2009 Boston Red Sox

[Dispatch]

Well in one week the Red Sox will be opening the season at Fenway.

I don't know about the rest of you but I feel like this team is either going to be awesome, or they're going to to have a hard time over coming injuries.

My main questions going into the season are:

• David Ortiz wrist, I highly doubt he will ever hit 50+ again but can he hit 30-35 .285/.380/.550?
  
• Can Buchholz bounce back and prove it was only a sophomore slump? With his performance this spring it appears to be that way.
  
• Can Ellsbury raise his OBP? There's no way he can bat lead-off and put up a .336 OBP again.
  
• Finally, will Jason Varitek hit over .220? I pray to god we find another option at catcher some point through out the season.

My things to watch for:

• Daniel Bard will be a major factor in the pen by August.
  
• Possibly a team in a financial crunch looking to get rid of a good player? (Miguel Cabrera )

[clerks37]

We are loaded with pitching if we can keep our stars healthy it could be a 92-94 win season.

[CWood2]

Not pretty out. I'll pretty much watch any game today, but part of my "holiday" ritual involves skipping work to catch my Sox. Hope they play ...

[Misfit]

I wasn't disappointed with the rain out. The 4 o'clock start time today means I could bounce out of work a little early to catch most of the action. So far so good. There's nothing like Opening Day, its replaced Christmas for me now that I'm older (though that might change when/if I have kids).

[Misfit]

Lead-off walk followed up by a Crawford double for the Rays put men at second and third with no one out. The following hitters (Longoria, Pena, Burrell) go popout, strikeout, ground out. Love it!

[Dispatch]

Great game today. Oki had a tough time in the 8th but besides that a pretty solid performance by the Sox.

I would have liked to see Ellsbury get a hit since I think he needs to get off to a good start to boost his confidence.

[Misfit]

Yeah, a great win with more positives than negatives. Fourteen punch-outs for the pitching staff (including a golden sombrero for Pena, ouch!) and a solid offensive showing against Tampa's number 1 (or 1A). The only two negatives were Okajima being unable to locate much of anything in the 8th and Ellsbury's failure to reach base from the lead-off spot. Ellsbury clearly doesn't read the change well out of Shields' hand so hopefully he gets things going tomorrow, though good luck with Kazmir on the hill.

[Suiko]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dispatch

Possibly a team in a financial crunch looking to get rid of a good player? (Miguel Cabrera )

If only =(

Can't complain with that first win. Only 172 to go.