Hello, you need to enable JavaScript to use this network.

Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator.

SportProjections.com

Boston Red Sox

SportProjections.com group pages provide an all-in-one forum for your favorite team. Check out the latest headlines and rss feeds about your team. Use the message board to comment on, speculate about, agonize over, or praise the team.

Boston Red Sox Members (5)

Chris Fry Chris Fry created this group on SportProjections.com.

 

2008 Boston Red Sox Preview and Predictions

Contributor: Tim Daloisio, mvn.com/mlb-redsox

2007 Record: 96-66

2007 Summary: The 2007 Boston Red Sox season can be summed up in three simple words; World Series Champions.

The World Series run was lead by a lethal combination of starting pitching, a devastating bullpen, and a balanced lineup of veterans with an infusion of youth. Josh Beckett's 20 wins lead a rotation that topped the American League in 2007 and Jonathon Papelbon's 1.85 ERA, .77 WHIP, and 37 saves closed the door whenever called upon.

At the dish, David Ortiz continued to put his stamp on the Red Sox franchise with another dominating year at the plate and Mike Lowell chipped in with 120 RBIs. While J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo struggled through most of their first year in Boston, other newcomers flourished. Dustin Pedroia overcame an early slump to take the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year crown, while fellow rookies Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz dazzled the Fenway faithful down the stretch. Buchholz' season was highlighted by his no hitter at Fenway Park and Ellsbury shined on the biggest of stages in October.

The Red Sox rode a tremendous regular season to their first A.L. East title in twelve seasons before sweeping the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS. A memorable 3-1 comeback in the ALCS vs. the Cleveland Indians set the stage for a World Series sweep over the Colorado Rockies.

2008 Key Additions: The Red Sox start the 2008 season with 22 of the 25 players from their World Series roster still on the team. Aside from some minor tinkering in the addition of Sean Casey replacing Eric Hinske as a backup infielder and pinch hitter and exchanging back up catchers, the roster remains in tact. The late spring addition of Bartolo Colon could be a low risk/high reward signing should Colon return to form and fill the spot in the rotation lost when Curt Schilling pulled up lame.

2008 Key Losses: None. Outside of Eric Gagne (addition by subtraction), Eric Hinske and Doug Mirabelli, the Red Sox are back to defend their title.

2008 Starting Lineup:
1. Dustin Pedroia 2B
2. Kevin Youkilis 1B
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Manny Ramirez LF
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Jason Varitek C
8. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
9. Julio Lugo SS

2008 Starting Rotation: Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Clay Buchholz

2008 Closer: Jonathan Papelbon

2008 MVP: Manny Ramirez - Look for Manny Ramirez to have a monster year in a "contract season". Manny's always been a devastating hitter. After a less than "Manny" year in 2007, Ramirez spent the off season at Athletic Performance Inc (API) in Arizona and comes into this season oddly motivated.

The Red Sox will be successful if: It might be a better question to ask, "the Red Sox will /not/ be successful if _____". With so much of the World Series champion team still in tact and in their prime, the Red Sox will be successful. However, success is only measured in terms of a title defense. Aside from unforeseen health issues, the 2008 season hangs in the balance of a pair of young arms; Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. The Red Sox title defense hopes are inexorably intertwined with the growth and development of the back of the rotation. Should these two falter, the Red Sox staff is not nearly as deep as they would like.

2008 Season Prediction: With a veteran, championship-tested team with a spark of youth keeping them lively, the Red Sox will compete for the A.L. East crown with their rivals, the New York Yankees. A 95+ win season should lead them to accomplish that goal, or at least beat out the runner up in the A.L. Central for the Wild Card and a playoff appearance. With more World Series titles this decade than any other team, there is no reason not to consider the Red Sox the favorites once again in 2008.

Standings Prediction:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Baltimore Orioles

boston.com

Brewers, Red Sox rained out

Friday night's game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox was postponed because of rain.

Red Sox minor leaguer being treated for lymphoma

Boston Red Sox minor leaguer Anthony Rizzo, an 18-year-old first baseman, is being treated for lymphoma and there is "an excellent chance of cure and complete recovery," the team said Friday.

Merloni on new playing field

Lou Merloni didn't wait until he was retired from professional baseball to pursue another career. The Framingham native was a media favorite when he was playing and he has parlayed that into a position at NESN. Earlier this week, Merloni was named a studio analyst for the Red Sox. He joins Dennis Eckersley, Jim Rice, Ken Macha, and David McCarty ...

bostonherald.com

Tonight's Red Sox game postponed

Tonight's game has been postponed. It will be replayed as the second game of a split-doubleheader, 3:55 and 8:35. Tickets for tonight will be good for the night game.

Daisuke Matsuzaka wows and annoys at same time

If this article were written in the style of a 2008 start by Daisuke Matsuzaka, the reader would wind up satisfied but breathing a sigh of relief that the bumpy experience...

Bartolo Colon not ready yet

Even after yesterday's impressive outing for Triple-A Pawtucket, Bartolo Colon is still one more start away from a major league call-up. That means the Red Sox will...

mlb.com

Francona resumes duties

Francona resumes duties

Lugo, Drew cleared to play

Lugo, Drew cleared to play

Brewers visit Beantown on FOX Saturday

Brewers visit Beantown on FOX Saturday

38pitches.com

ESPN commercial….

Is funny. Can’t help but laugh at it. They asked me to be a part of the shoot but it was done during spring training and I didn’t think flying up to Orlando for the day and back was the smart thing to do when not being able to play and going through rehab. Love [...]

Getting the ‘go ahead’.

Well that day is here, finally. Today I’ll be ‘allowed’ to play catch for the first time since January. A lot has happened and there is probably even more left to do, but it’s a step. As we were talking through things the other day a point I was trying to make to anyone involved was [...]

There’s some pitching going on.

Great starting pitching wins games, except, when the other teams starting pitchers are matching your guys. The rotation is coming along and the guys are starting to ramp it up. Any time you can be on a staff that sees each starter pushing the other, especially with a talented mix, great things happen and young [...]

mvn.com/mlb-redsox

Top Sox prospect diagnosed with cancer

Anthony Rizzo, the 18th best prospect in the Sox system as measured by SoxProspects.com (13th best position player) has been diagnosed with Limited Stage Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and will undergo treatment over the next two months. Rizzo, 18, was selected in the sixth round of the 2007 draft and was hitting .373/.402/.446 for Single-A Greenville [...]

5/16: Soup’s On…

Prev. Gm: Milwaukee Brewers (20-21) @ Boston Red Sox (24-19) Jeff Suppan (2-3, 4.63) @ Daisuke Matsuzaka (6-0, 2.45) 7:05 PM EDT | Fenway Park (Boston, MA) TV: NESN RADIO: WRKO 680, SBN 1150 GAME NOTES: I’ll never really forgive Jeff Suppan for his stinking up the joint in 2003 after being “re” acquired at the trade deadline, but his [...]

POLL: Send Buchholz down!

The poll question submitted by Jc in response to winning a trivia question and results are: What should the Red Sox do when Bartolo Colon returns? Send Buchholz to Pawtucket 63% of all votes Send one of the listed to the pen/demote a reliever 18% of all votes Make Colon a reliever 15% of all votes Send Lester down [...]

blog.masslive.com/redsoxmonster

Manny's high-fiver speaks out

APThe catch that started the whole thing. UPDATE: Joy of Sox also has a great e-mail exchange with the fan in question today. --------------------- In a way that few things can, Manny Ramirez's ridiculous/ridiculously awesome catch-high-five-double-play-throw sequence set the Internet...

This Heidi controversy won't be going away anytime soon

NESN.com So here we are settling into Week 2 of the Heidi Watney Era(?) in Boston, and it's just not going away. By "it," I mean supposed skeletons in her closet, as people 3,000 miles away continue to try and...

Where do the Sports Guy and ESPN stand?

As a Red Sox blogger, I'm well aware that even if the luster is off for some readers in other parts of the country, Sox fans, by and large, still love their Bill Simmons. It was with interest, then,...

Boston Red Sox Forum

Start a Discussion

Nobody has added any discussions yet! Add a discussion to get started.

Start a Discussion

 
 

Videos

NFL Draft - Quarterbacks

NFL Draft - Quarterbacks
Added Mar 8 by Chris Fry.

NFL Draft - Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

NFL Draft - Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Added Mar 8 by Chris Fry.

 

SportProjections.com brought to you by Chris Fry © 2008 Report an Issue | Feedback | Privacy | Terms of Service

Spread the word. Get your own SportProjections.com badge