The Pitchers

The pitching staff, overhauled during the offseason ended up a bit better than expected, but not as good as a the break. Pedro Martinez bounced back from an injury tormented year to lead the AL in wins and ERA. An even greater comeback was posted by the converted reliever and number two starter Derek Lowe. Last year, Lowe was such a terrible closer that he recieved death threats. Amid skepticism, he was transfered to the rotation. He is now unhittible. He was been good to brilliant in almost all of his starts his starts, the most extreme example the no-hitter he pitched against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He tired a bit at the end of the season, but there is no reason to expect anything short of 18 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA out of him next year. The number three starter, a problem when John Burkett began to balloon, was taken by Tim Wakefield, who made a bid to combine with Pedro and Lowe to sweep the top three ERA spots in the AL. His ERA, also sub-3.00, was fourth, behind Martinez, Lowe, and Barry Zito of the A's. The number four starter was also a pleasant surprise. Young prospect Casey Fossum joined the rotation out of the 'pen to have several good outings, including a big late August win over the Yankees. The number five starting position, though, was awful. No starter but in there, including Burkett, could seem to give a good outing, and it became almost a certainty that the Sox would lose those games.

The bullpen, despite the aquisitions of power-pitching lefty Alan Embree and usually solid righty Bob Howry, remained shakey. Rich Garces was released and Howry ballooned. Nobody else could even seem to get an out. Even closer Ugeuth Urbina was shakey at times.