EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

	BOSTON RED SOX
	2000 Spring Training Schedule
	2000 Regular Season Schedule

1999 Record: 94-68 (2nd place, AL East, 4 GB)

1999 Payroll: $72.3 million (7th)

1999 Team Statistics (AL rank) Batting Avg. .278 (7th)         Opp. Average .253 (1st) Runs Scored 836 (9th) ERA 4.00 (1st) Home Runs 176 (9th) Fielding Pct. .979 (12th)

1999 Recap: The Red Sox led the league in ERA (thanks Pedro), won 94 games and reached the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1915-16. Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez (23-4, 2.07 ERA) had a season for the ages and Nomar Garciaparra (.357-27-104) won his first batting title. Jimy Williams got the most out of a scrappy supporting cast and earned AL Manager of the Year honors.

1999 Highlight: Rallied from an 0-2 deficit in the division series to eliminate the Cleveland Indians.

1999 Lowlight: Committed an LCS-record 10 errors, allowing the New York Yankees to advance to the World Series.

Manager: Jimy Williams (172-152 with Red Sox, 545-463 in seven seasons)

Coaches: Jim Rice (hitting), Joe Kerrigan (pitching), Tommy Harper (first base) Wendell Kim (third base), John Cumberland (bullpen), Buddy Bailey (bench)

Camp Site: City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, Fla.

Reporting Dates: Pitchers and catchers on Feb. 19 and full squad on Feb. 22.

Additions If Manny Alexander, OF Jermaine Allensworth, OF Marty Cordova, OF Carl Everett, LHP Jeff Fassero, LHP Sang-Hoon Lee

Subtractions: OF Damon Buford, OF Butch Huskey, DH Reggie Jefferson, LHP Kent Mercker, IF Lou Merloni, OF Jon Nunnally, RHP Pat Rapp, RHP RHP Julio Santana.

Spring Cleaning: The main task in camp will be solidifying the pitching staff. Pedro and a healthy Ramon Martinez could be the best 1-2 punch in the majors, but someone has to start the other 100 games. Bret Saberhagen is on the shelf until July (rotator cuff) and Tim Wakefield, who was left off the ALCS roster, is as unpredictable as his knuckleball. Brian Rose should finally stick in the Red Sox rotation.

Chief of Staff Pedro vs. other Red Sox starters 1999  Pedro Martinez  12 other starters  Starts  29  133  Record  23-4  42-44  ERA  2.07  4.63  Strikeouts  313  412  Opp BA  .205  .274

Jeff Fassero? Maybe pitching coach Joe Kerrigan can help the old lefty get back on track. Fassero worked under Kerrigan in Montreal from 1992-96 and was 56-43 with a 3.25 ERA. Jin Ho Cho, Juan Pena and Tomo Ohka will compete for the final spots in the rotation. With Tom Gordon lost for the 2000 season and possibly beyond, Derek Lowe will assume the role of closer. Lowe thrived in the set-up role last year and has an unhittable sinker, but does he have the closer's mentality? He has blown 12 of 31 career save opportunities. How does Williams find playing time for Darren Lewis and Marty Cordova -- assuming Troy O'Leary, Carl Everett and Trot Nixon start in the outfield. Another concern is the defense on the right side of the infield. The Mike Stanley/Brian Daubach platoon at first base with Jose Offerman at second is not fooling anyone. No AL team turned fewer double plays than the Red Sox in 1999.

Key Acquisition: Red Sox GM Dan Duquette may have pulled off the steal of the hot stove season when he landed Carl Everett for two minor-leaguers. Everett, who just signed a multi-year deal, hit .325 with 25 HR, 108 RBI and 27 SB for Houston last year in just 123 games. You have to go back to Tony Armas (.268-43-123) in 1984 to find a Bosox center fielder with comparable power numbers. What's the catch? Everett, 28, has never exceeded 500 at-bats in a season and is now with his fifth organization.

The Future is Now: Trot Nixon became the Red Sox 12th Opening Day right fielder in as many years last year and struggled early (.105 average in April). The former No. 1 draft pick bounced back to post .270-15-52 numbers as a rookie, leading the Sox in slugging percentage after the All-Star break (.587). This should be the year Nixon establishes himself a Fenway fixture.

Opportunity Knocks: A strong spring by Wilton Veras could render third baseman John Valentin trade bait. The streaky Valentin had a strong postseason, but he would be among the first veterans packaged in a deal to acquire a quality arm.

Prospects to Watch: 1B Dernell Stenson, C Steve Lomasney, 3B Wilton Veras, RHP Sun-Woo Kim, OF Michael Coleman, RHP Juan Pena, LHP Sang-Hoon Lee

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