Ah, the smell of spring flowers and freshly cut grass may not quite be in the air yet in New England; however, the stench of contract negotiations and dirty money is no longer lingering over the hub, which an only mean one thing: Spring Training is right around the corner.

And with Spring Training comes the usual mountain of questions surrounding the ball club that rolls in with the spring.

But the Red Sox seem to have more questions to answer than usual coming into this season, so here is a look at the top five.

5. Youth or Experience: Who's Got the Back End of the Rotation?

The conventional wisdom in baseball is that there is no such thing as too much pitching, and while I agree with that, the '09 Red Sox may be testing that theory.

Although Brad Penny and John Smoltz seem to be the obvious contenders for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation behind Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K, what are we to do with the likes of elder statesman Tim Wakefield, or super prospect Michael Bowden, or former super prospect Clay Buchholz?

I think that if anyone can manage this many options in the rotation it is Francona. That isn't to say it's going to be easy or pretty.

4. Will the Real Jacoby Ellsbury Please Stand Up?

Speed. That's the obvious tool Ellsbury brings to the table that helps the Sox put up wins. But with time, we've seen Ellsbury swing his way into slumps that, try and try again, the kid cannot hit himself out of.

But with his first full season in the bigs behind him, look for Jacoby to bunt his way out of more slumps and put up a respectable average out of the lead-off hole for the Sox this season.

3. Jason Bay's Big Canadian Bat

With Manny gone for the first full season in Boston, fans are ready to warm up to Canada's finest export since Canadian Bacon. But Red Sox fans are wondering exactly what it is they should expect from the lumberjack.

While Bay won't hit fourth on this team anytime soon, he will undoubtedly be a bat that damages pitching—and on a consistent basis.

If you're looking for a comparison player, think Hideki Matsui (cringe) and how much he wrecked us pre-wrist injury. Bay has a lot of power, but it mostly comes in the form of long doubles into the gaps, and will be an RBI machine.

But don't be amazed if he puts out close to 30 homers this year.

2. Is Josh Beckett For Real Yet?

After the 2007 post season, Red Sox nation was anointing Josh Beckett as their new king, and rightfully so given his performance. But Beckett's 2008 performance seemed to be lacking the same kick we had grown used to.

We are left to wonder if 2007 was super-human and that we should lower our expectations of Beckett, or if 2007 was an aberration in what should be a long and dominant career of a future Hall of Famer.

Either way, the guy has the mentality of a horse and pitches like a stud, injured or not, so I'm comfortable calling him the Ace of this staff.

1. David's wrist, Mike's Hip. Are These Guys Old Yet?

Mike Lowell and David Ortiz are two of the most dangerous hitters in the Red Sox line-up, unless of course you actually look at last year's stats.

Both were mired with injuries that some say are the signal of decline, while others say these two have more years of great numbers in them.

If these guys had these injuries when they were in their 20s, I would be much less apprehensive.

Lowell is 34 and Ortiz 33. Although we see guys having great careers later into their lives these days, seldom do we see 30+ players come back from hip and wrist injuries the same, especially power hitters.

Personally, I'll be looking for Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Jason Bay to carry this team offensively in 2009.

There you have it. The top five questions bugging me and much of Red Sox nation going into 2009. Have other questions? Think I'm wrong? Think I'm right? Comment!