2008 Boston Red Sox Picks & Predictions
May 22, 2008
Dave Price’s 2008 Boston Red Sox predictions divulge what most already know – the Sox have a team capable of repeating as World Series champs.
Pitching
The Red Sox have one of the best pitching staffs in the AL. We have to start with Josh Beckett, who was brilliant in last year’s postseason. Beckett was the only 20-game winner in baseball last season. Beckett went 4-0 with a 1.17 ERA in the playoffs. Boston received a strong rookie season from Daisuke Matsuzka, but the Sox believe that he is capable of way better numbers. He went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA in 2007. Tim Wakefield is Mr. Steady. He had a great 17-12 season last year and is third on the Sox all-time wins list. Curt Schilling appears to be the wild card at this point. He has an 11-2 postseason record with a 2.23 ERA for his career. But with Schilling’s shoulder in question, the Sox could be missing a vital asset. Jonathan Papelbon is one of the game’s best closers with a .889 save percentage the past two seasons.
Offense
The Sox clearly have one of the better lineups in baseball. They’ll add second baseman Dustin Pedroia to their mix of starts as the reigning AL Rookie of the Year should be even better in 2008. Big Papi hit .332 with 35 bombs and 117 RBIs. He can flat out swing the stick. Manny Ramirez failed to reach 30 homeruns and 100 RBIs for the first time since 1997. He had 20 round trippers and 88 RBIs in 133 games. I expect him to bounce back with a big 2008. Mike Lowell captured World Series MVP honors and picked up the slack for Manny with 21 bombs and 120 RBIs. First baseman Kevin Youkilis and catcher Jason Varitek can also swing it. Rightfielder J.D. Drew still must do more to justify what the Sox are paying him.
Defense
I look for the Sox defense to be even better in 2008 with Pedroia and Lugo getting more used to one another in the middle infield. Youkilis won the 2007 Gold Glove at first base with zero errors and Lowell’s defensive capabilities at third are well documented. Manny is Manny and will make several bonehead plays in left throughout the season, but his numbers at the plate enable the Sox to live with it. Varitek isn’t playing the level of ball that he did in 2005 when he won a Gold Glove, but as the team captain, he is still the heart and soul of this team. He is one of the best thinkers in the game behind the plate as well.
Even if Schilling misses a big portion of the season, or all of the season, Boston’s pitching situation is still better than the Yankees, which gives the Sox the edge in the division race. And Boston is still clearly one of the favorites to win the series.
You can expect Dave Price to provide you with more MLB winners on a daily basis than any other handicapper on the planet. This former MLB World Champion handicapper is out for blood in ’08.
Odds to win AL East: 10/11
Odds to win AL Pennant: 11/5
Odds to win World Series: 4/1
AL East
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