Boston Red SoxDan Duquette has done a wonderful job resurrecting the Red Sox and rebuilding their farm system. Unfortunately, he's annoyed everyone in New England in the process with his antics, hubris and theatrics. But Dan has gotten Boston to the playoffs for 2 consecutive years for the first time since Babe Ruth was a Red Sawk and the BoSox Nation awaits with pessimistic anticipation it's first baseball championship in more than 80 years.
Last year, most people, including myself, thought the Red Sox offense was largely Nomar Garciaparra. But in the playoffs we learned that Troy O'Leary, Trot Nixon and Jason Varitek are pretty good hitters, as is John Valentin on those rare occasions when he's healthy. This offseason, the Duquette added switch-hitting Carl Everett to the mix and now everyone is eager to see if the Sox can knock off the Yanks. Everett had a great year last year, but his numbers were a bit above career norms. Working in his favor is that he's coming from one of the toughest pitcher's parks in the majors to a decent hitter's park, although it's still a tough place to homer. So while expectations of a 35-homer hitter in center are a bit overzealous, the Sox will certainly get more production out of that position than they did last year, where the Sox had Damon Buford and Darren Lewis. Brian Daubach started like gangbusters last year only to cool down precipitously in August and September. If he can't rediscover the magic from last year, the Sox have slugging Dernell Stenson in AAA and Sidd Finch-like sensation Morgan Burkhart. At 28, he's not likely to take the majors by storm, but he's a great story, kicking around in the independent leagues for 4 years before finally getting an offer from the Sox last year. He torched high A, before slowing in AA, but then regained his form in Mexico this winter. It'll be fun to see if the 5'8" switch-hitter can slug his way to the bigs. Jose Offerman is one of two Red Sox players that Dodger icon Tommy Lasorda promised would never be much in the majors. Turns out, he wasn't much of a shortstop, where the Dodgers had him playing. However, he's become an adequate second baseman but a very good leadoff man. The last 2 years, he's hit an average of 33 doubles and 12 triples while getting on base nearly 40% of the time. He's not a particularly adept base stealer, but when he's already on second or third, that skill isn't as meaningful. Journeyman Mike Stanley provides good on base and slugging from the DH spot and occasionally appears at first. Now that the Sox have Everett in center, they very much resemble the Yanks in ability. GRADE: 70
Defensively, the Sox have a long way to go before they mirror the Yanks. Everett, Varitek and Garciaparra are good glovemen, if not very good. Offerman still has problems with balls clanking off his glove and is not consistent in the pivot. Both O'Leary and Nixon are a little below average fielders, as is Daubach. Valentin is about average at third. His eventual successor, Wilton Veras, is a heck of a hitter but isn't much better with the glove. There's a reason why Mike Stanley is mostly a DH. GRADE: 45
The Red Sox starting staff in 1999 was Pedro Martinez. Only one other starter had as many as 11 wins. Luckily for the Red Sox Nation, Pedro had one of the best seasons in recent memory. Many pundits have challenged him saying there's no way he'll be as good this year. However, history is not entirely against a repeat performance. In fact, if Pedro is indeed one of the best pitchers ever as some have suggested, and there's nothing to indicate otherwise, it's rather likely that he'll come close, if not surpass last year. Hard to believe? Maybe. But it's not uncommon for great pitchers to have great 5-year stretches, and Pedro is in year 3 of his. Sandy Koufax went 111-34 with an ERA of 1.86 from 1962-66. Greg Maddux went 89-33 from 1993-1997 with an ERA of 2.13. Tom Seaver went 103-51 from 1969-1973 with an ERA of 2.35. Jim Palmer went 99-42 with an ERA of 2.46 over the same span. Lefty Grove went 128-33 with an ERA of 2.56 during one of the most prolific offensive eras in history. Is Pedro in this class? Maybe. We'll know definitely in the next year or two. His brother Ramon is #2 in the rotation. Ramon had 1 1/2 good season and then melted down from overuse under the managerial blundering of Tommy Lasorda. He hasn't been the same since. Did I mention that Lasorda said Pedro would never be a successful starter because he was too small? But I digress. Ramon has been a slightly above average starter during the regular season, a good one in the postseason. If the Red Sox do make the playoffs, they'll have a formidable duo to open a short series. The rest of the rotation is a work in progress. Bret Saberhagen is due to return from offseason surgery sometime in midsummer. Tim Wakefield, Pete Schourek, Brian Rose and Jeff Fassero make up the remaining candidates. Jimy Williams will probably go with the hot hand rather than inking someone into the 3-4-5 spots. Fassero is reunited with his former Montreal pitching coach Joe Kerrigan so there's a good chance he'll improve significantly over last year. Getting him back to his peak form might be too much to ask. Another possibility is John Wasdin who might come out of the pen. Eventually, Korean phenom Sun-Woo Kim will be promoted and will eventually settle into the 3rd spot. GRADE: 65
The bullpen was as important a part to the Sox success last year as it was for the Reds. Derek Lowe was dynamite in every role Williams out him in. If they needed a setup guy, he did it. If they needed someone to pitch three innings, he did it. If they needed him to close, he did that too. This year, he'll be confined to closing, which may hurt the Sox as it's unlikely they'll find anyone as good as Lowe to make up those 109 quality innings he gave. Bryce Florie will be given the first shot at it. Ex-Sox closer Rod Beck will return soon and will probably be given enough closing opportunities to allow Williams more flexibility with Lowe. Rich Garces will again be the primary lefty along with Rheal Cormier. GRADE: 60
Dan Duquette has managed to achieve unprecedented success with the Sox (or at least not since 1918) yet has still managed to irritate and annoy just about everyone in New England. He ran two Boston icons (Roger Clemens and Mo Vaughn) out of town with his contract shenanigans, he's insulted just about every draft pick with low balling tactics (the Teixeira debacle being the most notable), and has stepped on the feet of just about everyone in the organization at one time or another. And yet the Red Sox are poised to usurp the Yankees domination of the AL East and their farm system hasn't been this strong since the early 70's. He's made some solid trades and some of the best scrap heap pickups in history. No matter how bothered they might be by his personality, most Sox fans pray he keeps up the good work. Even though Jimy Williams was a decent manager in Toronto, he had always been viewed as one of Bobby Cox's coaches. In Boston, he has stepped out of the shadow of Cox, who he served under in Toronto and Atlanta, and is now recognized as one of the better managers in baseball. GRADE: 70