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Projected Lineup (2003 Stats) Pos. Player Avg. HR RBI SB CF Johnny Damon .273 12 67 30 3B Bill Mueller .326 19 85 1 SS Nomar Garciaparra .301 28 105 19 LF Manny Ramirez .325 37 104 3 DH David Ortiz .288 31 101 0 1B Kevin Millar .276 25 96 3 RF Trot Nixon .306 28 87 4 C Jason Varitek .273 25 85 3 2B Pokey Reese .215 1 12 6 Projected Rotation (2003 Stats) H Player W-L ERA WHIP RH Pedro Martinez 14-4 2.22 1.04 RH Curt Schilling 8-9 2.95 1.05 RH Derek Lowe 17-7 4.47 1.42 RH Byung-Hyun Kim 9-10 3.31 1.12 RH Tim Wakefield 11-7 4.09 1.30 FANTASY BASEBALL Sign up Today! • NEW! Baseball Commissioner Full service league management tool. $99.95 per league • NEW! Fantasy Baseball Conquer your league and take home the pennant. $19.95 per team • NEW! Salary Cap Challenge Select your dream team with a $75 million budget. $9.95 per team

Boston was one Aaron Boone home run away from the World Series last season and spent the entire off-season going blow for blow with the Yankees. They were doing quite well until the whole A-Rod fiasco transpired. Still, the addition of Curt Schilling to a team that won 95 games last year will be a big boost, although nothing short of getting past the Yankees will be accepted as a success.

The Red Sox fortunes begin and end with Pedro Martinez. Pedro has led the AL in ERA two straight seasons and had a 1.04 WHIP, which, believe it or not, was his highest since 1998. Durability has been a question since 2001 but when he's been able to go to the mound, at least during the regular season, there are few, if any, pitchers you'd rather have.

At times last season Ramiro Mendoza was so awful Red Sox fans believed he was a plant sent by the Yankees to undermine Boston's season. He was plagued last season by a bad knee and thus far this spring he's been done in by a strained abdominal muscle. Even when healthy Mendoza is not much more than a fringe fantasy player, and when his sinker isn't sinking he's completely worthless to your fantasy team.

Third Base. Bill Mueller was the AL batting champ last season but even that fact won't hold off the arrival of Kevin Youkilis for long. The quintessential "Moneyball" player, Youkilis had a streak of 62 straight games in which he reached base last season in the minors. Not a power hitter, he'll be compared to Wade Boggs upon his inevitable arrival at Fenway this summer.

One of the more quiet acquisitions for Boston was second baseman Pokey Reese, who can really run despite only 18 steals over the last two years. Batting ninth right in front of Johnny Damon, Reese will give the BoSox' offense a boost with 20 swipes.

The Red Sox are highly invested in Foulke, who led the AL with 43 saves last year, but they're well prepared in case of emergency. The choices would be Byung-Hyun Kim, who moved into the rotation, Scott Williamson, who was Cincinnati's closer last year, and sinkerballer Mike Timlin, who was effective as a closer in the past for the Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles. Williamson would get the first crack, but it's not likely he'll be needed as more than a solid setup man.

All but traded to the Dodgers or White Sox, depending on whom you talk to, Nomar Garciaparra finds himself back in Boston for his ninth big league season. Although he may feel unwanted with the Red Sox, Garciaparra is too much of a pro to let the turmoil off of the field affect his game on it. If anything, Garciaparra will have a point to prove this year and will put up stronger numbers than usual.

Kevin Millar, David Ortiz, Trot Nixon, Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield

Mark Bellhorn, Alan Embree, Gabe Kapler