By J.D. Potvin
This upcoming season should be a very exciting one for the Red Sox. With many fresh faces and returning stars they should be looking forward to an interesting season. It will not be a walk in the park for our Sox, however. This season may prove to be one of the most competitive ever. With the former beloved center fielder Johnny Damon traded to the evil empire, Manny continuing to be Manny, and 5 new starters in the field, the chemistry may be a little off. However, they perhaps have the best infield in the league and their hitting is more than likely going to be solid. The only wild card will be the rotation. With the unpredictability of Keith Foulke after his surgery last year and with Curt Schilling continuing to grow older, some of the burden will fall on the young pitchers, Papelbaun and DiNardo, to step up to the plate. This may not be all that unreasonable, considering how effective they were towards the end of the season last year. The rest of the burden will fall on the rotation, which last season was 70-42, and the bullpen, which last season had a combined 3.38 ERA.
The Red Sox, however, may still have quite a season if they can recover from their internal problems. This season the American League East is perhaps stronger than it has ever been. There has always been a tight rivalry between the Red Sox and the dreaded pinstripes, but this season it seems that the Toronto Blue Jays want to get in on the action. After making more moves than any other team during the off-season, they seem ready to make a playoff run. The Yankees also have made many moves during the off-season, but I believe they will have more trouble than most. Despite having what will more likely be the best batting lineup in the league, they will end up with their fair share of pitching problems this upcoming season. With Randy Johnson over the hill and a few other pitchers not too far behind, it will be tough for them to remain strong and healthy over the long season especially with the hitters that are around in the East. No matter who wins the East there are still the Indians, who are still very young and very eager to prove themselves, and the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox, who were also very aggressive this off-season.
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