Offseason Update: Pitching

82 Days to go people! 82 days! We can do this!

It seems like just yesterday the season ended (we won't mention the fashion it ended in...)! But here we are, mid January...can you believe it. I, sure as hell, cannot!

Referring back to my previous blog...I humbly admit, I was wrong. Adrian Beltre has signed, so have John Lackey and Marco Scuatro. Jason Bay has left Beantown for the Citi...leaving my broken heart behind in a pile on the floor. Alright, so I may be over emotional. But come the end of the season and the beginning of his free agency, I was CONVINCED he was staying. Maybe it was naive side showing (it can be embarrassing!) but I thought he would be returning for a second season inhabiting left field. But nope!

Anyway, I won't linger on that because we all know the dirty details. Enjoy the extra 6 million you pasty Canadian.

Moving on! This year is looking promising my friends. Why? The answer is pitching. Shall we take a comprehensive look at our rotation? Alright! (Granted, we don't know who is going to make the rotation just yet, because there will be an odd man out but, let review anyway!)

Numero Uno on the list: Dice K.
-Red Sox nation was just informed that he lied about a leg injury he 'forgot' to mention at the beginning of the season. This caused him to over throw his shoulder, therefore injuring it. This led to the subsequent absence for a good portion of the season. But let's pretend that, come the start of the 2010 season, everything is a-okay with our Japanese prodigy and he pitches like back in the day. This is part one in the melt-your-face awesome rotation Theo and his team have carefully crafted.

Part Deux: Josh Beckett
-Sure, Mr. Beckett might have gone into a slump on the verge of being a Cy Young candidate, BUT, he is still Josh Beckett. He won 17 games in 2009, the second highest in the career (the first being, of course, the 2007 season). With his insane fastballs, deceptive ways, and the way he 'paints' (Eck flashbacks!) the strike zone, Beckett is sure to be one hellova asset in the rotation.

Three: Jon Lester
-Everyone's favorite reliable man! He utilizes his fastballs, cutters, change-ups,and curve balls like none other. He can pitch himself in to a mess, but he has the ability to get himself back out. If he pitches anything like last year (or 2008!), he's golden.

Four: John Lackey
-The newest edition to the already killer rotation. He was a danger to us before, but now the Angel has switched sides. He's with us now. And boy, aren't we glad. I mean, for example July 29, 2008. He threw a no hitter until our very own Dustin Pedroia broke it up with a single. Youk followed with a homer and despite those two efforts, we still lost 6-2. But that power is now on the other side of the field. Here's to Lackey's performance in 2010! Let's hope he can win us 19 games like he did for the Angels in 2007!

Five: Tim Wakefield
-Come on. It's Tim "Terminator" Wakefield. He just goes out there, destroys your life with that knuckle ball, and does it with a smile on his face. That man will be pitching until he's in a wheelchair. Even then he will still own souls.

Six: Clay Buchholz
-The king who fell from grace, and is now beginning to regain the title and crown. Everyone and their brother knows about the no hitter back in 2007 but since then his numbers took a nose dive. But not all is lost for the gangly man from Texas. He is certainly making progress towards becoming a better pitcher. He went 7-4 in 2009. But man, he's got the stuff! The Sox will be hanging on to him, I hope, for a very long time.


Of course it can't be all pitching right! We have to have power in our bats to back up the power pitchers! But that examination will be left to another blog. This one is certainly long enough and my carpel tunnel is kicking in. So for now I will leave it as is. Let's pray those 82 days go fast!
-Kristen