Write On Sports LLC - "Armed and Dangerous; Big Off-Season has Red Sox Nation in High Spirits" by Mike Trapani

Armed and Dangerous; Big Off-Season has Red Sox Nation in High Spirits

2007-01-04 18:17:59 | By: Mike Trapani

August 18, 2006: The Red Sox are a game and a half out of first with the hated division leading Yankees coming to town for an extremely rare five-game series. Four days later, and five losses later, the Red Sox, and their 2006 season were basically over. The Red Sox went 16-21 to finish out the year with Manny Ramirez appearing in only 10 of those final 37 games. They also had to put closer Jonathan Papelbon on the shelf for all of September. Perhaps worst of all, Boston had to watch the Yankees cruise to their 9th straight division title. For some Red Sox fans, last season may have been just as long and painful as the 86-year wait they had to endure between World Series Championships.

General Manager Theo Epstein knows how harsh the wrath of the Red Sox fans can be after a disappointing season, so he responded in the best possible way; he spent. He spent big. Epstein spent over $100 million to negotiate with, and then sign Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka. Epstein also plans to give often injured right fielder J.D. Drew $70 million as long as he passes his physical. Theo threw another $36 million at shortstop Julio Lugo and has recently signed free agent pitcher Joel Pinero (one year, $4 million) to be the team’s new closer.

The Epstein spending spree looks like it could pay off. According to Japanese talent guru Bobby Valentine, Matsuzaka will be a quality major league pitcher, and even though he was horribly wrong in judging the abilities of Kaz Matsui, it’s hard not to believe this kid will be pretty good.

The addition of Matsuzaka should give the Red Sox a fairly deep starting rotation. Curt Schilling had a strong season after an injury riddled 2005 and should be completely healthy coming into 2007. Josh Beckett won 16 games last season despite posting an ERA over 5.00. Control and command were a problem for Beckett as he walked a career high 74 batters. With the offense potentially more dangerous than last year, Beckett won’t have to improve much to win 16 games again. The Red Sox have also put a lot of faith in Jonathan Papelbon being able to carry his dominance from the bullpen to the starting rotation.

Theo and Terry Francona must be very confident in Papelbon's abilities as a starter because they left his vacant closer role to newly signed longtime starter Joel Pinero. Pinero comes over from Seattle after a dreadful 2006 season. Pinero posted a 6.36 ERA while allowing 209 hits in just 165.2 innings of work. He was pulled from the starting rotation in mid-August, so he isn’t a complete stranger to coming out of the pen. However, in his two save opportunities last season, Pinero allowed six earned runs in three innings.

The Red Sox may not be in many close save situations if the offense produces the way it should. Lugo will most likely lead-off, which will allow Francona to permanently drop centerfielder Coco Crisp down after a very disappointing ’06 replacing Johnny Damon. Lugo struggled to the tune of a .219 average after being traded from Tampa to Los Angeles where he never had an everyday role. Before heading west, he hit .308 as an everyday player for the Devil Rays. In Boston, he will resume his role as an everyday shortstop and that security will help him revive his offensive numbers. Because money means very little in baseball these days, the signing of J.D. Drew to replace the beloved Trot Nixon in right field looks pretty good. He is much better suited to bat fifth behind Manny and not be the focal point of the lineup. We'll see if hitting coach Dave Magadan can get Drew to hit the ball more consistantly to the opposite field, something successful Red Sox lefties have always been able to do.

Even with the question mark at closer, the Red Sox should be able to challenge the Yankees and Blue Jays for supremacy in the AL East. If the starting pitching can stay healthy and the offensive additions produce, a World Series birth isn’t out of the question.

God knows Red Sox fans can’t wait another 86 years.