a good year in 2009 when they ranked third in the American League, it gives the Red Sox possibly the best defensive team in the AL.
Offensively, the Red Sox finished second or third in nearly every team category in 2009 -- a year in which the Yankees' bats dominated baseball. Despite losing Jason Bay, the Red Sox look about the same in 2010. The top two-thirds of the line-up will be fearsome on day one. Look for them to add a big bat sometime during the season and they will be a World Series contender once again.
* Note:-- Here I use OPS (On Base plus Slugging percentage).
Pitching Rotation / Career ERA
Jon Lester / 3.66
Josh Beckett / 3.79
John Lackey / 3.81
Daisuke Matsuzaka / 4.00
Tim Wakefield / 4.33
Clay Buchholz / 4.91
Simply, this is the best pitching rotation in baseball. Every starter except Clay Buchholtz has been a 15 game winner within the last three years. The flashes of brilliance in the last three years show promise of becoming more of the norm as Buchholtz will be 26-years-old this season. With the exception of Wakefield, who will be 44, this is a young pitching staff that could make the Red Sox contenders for years to come.
This is what will make fans happy in the long run. Pitching and defense wins World Series' Championships. The offense is good enough to get them to the postseason. A four man playoff rotation is good enough to get them all the way there. Theo Epstein needs to add just a bit more depth to the middle relief in the off season and the Red Sox will have the best team in years.
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A wise move, shifting attention away from the Patriots to the Sox. Does not look good for the football fans in this golden era.
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