2008 Season Preview: Boston Red Sox

Boston has been the center of the sports world since October. The Red Sox took home the World Series in a box with the hearts of the plucky upstart Colorado Rockies, then the New England Patriots nearly make the 1972 Miami Dolphins a footnote, and the Celtics are running roughshod even without the Big Ticket on the floor. There's not much room for improvement in Beantown.

So, the Red Sox didn't make any moves. Johan Santana was dangled in front of them, they said no thanks, we'll hold on to Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury, and John Lester, we still have use for them, go ahead and give the Mets a call. The offense is the same, the rotation is basically the same, the bullpen is the same. Change, according to the Sox, not such a good thing.

OFFENSE: A

The only thing that keeps the Red Sox from being an A+ is the possibility of aging. Manny Ramirez had a season most players would gladly take (.296, 20 homers, 88 RBI), but it was below average for him, and injuries are becoming a problem. Mike Lowell had a fantastic year, the best of his solid career, but he's 35, and could be looking over the precipice as well. Thing is, these are only minor concerns when you have Big Papi himself, David Ortiz (.332, 35 and 117) in the middle of the lineup and the Greek God of Walks, Kevin Youkilis, at first, along with still-rising talents Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia. The difference between A and A+ is tiny, you know.

PROJECTED LINEUP 1 Crisp CF 2 Youkilis 1B 3 Ramirez RF 4 Ortiz DH 5 Lowell 3B 6 Drew LF 7Varitek C 8 Pedroia 2B 9 Lugo SS

STARTING ROTATION: B

Aging in one case, inexperience in another, may be a little more challenging for the starting pitchers. Curt Schilling is having shoulder woes, has been battling injuries seemingly forever, is 42, and sliding (9-8 last year, 3.87 ERA), and Lester, though obviously talented, has only a few starts under his belt. Here's the big however for the rotation: There's still Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett, two guys you may have heard of, and Clay Buchholz on the doorstep in case of injury or inconsistency. Again, a little bigger problem, but still relatively minor. Most teams would kill for the Red Sox' issues.

PROJECTED ROTATION: Beckett, Schilling (?), Matsuzaka, Wakefield, Lester

BULLPEN: A+

Here you go, Red Sox Nation, here's your A+. It's tempting to end this discussion with just the following: Hideki Okajima setting up Jonathan Papelbon. But that wouldn't be thorough enough, since you have solid help in the form of Mike Timlin and Julian Tavarez, a good long man in Kyle Snyder, and Manny Delcarmen's no slouch. Now to give in to temptation: Hideki Okajima setting up Jonathan Papelbon.

CONCLUSION

The New York Yankees are still a threat, but the Red Sox have now dealt with them effectively, and they're possibly not even a playoff team this year. The Toronto Blue Jays have improved, but not enough to challenge the Sox just yet. The story with Baltimore and Tampa Bay is that they're still Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The Sox big challenge may come in the ALCS against the jacked-up Detroit Tigers. Then, and only then, will we see this team truly challenged.

PREDICTION: 96-66, 1st in American League East