2009 Red Sox: Something to Get Excited About

The Boston Red Sox, thanks to Theo Epstein and his staff, have one of the best minor league systems among Major League ball clubs. As soon as he arrived in Boston, Epstein immediately worked on improving the farm system, drafting quality players that show the ability to rise through the minors quickly and help out of the big club sooner rather than later. In 2009, this team may look completely different, after contracts run out, overpaid veterans exit stage left, and the youngsters that Epstein brought into the organization surface on the pro roster. This is a major credit to Theo and the prime reason why the Red Sox ownership has to do whatever it takes to keep Epstein around for years to come. If the payroll can be cut, and the team can be better, then why not begin introducing the ready prospects to the Show now?

The Red Sox brought up utility pitcher Jonathan Papelbon in the middle of the 2005 season, and his combination of power pitching and steady confidence made him one of the best arms the Red Sox could rely when the postseason rolled around. Starters Jon Lester and Anibal Sanchez threw extremely well in their first season with the Portland Sea Dogs. Lester struck out 163 batters in only 148 innings pitched, while winning 11 games and posting a 2.61 ERA. Sanchez split time between single-A Wilmington and double-A Portland, punching out 158 hitters in just 25 overall appearances in 2005. Those three pitchers could easily find a way to replace the aging rotation of their Major League club and become the next Big Three in the near future. Papelbon, 24, throws hard fastballs paired with a dynamite slider and a tough changeup, and has the build of a big league pitcher at 6'4," 220 lbs. Lester, 21, consistently mixes his 2- and 4-seam fastballs, both hitting the low- to mid-90s, with a good changeup and great curveball. The sharp 11- to 5-break on Lester's curveball gives him two out pitches, according to Soxprospects.com. Anibal Sanchez, 21, has dynamite control of his 2- and 4-seam fastballs, both of which reach the mid-90s. He changes speeds and confuses hitters with a fantastic changeup and rapidly improving curveball. All three pitchers possess high levels of confidence and poise on the mound and, if they can stay healthy, will be the new wave of dominant pitchers that the Red Sox can rely on for years to come.

Regardless of how good your starting pitching is, your team always needs a strong bullpen to pick up the pieces of a bad start. It's a 162-game season with plenty more games in the postseason, and starters cannot be perfect every time they throw. The Red Sox brought up two great young relievers, Craig Hansen (drafted in 2005) and Manny Delcarmen (drafted in 2000, a shockingly smart pick by an otherwise dimwitted Dan Duquette), at the end of the season and they received valuable experience in September at the professional level. Craig Hansen,21, labeled the messiah of relief pitching by Red Sox Nation, hammers the strike zone with a fastball that pushes triple digits. He consistently throws in the mid-90s, and really rears back to strike hitters out. He mixes his Mach seven fastball with an amazing slider that hits the high-80s. His two pitches, matched with a strong closer's attitude and unbelievable command of the strike zone, will undoubtedly trouble Major League hitters in the future. Manny Delcarmen, 23, returned from Tommy John surgery throwing harder than he had before going under the knife. Delcarmen pounds the strike zone with a hot, high-90s fastball. He mixes up hitters with a devastating curve and a very strong changeup. He will fit well into the role of setup man for Hansen. These two will be the centerpieces of the Red Sox bullpen, closing out games similar to Rivera and Wetteland or Gordon and Rivera, meaning Sox starters needn't throw more than seven innings a start in a perfect world.

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you: the Future! The middle infield tandem of Hanley Ramirez (SS) and Dustin Pedroia (2b) will create memories for generations to come. These two guys are so good, that people called for Pokey Reese to play short for one season to give Ramirez time to mature and then, in 2006, place Hanley at the center of the Red Sox quest for more championships. Dustin Pedroia may play second base in 2006, after a strong 2005 campaign, in which he won Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. Ramirez is widely considered the number one prospect in the Red Sox organization, while Pedroia is considered the most Major League-ready position player. These two will be a dynamite pair of middle infielders when they reach Boston.

Kevin Youkilis is not a prospect anymore. Rumors swirl around his head, calling him the Red Sox third baseman or even first baseman of 2006. He is a moneyball player, meaning he gets on base a lot, and produces great at-bats every time he steps into the box. He will be sufficient on the defensive side of things and a staple in the Red Sox batting order for years to come. He is a player that the Red Sox cannot let go and must be placed in the lineup now to let his talent finally flourish.

I'd like to think that Jason Varitek will still in a Red Sox uniform and playing well in 2009, and it's certainly not out of the question, but if he is gone, then the Red Sox are in luck. Kelly Stoppach remains one of the top prospects in the Red Sox organization despite his inability to get reps in the pros. He can thank Jason's ascent to Red Sox legend status for his lack of chances to see time in the Show. Stoppach is another top of the line Moneyball guy, drawing walks and hitting for power. He plays impeccable defense and it only seems fair that he take over the reins when Varitek leaves.

The Red Sox outfield of the future features Brandon Moss, David Murphy, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Luis Soto. Soto is a little younger than the others, but has already been assessed as an up-and-coming superstar. Brandon Moss drove in 101 runs in single-A Augusta in 2004. Do you realize how hard it is to drive in runs in single-A? This kid will replace Trot Nixon when Trot can no longer play, and play rightfield with pride. Moss loves playing ball, hits extremely well, and possesses a very good throwing arm. David Murphy, compared to Johnny Damon, won the 2005 Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He will compete for the centerfield job with quickly rising star Jacoby Ellsbury, but no one will be complaining if they can split time between left and center. The Red Sox outfield will transform from a slow and battered trio to one of the fastest, strongest outfields in the Major Leagues. Defense is something that Red Sox fans haven't seen for years, and the near future may hold a change in that trend.

The Red Sox feature one star that will definitely still be here in 2009: David Ortiz. David is 29-years-old and just reaching his peak. The Red Sox absolutely must make it a priority to keep re-signing Ortiz until he stops his crusade against American League pitching, which hopefully won't be anytime soon. With Ortiz at the core of the Red Sox clubhouse and batting order, the other youngsters will fall in line. Ortiz, Arroyo, and Papelbon will be the veterans on this club by 2009. With a strong set of players around them, they will challenge for another World Series title with a smaller payroll.

Boston Red Sox fans have something to look forward to in the years to come. We have one of the best lists of prospects coming up and Theo Epstein is to thank for that. So please, ownership, re-sign Theo. Theo will bring us to the playoffs every year if we give him the tools and the personnel to do it. He can find great young talent and hire the coaching and assistants to help that talent grow into full blown stardom. The 2009 Red Sox will be tough to beat on the field and in the front office if we keep our young stars in town and our even younger ones on the right path to Boston.

World Series

Well, we officially have a World Series on our hands, folks, and it's going to be a good one. No one could've asked for a better pair of teams to play each other for the ultimate prize in baseball. The Astros and White Sox have the type of stories that sports writers salivate over, broadcasters waste their breath on, and fans whine about the entire series. Let me tell you now: After last year's Series, no one wants to hear another story about droughts thanks to the Red Sox, whose media coverage flooded all of us with stories of curses and dashed hopes.

Nonetheless, it's about time the Astros and White Sox got to the World Series. The pitching in this matchup forces baseball purists around the world to watch the series. I have to mention that the names of the Astros' pitchers outweigh the names of the White Sox staff, but don't sleep on the ol' Black Sox. The Sox feature four of the brightest young pitching stars in the world. As I'm sure everyone knows by now, they ripped off four straight complete games, and then had the whole week off to rest. The White Sox starting staff will be ready for Saturday.

The one thing I have trouble trusting, however, is the White Sox bullpen. Granted they were very good all season, they haven't pitched in at least a week and, beyond the 2/3 of an inning thrown by Bobby Jenks, maybe even longer. Neal Cotts, Bobby Jenks, Cliff Politte, Dustin Hermanson, and the long reliever Orlando Hernandez make this bullpen a nice combination of experience and young talent. If the White Sox starters can throw seven innings, which they are clearly capable of doing, then the bullpen will be relied on for only two innings, ideally. I like their chances if they can get the same quality starts out of the big four as they did in the ALCS. They are going to be pitching against a lineup that plays similar baseball to their own lineup. If runners can pin point when White Sox starters will throw their off-speed pitches, they might be able to get a good jump and put pressure on AJ Pierzynski to throw some of them out.

The same goes the White Sox lineup. If they can push the envelope as they proved they could all season, they can steal runs and force mistakes on the Astros. Now, Andy Pettitte has the best move to the first in the Majors, Clemens has been around forever, and Oswalt throws fastballs practically every pitch, so stealing will become an art for White Sox players. I think both ball clubs in the end will rely on the long ball. The White Sox hit 200 homers this season, and the Astros have been winning games all postseason off home runs. A glaring characteristic of both teams is that neither of them walk very much. Playing against the high octane pitching staffs that the opponent has to offer can't bode well for impatient hitters, especially against crafty guys like Clemens, Oswalt, Contreras, or Buehrle.

Patience is the key in this series. Finding good pitches to steal bases, moving runners up, working for walks, and swinging defensively to push pitch counts all need to be stressed for either team to win. It will be hard to shell any of the starters in this World Series, so if either team can steal runs, then they need to capitalize on their chances to do so. I think every game will be under a combined score of 7. I doubt that this series will last any shorter than six games, and I really hope it goes all seven. If you give me a moment to collect myself, I can show you the probable matchups:

Game 1- Roger Clemens-Jose Contreras
Game 2- Andy Pettitte-Mark Buehrle
Game 3- Roy Oswalt-Jon Garland
Game 4- Brandon Backe-Freddy Garcia
Game 5- Clemens-Contreras
Game 6- Pettitte-Buehrle
Game 7- Oswalt-Garland

Are you kidding me? Look at those matchups! I know I will be glued to every pitch. I hope all of you get a chance to watch this World Series, because it will be one of most competitive, well-played Series in the history of baseball, and that's saying a lot. Please, watch the games, they will be worth it.

I am going to pick the Astros. I really think the chances for both teams are very good. I would certainly not be surprised if the White Sox won the series. I like the Astros pitching experience in the postseason, as Oswalt is gaining ground as one of the premier postseason clutch pitchers in the game. But hey, maybe this series will bring forth a White Sox postseason stud that will be remembered for generations, who knows? All I know is that I've never been so excited about a playoff series that doesn't have the Red Sox before this one.

MLB Playoffs

Everyone and their sister is dying to find out my predictions for the playoffs in Major League Baseball. Kidding. But really, I am going to tell you what I think will happen, and then you can laugh at me.

The Yankees and Angels provide baseball fans with a reason to stay up late for baseball on the West Coast. This is a fantastic matchup featuring two very good ball clubs. The Angels pitching and fielding outweighs the Yankees, with Cy Young front-runner Bartolo Colon heading up a staff featuring strikeout-happy starters like Jarrod Washburn and John Lackey. There is no doubt the Angels will get good starts from Colon and Washburn, but can John Lackey avoid control problems against a patient and very potent Yankees offense? Kelvim Escobar, Scot Shields, K-Rod, and Brendan Donnelly are four names that generate fear inside of opposing managers. Hit early, Yankees, because after the 7th or even the 6th, it will get really hard to do much with your bats.

That being said, the Yankees feature a confident and surging Randy Johnson backed by three or four very competent supporting cast members. Questions hover around Aaron Small, Chien-Mien Wang, and Shawn Chacon as to whether or not they can perform as well as they did during the regular season. If any of these three put in a solid start in this short series, the Yankees can rely on Randy for two starts, then turn things over to always trusted Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera. Hopefully for the Bronx Bombers, Mike Mussina will be healthy and effective, but much like Boston's Curt Schilling, this seasoned postseason veteran will be up to the task regardless of his health. I look at the Angels lineup and fear that it lacks the punch needed to beat the Yanks. The winner of this series will be the team that can get to its bullpen the earliest with a lead. I am going to fight against the grain of ESPN expert picks and say the Yankees will beat the Angels in five games.

The White Sox have worked so hard all season to get to this point, and they were rewarded by drawing the defending World Champs in the first round. I think this matchup favors the Red Sox for two reasons: 1) Jose Contreras is notoriously bad against the Sox and he has the ball in Game One and maybe Game Five if things get that far; and 2) The White Sox will need to win a game in Boston, which isn't going to happen easily in that environment. I would love to see Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland pitch well in Boston in October in front of those fans. The White Sox will need their home run power, which returned the final week of the season, combined with shutdown pitching. The Red Sox lineup boasts the most runs, best batting average, and the best on-base percentage in the Major Leagues. An interesting stat to throw around is walks: the Red Sox led all teams in walks, which can directly attribute to their highest OBP honor. That will challenge White Sox pitchers to attack the zone, and if they aren't careful, Red Sox hitters will find pitches up in the zone to drive, and score plenty of runs. I think the experience and the overwhelming home-field advantage in games three and four will push the Red Sox over the top against a very good White Sox team. Red Sox in four.

In the National League, it seems, to the naked eye, that there is no real competition to the Cardinals. The closest team, record-wise, to the Birds is Atlanta, a team that won ten fewer games than the Cardinals. The Astros, however, possess the kind of rotation that creates playoff memories. I cannot wait to see the Astros Big Three against the Cardinals and Pujols in the NLCS. Oh no, I gave away my picks.

The Cardinals will beat the Padres. The Padres are tougher than most think. Jake Peavy, Brian Lawrence, Woody Williams, and Pedro Astacio are all very good starters, plus Trevor Hoffman, Scott Linebrink, and Rudy Seanez out of the bullpen make the Padres a tough team to hit against in the later innings. If they are able to control the bats of Pujols, Edmonds, Eckstein, and the rest of the gang, the Cardinals might be in trouble. I don't think that will happen, the Cardinals are a tough, playoff-tested club with the drive to win. I like Tony LaRussa in most big game managerial situations. Albert Pujols is the best hitter in the National League and definitely has the supporting cast to make a run at the World Series. Chris Carpenter needs to be dynamite for his team this postseason and if he isn't, the Cards might be in trouble. If their battered staff can stay healthy throughout the playoffs and remain effective, they will be the team to beat. The Cardinals are too much for the Padres in terms of experience and hitting, and will win this series. The Padres will give up a fight, but I like the Cardinals in four.

The Astros snuck into the playoffs on the last day for the second time in two years. Andruw Jones carried the entire Braves club into the postseason with his big flies. The NL MVP (in my opinion) will need to keep hitting for his team to compete with a tough Astros rotation. The Astros can throw out three of the game's top pitchers continuously over the next month, and that makes them the most dangerous team in the playoffs. Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt will dominate the Braves lineup. Tim Hudson and John Smoltz are certainly worthy opponents for the new Big Three, and might be able to steal a win or two from them. The Astros really need to hit, and if they can put four or five runs on the board every night, they will be in good shape. The Braves can only hope that their young stars will keep playing hard and maybe smack around the Astros pitching. If they are patient, avoid mental mistakes, and stay focused in the batter's box, they have a legitimate shot at beating the Houston Astros. Nonetheless, I think the combination of Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Lidge will be enough to beat the Braves in five games.


ALCS
Based on my predictions, each LCS will feature the same matchups that we saw last year: Red Sox-Yankees and Cardinals-Astros. I won't lie, this year is even more appealing. The Red Sox will be defending World Champs, playing with that title for the first time since 1919. The Yankees will be eager to end the tragic memories from last season's finish. I really think the Red Sox starters will be up to the task. I like Jon Papelbon out of the 'pen, Timlin as a closer, and Francona has become adept at using Mike Myers and Chad Bradford in tough situations. The Yankees will be tough in any Randy Johnson start, but the Red Sox staff has so much more valuable playoff experience that may outlast the young Yankees staff behind Johnson and Mussina. This will be another high drama series, but I like the Red Sox because of the David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez combination. The Red Sox win another great series in seven games.

NLCS
The Cardinals need Chris Carpenter to be lights out every time he pitches. The Astros need four good starts out of seven tries from Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt. And no, this is not the National League All-Stars' pitching versus the Cardinals. The Astros hitting might cost them some key opportunities to win games, but I think the experience from last year will help them overcome their hitting woes. The pitching of the Astros is just too much for any lineup other than the Yankees and the Red Sox. Something about Chris Carpenter's last few outings makes me wonder if he is ready for the playoffs. Matt Morris and Mark Mulder need to be dominant, but they are really banged up. Mulder has not been overly impressive in his last five starts and Morris has to continue his recent form. If the Cardinals can neutralize the Astros pitching, which will not be easy, they will win this series. But you cannot neutralize the kind of pitching that the Astros have, and for that reason, the Astros beat the Cardinals in six games.

WORLD SERIES
The 2005 World Series will feature two incredibly different teams: The pitching-dependent Astros versus the bat-relying Red Sox. The Red Sox have a little pitching to counter the Astros hitting woes. The Red Sox feature nine very difficult outs. The Astros are the only team in the Major Leagues capable of producing three guys that legitimately have a shot at shutting down this Red Sox offense. The matchups would feature classics, just imagine:

Clemens-Wells
Oswalt-Wakefield
Pettitte-Schilling

What? Schilling's not up to it? Are you kidding me? Curt Schilling will be in a different state when he is on this level. His health, his mental stability, his location, all that is tossed out the door when you put a guy like Schilling on the mound in a big game. In two huge games against the Yankees this September, Schilling tossed 14 innings, yielding just three earned runs. As long as he can be crafty against a lesser hitting team like the Astros, he will be effective in this setting.

I think it will come down to the Astros pitching and their effectiveness. If they can shut down this incredibly tough Red Sox offense, then they will be able to win the World Series. I think they can shut the Red Sox hitters down enough to win. The Houston Astros will win the 2005 World Series in seven games over the Boston Red Sox.

note--I finished very close to a lot of the final season records. My predictions at the All-Star Break were not too far off after all, except a few big misses like Minnesota and Florida.