Road to Glory: The Players Who Could Spell Championship for the Boston Red Sox
With the winter meetings under way and the dust settled on the first blockbuster deal of the offseason, it is time to look at who are going to be the keys for the Red Sox to be the last team sipping champagne.
Some say another bat, such as a superstar like Carl Crawford or a role player like Josh Willingham, is necessary to be the World Series favorites (assuming the Yankees sign Cliff Lee).
Some say go after Cliff Lee because of his postseason resume and the fact he would look HORRIBLE in pinstripes.
Others (a very smart group of others) think the bullpen is the biggest issue.
Regardless of what you think the following players are who will determine how realistic Boston's post-season dreams really are in 2011.
Guess Who
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1. Adrian Gonzalez
It would not make sense to have this list and not include the biggest offseason acquisition of a slugger since Manny Ramirez, so here he is: Adrian Gonzalez.
Much has been said about how much of a gamer Gonzalez is, how is he a real good person and teammate dedicated to winning (which his press conference this morning only confirmed), and how ridiculous his number will be hitting in Fenway Park with an excellent lineup around him. However, he must deliver. No he does not need to hit 55 home runs and win the MVP unanimously, but he must show he is the elite hitter everyone is claiming he is. I am excited as anyone to have Gonzalez in this lineup and feel a .300 average with 40 home runs and 120 runs batted in is a legitimate expectation.
If Gonzalez can put up those numbers, consider him worth the trade and assumed extension.
Calling All Bullpen Arms
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2. Matt Guerrier
While some have clamored for a Jonathan Papelbon (more on him in a moment) trade then signing of Rafael Soriano, Matt Guerrier makes more sense.
An absolutely solid middle reliever for the Twins since 2005, the 31-year-old right hander was solid against right-handed batters as well as left handed batters, with averages of .210 and .236 respectively. Not to mention Guerrier would not cost nearly as much as a pitcher like Soriano and also would not require a draft pick to be surrendered. Finally, he has proven he can handle pitching in pennant races and for a competitive team as the Twins are in the hunt for AL Central seemingly every year.
Where Has Our Ace Gone
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3. Josh Beckett
It would be an understatement to say Josh Beckett had a disappointing 2010 after signing a big contract extension with the Red Sox. The fact of the matter is he was plain awful.
However, with the emergence of Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester to anchor the rotation, Beckett does not need to carry the rotation on his shoulders like he was expected to after 2007. Bringing his earned runs average below 4.00 and consistently going six innings would provide the rotation with serious depth and take a little pressure off the young guns at the top. Hopefully Curt Young has a solution to this problem.
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Once a Closer
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4. Jonathan Papelbon
We all know how Mr. Papelbon started his career in Boston, becoming arguably the best in baseball. Unfortunately, last season was far, far from the standard we have gotten used to in the ninth inning of a game involving the Boston closer. With an earned runs average of almost 4.00 and eight blown saves, Papelbon easily had the worst season of his career.
While it was a horrible season, it seems his numbers last year were an outlier in a truly terrific start to a career. With this being a contract year, and Papelbon openly stating he wants to be paid, it is safe to assume he will not repeat 2010's performance. However, if the Red Sox want to truly be a favorite to represent the AL in the World Series Jonathan Papelbon will have to become invincible once again.
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