SP Pedro Martinez:This will be his first full season in which he will have been healthy (remember, at the beginning of last year, he said he was in "Wonderland" and had no idea from one day to the next whether he'd be able to pitch well or with his poor stuff. Still, his ERA was 2.26, and he limited opponents to a .198 Batting Average. Pedro could go at 100% all year this year. That's a frightening thought for opposing hitters considering that his ERA was 1.61 in the second half , when he was fully healthy.
SP Derek Lowe:Can he repeat last season? I think so, but a bad start might cause some skeptism. Still, Lowe looks to me to be for real. After all, in his terrible 2001 season as a closer, his ERA was 3.53. 2000 and 1999 were consistant with 2002, as Lowe's ERA's were 2.56 and 2.63 (2003 was 2.58).
SP Tim Wakefield: Another, bigger question mark, and Millwood've been nice. Still, I think he could repeat, though a slight tailoff is more likely. I am confident, though, that he will put up solid numbers for a number three.
SP Casey Fossum: Look for Dan Shaughnessy or another of the Knights of the Keyboard to write some article contrasting him with Bartolo Colon and Kevin Millwood if he starts slowly. That'd be just like him. I am with GM Theo Epstein on Fossum. The kid has talent. Look for an ERA under 4.00.
SP John Burkett: Hidden in last year's terrible numbers was what might have been the key to his bad season. Burkett was good towards the beginning and towards the end, but, right when he thought he would be striking (his strike-related antics are well documented), he ran into trouble. His August ERA was an awful 9.64. June (4.70) was the only other month he was over 4.00. It is likely that this had something to do with the quality of opposition, but a 9.64 ERA doesn't come just from facing good teams. Without a fluke/strike month next year, Burkett's ERA could conceivably make it under four.
RP Alan Embree: Looks to be the primary figure in the Sox' Situational Relief Bullpen (I will NOT use the term closer-by-commitee). He will be used as the so-called "relief ace". Embree threw well last year and will help the team more with increased playing time.
RP Bob Howry:: Howry is a mystery to me. He looks like he's primed to put up top reliever's numbers, but he doesn't. Still, an ERA around four would be fine.
RP Ramiro Mendoza: A mainstay in the Yankee bullpen, Mendoza defected as a free agent to the Red Sox. A versital reliever, Mendoza can spot start, pitch in the late innings, or give a team long relief. He does all three things well, and should be an asset, especially with his sinkerball, which he uses to induce double plays.
RP Mike Timlin: A veteran setup man and sometime closer who has bounced around, Timlin is a groundball pitcher like Derek Lowe and Ramiro Mendoza.
C Jason Varitek: He is supposedly healthy again. If so, 15-20 homers are not out of the question. What is truly important about Varitek is that he continues to handle the pitching staff as well as he did last year, when he supposedly called all but 3 or 4 pitches in Derek Lowe's no-hitter.
C Doug Mirabelli: Mirabelli has proved to be an able backup for Varitek, and has provided the added bonus of mashing left-handed pitching. He also proved adept at catching Tim Wakefield's knuckler.
