RED SOX NEEDS IN 2008

POSITION BY POSITION OF RED SOX IN 2008


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CATCHER
STARTER: JASON VARITEK
Back Up: HELP WANTED-Reserve C who can hit and handle young Pitchers
lets face it folks i strongly doubt varitek will go back to back seasons fully healthy like he did in 2007. the position wears you down physically.squatting,lunging,foul tips,100MPH heaters hitting your hand. the Sox need someone who can hit and handle a young pitching staff.


NOTE: 2008 is Variteks contract year-he will be a FA after '08. his agent is Scott Boras





FIRST BASE
STARTER: KEVIN YOUKILIS

Back Up: CHRIS CARTER

youk is the starter and a great hitter but he does get hit a lot at the plate. boston will be counting on Chris Carter who the obtained from the Nationals in the trade for Wily Mo Pena.
Carter is an adequate slugger and pretty good defensively. he's hitting well at winter ball.

DEAL? the Sox likely will bring veteran 1Bs to spring training for invites to see what they can do.



SECOND BASE
STARTER: DUSTIN PEDROIA

BackUp: NEED: HELP WANTED-A Reserve 2b/SS who can hit.

there's a need for a better hitting reserve 2b/ss than the incumbent back up Alex Cora.



SHORT STOP
STARTER: JULIO LUGO

BackUp: Alex Cora NEED (see above)
get over it fans the Sox won't trade Lugo and his $9M contract because no one wants it right now anyway and the Sox would have to eat part of it anyway. He's signed til 2010 with a club option for 2011.
Forget about ARod playing SS with Lowell playing 3B. Ain't happening kids.
Too expensive even for the Red Sox and even if the Sox traded Manny.
Royce Clayton??? only kidding. I did like Lugo bunt singling and his SBs and his SACs this year.


THIRD
STARTER: HELP WANTED!

Back Up- Kevin Youkilis
technically-the Red Sox do not have a starting 3B under contract until one signs.
Mike Lowell is the fan favorite to return to the Hot Corner but lots of other possibilities are being discussed such as ARod or Youkilis.


LEFT FIELD

STARTER: MANNY RAMIREZ
Back Up:Jacoby Ellsbury/Brandon Moss
Trading Manny Ramirez won't happen this offseason even if the Red Sox acquire ARod.
A veteran/journeyman backup could be added this offseason for insurance.

CENTERFIELDER
STARTER: JACOBY ELLSBURY
BackUp: JD Drew....HELP WANTED
current statrer CoCo Crisp is a lock to be traded in a package deal to possibly get pitching or a experienced utility multi position player.

RIGHTFIELDER
STARTER-JD Drew
Backup-HELP WANTED!
Chris Carter who likely will backup Youk at 1B or Brandon Moss will do the honors but I'm betting the Red Sox re-sign Bobby Kielty.

DH-DAVID ORTIZ

RESERVES:
1b/OF CHRIS CARTER,2B/SS/3B ALEX CORA,OF BRANDON MOSS,C-?
HELP WANTED-BACK UP CATCHER WHO CAN HIT and SLUGGING OF/INF


STARTING PITCHING
1-JOSH BECKETT 2-CLAY BUCHHOLZ 3-MATSUZAKA 4-WAKEFIELD 5-LESTER
HELP WANTED A LEGIT NUMBER 2 STARTER
The Red Sox will be active in trade talks for a number 2 starter in their rotation.
Supposedly they are trying to get Curt Schilling down on his asking price or may shock the MLB world by dealing for Johan Santana. Boston could package Crisp with a John Lester
or Craig Hanson to get another starter.
Julian Tavarez who's option was just picked up could be in that package as well because he can
start or relieve or direct traffic downtown. The Sox knew Tavarez would be wanted as a FA.
Thats why they picked up the option.

BULLPEN
COMING BACK- PAPELBON-closer,OKAJIMA,DELCARMEN,LOPEZ,COREY,TAVAREZ
HELP WANTED RH SET UP GUY.
The Sox will see who they can get on the FA scrap heap to fill the role as RH set up guy that Eric Gagne could not do.

COACHES
MGR: TERRY FRANCONA,BENCH-BRAD MILLS,PITCHER-JOHN FARRELL,HITTING-
DAVE MAGADAN,BULLPEN-GARY TUCK,1B-LUIS ALICEA,3B-DEMARLO HALE

I think you'll see BP Coach Tuck get tabbed for Yankee mgr-Joe Girardis coaching staff and the Sox may find another hitting coach.