Boston Red Sox 2003 Finish: 95-67, 2nd AL East	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Pedro Martinez Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Batting Order
CF	Johnny Damon Is 61-for-73 in SB attempts during two seasons with Sox.
3B	Bill Mueller Can 2003 Silver Slugger winner come close again in '04?
SS	Nomar Garciaparra Including playoffs, batted only .203 after Sept. 1.
LF	Manny Ramirez Batted .335 over last two years, best in AL.
DH	David Ortiz Hit 21 of his 31 home runs after the All-Star break.
1B	Kevin Millar Batted .319 before July 1, only .238 after.
RF	Trot Nixon Batted .330 with 25 HRs and .635 slugging against RHPs.
C	Jason Varitek First-time All-Star batted .302 with RISP.
2B	Pokey Reese Defensive wizard replaces postseason hero Todd Walker.
Rotation
RHP	Pedro Martinez 101–28 in his Sox career, a .783 winning percentage.
RHP	Curt Schilling His 168 IP in '03 were fewest since 183.1 in 1996.
RHP	Derek Lowe His 38 wins rank second to only Roy Halladay in '02-03.
RHP	Tim Wakefield Is 22–12 with a 3.52 ERA over last two seasons.
RHP	Byung-Hyun Kim Despite problems, still 8–5 with 16 saves in Boston.
Bullpen
RHP	Keith Foulke Reigning Fireman of the Year should shore up shaky bullpen.
RHP	Scott Williamson Had 14 strikeouts in eight postseason IPs.
RHP	Mike Timlin Opponent were 1-for-30 against him in playoffs.
LHP	Alan Embree 1–0 with a 1.29 ERA in 19 career postseason games.
LHP	Mark Malaska Waiver acquisition held lefties to .219 avg. in 32 ABs.
RHP	Ramiro Mendoza Veteran posted an unsightly WHIP of 1.77 in 2003.
RHP	Bronson Arroyo Threat to become No. 5 starter if Kim falters.
Prospects
3B	Kevin Youkilis Reached via hit or walk in record 71 straight Games in '03.
C	Kelly Shoppach Batted .282 and slugged .488 in 92 games at Double-A.
SS	Hanley Ramirez Batted .275 with 12 HRs and 36 SBs at Single-A Augusta.

The Red Sox were a mere five outs from the World Series when their championship hopes unraveled. They spent the subsequent winter trying to ensure that such a breakdown does not happen again. They just might have succeeded. After losing to the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS last fall, the Red Sox solidified their pitching staff at both ends by adding starter Curt Schilling and closer Keith Foulke. And though a trade for Alex Rodriguez never materialized in the end, Boston returns a lineup that led the majors in an array of offensive categories last season. “I like [the team] a lot,” says general manager Theo Epstein. “We couldn't be happier than to add pitchers the caliber of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke to our pitching staff.” And as a result -- on paper, at least -- there may be no better team in the American League.

While the Red Sox finished eighth in the AL in pitching last season, their starters ranked fifth in the league with an aggregate 4.30 ERA. But with Pedro Martinez unable to carry the load he once did, Epstein added Schilling to a group that also includes Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield. Lowe has won more games over the past two seasons (38) than any pitcher in baseball other than Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay (41). As for the fifth spot, the Sox likely will go with Byung-Hyun Kim, but Bronson Arroyo, who posted a 2.08 ERA in six relief appearances at the end of last season, is also an option. Regardless, the addition of Schilling is a huge upgrade to a group that was already among the best in the AL.

How bad was Boston's bullpen last season? The Red Sox ranked 12th in the AL and 28th in baseball in relief ERA. They blew 21 saves. And despite it all, thanks to an undeterred offense, the team still won 95 games. In the postseason, led by Scott Williamson (14 strikeouts in eight innings) and Mike Timlin (one hit in 9.2 innings), the Boston bullpen was brilliant. The Sox picked up left-hander Mark Malaska on waivers to replace the departed Scott Sauerbeck, but the big addition was reigning AL Fireman of the Year Foulke, who has a higher save percentage the past four years than any other qualifying reliever in the league.

If the Red Sox have made one significant sacrifice from last season, it will show up in their offensive production (or lack thereof) at second base. Todd Walker hit five home runs during the postseason, but he was bid adieu in favor of defensive wizard Pokey Reese, whom the Sox signed on the cheap for one year at $1 million. The real question, however, will be how Nomar Garciaparra responds to an offseason during which the Red Sox were prepared to trade him for Magglio Ordoñez while simultaneously shipping Manny Ramirez for Alex Rodriguez. Garciaparra batted only .170 in September and had a poor postseason. He remains unsigned beyond this year.

For all of the players who had career years on the Red Sox last season, none was more impressive than third baseman Bill Mueller. Typically regarded as a scrappy player with sound defensive skills, Mueller won not only the American League batting title but also the Silver Slugger award at third base. First baseman Kevin Millar, who also had the best year of his career, batted only .238 after July 1. Millar, however, improved defensively as the year progressed. Entering 2004, there are serious questions as to whether the Sox can once again expect that kind of production from both corner positions. Neither Millar nor Mueller should be expected to duplicate their '03 power numbers.

Center fielder Johnny Damon finished last season with virtually the same totals he posted in 2002, his first season in Boston. Some Red Sox officials believe Damon is overpaid with an annual average salary of $7.75 million, but he fits nicely between left fielder Manny Ramirez and right fielder Trot Nixon. Though the Red Sox first placed Ramirez on waivers then attempted to trade him to Texas, there is little reason to expect that Ramirez will not continue producing in 2004. The 29-year-old Nixon, meanwhile, is coming off the best year of his career and seems to be budding into a poor man's version of Paul O'Neill. On the whole, this group remains one of the most stable on the club.

At this time last year, the Red Sox were coming off a winter in which they seriously explored the idea of trading Jason Varitek. That was after Oakland general manager Billy Beane (who interviewed for the Sox job) told author Michael Lewis that trading Varitek was one of the first things he would have done if he had decided to leave Oakland for Boston. Varitek subsequently had his best professional season in 2003, representing the Red Sox in the All-Star Game. Epstein now hopes to re-sign Varitek to a long-term deal and keep him united with valued backup Doug Mirabelli. DH/

The Red Sox got excellent support from their bench last season, and it appears their group for 2004 may be even better. DH David Ortiz returns after a monster season in which he drew consideration for the MVP Award. The Sox also welcomed back veteran Ellis Burks, who first broke in with Boston when Epstein was 13-years old (in 1987). Burks will be used as a backup DH and pinch-hitter. Returnees Mirabelli and Gabe Kapler provided support from the right side against left-handed pitching. Meanwhile, newcomer Mark Bellhorn has joined the club as insurance for both Reese and Mueller, and the Sox have re-signed Brian Daubach in hopes that he can provide a reliable left-handed bat off the bench. Daubach, however, may be forced to compete with the right-handed-hitting Dave McCarty for the final spot on the roster.

Many Red Sox fans blamed manager Grady Little when the Sox crumbled in Game 7 of the ALCS, a contention that was ultimately supported by the club's upper management. So Little was fired in favor of the likable Terry Francona, whom Sox officials believe possesses Little's easygoing nature but with much better preparation and game management skills. Owner John Henry, president Larry Lucchino and GM Epstein have worked tirelessly -- during the offseason and at the trading deadlines -- since taking over the team two years ago.

Expectations have weighed down the Red Sox over their history, and there will be high hopes aplenty when the Sox take the field on Opening Day. Yet the fact remains that the Red Sox have shored up their infield defense with the addition of Reese and improved their pitching staff dramatically, all while maintaining the nucleus of a club that led the majors in offense a year ago. For now, the end result appears to be a club with talent and depth in virtually every phase of the game. The Red Sox will be strong contenders to win the American League East and, perhaps, the unthinkable -- the World Series.

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