This team could realistically lead the league in doubles (like last year), smack 200 taters, and steal 150 bases. While not in the same offensive tier as the Angels or Tigers, they might just lead the rest of the pack.

I also love the bullpen. Again, Playoff Quality.

The problem, to me, are the Starters. Lester, Buch,Dubront,Morales have great arms. Lacky and Dump are more finasse type. The ability is there, but, for some reason the consistency seems to lack with these guys. Anyone think they, as a group, will steady themselves better this year?

Go Netherlands. - The X man cometh.

 

 

My concern is the starting pitching staff.  Lester needs to be the ace that he is.  

Bulcholz and Lackey need to step it up too.  

 

It all comes down to the pitching.

I think the pitching will be a lot better. Buch/Lester will be back to their 2010 form and Doubie should improve more. I also think Bard will turn it around...

Yup.  Interesting gambit on the part of the front office.  Many here have framed it as "giving up on 2013", but i see it as "putting the chips behind Lester and Buchholz both returning to top form".  The Gambler might be rolling over in his grave, but that is the bet.  We shall see.  Other than the Big If of the starting pitching, this club looks deeper and more complete than it has in a few years.

Hey Spaceman!

I'm still pissed that they traded you and Bernie away. But, hey, that Stan Papi was some ball player, no?

Anyho, I think you got it exactly right. The chips lie on those starters. Both Lester and Buch have 18-20 Win arms. They just need to apply themselves, don't they?

I don't see anything wrong with this lineup

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Ortiz

Napoli

Middlebrooks

Victorino

Gomes/Nava/Kalish

Salty/Ross

Drew

In response to Strangeglove's comment:

 

Hey Spaceman!

I'm still pissed that they traded you and Bernie away. But, hey, that Stan Papi was some ball player, no?

Anyho, I think you got it exactly right. The chips lie on those starters. Both Lester and Buch have 18-20 Win arms. They just need to apply themselves, don't they?

 

Lets not rehash the annihilation of the Buffaloheads please.  All I can say is Pedro finally gave the gerbil what was coming to him.

 

In response to SpacemanEephus' comment:

Couldn't agree more.

I agree the starters are key.....and that the offense should score runs, but maybe more importantly will be health.....Ells. Papi, Middlebrooks, Drew coming off injuries....Napoli also and now with hip issues...Pedroia also showed some wear last year.....these are our top offensive players....they stay healthy we will be near top of the league offensively.....they don't and it wont matter how much the starters improve. 

In response to tomnev's comment:

NO. ANOTHER 26 GAMES OUT

the key to the team's overall success is the starting pitching as the bullpen is likely to be a stong suit. if lester and bucholtz do not return to top form this team will be lucky to be .500. HUGE questions about lackey; and also about dempster putching in AL East. no way of knowing if doubront's season was a fluke. morales is a nice luxury but there is a lot that can go wrong. 

in terms of the line-up, they are missing power, and specifically a big bat in the middle of the line-up. if gomes were to have a big power season that question might get answered to some extent, but not sure how likely that is. napoli's health is, of course, a major question. ortiz is a year older. does ellsbury bounce back and stay healthy and have a big year? perhaps you can get away with victorino's lack of power as a corner outfielder but don't think the LF situation is exactly ideal. middlebrooks is relatively unproven. if starters play up to potential could be a very good hitting team, but if players like ellsbury; napoli; ortiz; vitorino have injury issues and/or down years it could be very mediocre. 

In response to carnie's comment:

Really?  You don't see anything wrong with this lineup?

There is not a single player who hit .300 in 2012 in that lineup and then there is this:

Napoli .227

Salt .223

Drew .222

That's three projected starters with .227 or lower.

 

 

In response to Schumpeters-Ghost's comment:

Ortiz was over .300 and you honestly believe that Drew and Napoli will repeat their career worst performances of 2012? Then again you want Carlos Lee at 1B so you probably do as your baseball knowledge seems limited at best.

I stand corrected the DH hit over .300

 

The question at hand is you said "I see NOTHING wrong with this lineup"

 

I'm just pointing out that drew, napoli and Salt all hit .227 or lower.  That seems to be something that could potentially be wrong.

But YOU see absolutely NOTHING wrong with this lineup.

There is also a complete lack of power in the line up - you probably haven't noticed that either.

 

So you are right,  other than a lack of power and BA - the is nothing worng with the line up.

 

 

 

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In response to Schumpeters-Ghost's comment:

Yeah but 7 of them can hit 20+ HR and a couple have 30HR potential...Maybe you should take career averages instead of one of their worst years in history...

In response to southpaw777's comment:

That's a good point - I think Ellsbury and pedroia are all-stars.  Ortiz can hopefully keep performing as he gets a bit older.  I have huge hopes that Middlebrooks can be an excellent player.  Victorino is aging and declining but I like Victorino - the way he plays and competes.

I also think Kalish gets better this year and I hope the sox don't trade him.

But despite all that - when you have 3 veterans establishing new lows in BA - that is an area of huge concern.

Is it an anomoly or is it the new normal for these guys?  Well, Salt should see his average go up - I still see upside with him. 

Drew - people are going to say it was health - but I think Drew is a terrible sign.

Napoli is a physical wreck - who is in major decline.

Gomes is lousy.  Nava - I don't have much hope for that kid.  

The statement was "I see nothing wrong with that lineup"

 

That is a silly statement - there are tons of holes in the lineup.  There are lots of good things but night in night out - we are going to have 3 or 4 HUGE question marks out there.  HUGE.

In response to Schumpeters-Ghost's comment:

OPS is way more important than average.  Check FG to see what their projected OPS' are.

In response to Joebreidey's comment:

Use whatever stats you want - it doesn't change the fact that the line up posted (12 names) has 50% MAJOR question marks

 

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In response to LR3683paw's comment:

When you get banned over and over again - do you ever consider that people think you are a fool and don't want you around? 

What kind of an insane loser keeps creating new names and coming back over and over again?

How sad your life must be.

 

Mayhaps the starters grow in confidence and progress as a staff.  Their performance will determine everything.

 

 

In response to Schumpeters-Ghost's comment:

But one of the three holes you mentioned finished 3rd in his position in HRs.  I mean, if the average OPS for an AL catcher is .710, and Salty is at .742, is that really a major hole?  Or put another way, the NYY, Detroit, and Oakland have two things in common.  They all finished 1st, and they all had a huge hole at catcher, since all 3 catchers had a lower OPS than Salty.