2007 red sox a season of question marks
Ian Abreu
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Sports
A disappointing and turbulent 2006 season left Red Sox Nation ready, willing and eager for a fresh start in 2007. After finishing third in the AL East (86-76) behind New York and Toronto, it became evident that there are serious problems with this ball club that needed to be addressed.
General Manager/Vice President Theo Epstein and the Red Sox brass have answered the call, dishing out over $200 million on just three players alone: Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, shortstop Julio Lugo, and outfielder J.D. Drew.
If the following six questions amount to some level of moderate success, the '07 edition of the "idiots" should be one for the ages. Are we still using that term by the way?
Too much for Drew and Lugo?
A $70-million, five-year pact with J.D. Drew is insane, plain and simple. He's been an injury-prone malcontent his entire career. Is there talent here? Of course there is! He is an exceptional athlete, but again, will the pressure of the Boston media get to him? Drew, in my opinion, has become the wild card in the lineup. With longtime mainstay Trot Nixon gone to the Cleveland Indians, Drew will be expected to man right field. He'll adjust well, as he's got the ability to hit 20-30 homers, drive in at least 90 runs and hit at least .280, all contingent if he stays healthy.
I've always liked Julio Lugo, put that domestic assault case behind him already, it's time to move on and play some ball. Lugo will be expected to do one thing and one thing only: get on base. His yearly average numbers hover around .280, with 10-12 homers, 70-85 RBI's and 25-40 stolen bases. Sorry my friend, you're going to have to do better than that in Boston if you want success as a solid leadoff man in this town.
Make no mistakes about it; Lugo is the catalyst for this offense. He needs to get on base, hit doubles, steal bases, and do what a quintessential leadoff man is supposed to do. If he does his part I'm confident that Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and J.D. Drew will their part in driving him in.
General Manager/Vice President Theo Epstein and the Red Sox brass have answered the call, dishing out over $200 million on just three players alone: Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, shortstop Julio Lugo, and outfielder J.D. Drew.
If the following six questions amount to some level of moderate success, the '07 edition of the "idiots" should be one for the ages. Are we still using that term by the way?
Too much for Drew and Lugo?
A $70-million, five-year pact with J.D. Drew is insane, plain and simple. He's been an injury-prone malcontent his entire career. Is there talent here? Of course there is! He is an exceptional athlete, but again, will the pressure of the Boston media get to him? Drew, in my opinion, has become the wild card in the lineup. With longtime mainstay Trot Nixon gone to the Cleveland Indians, Drew will be expected to man right field. He'll adjust well, as he's got the ability to hit 20-30 homers, drive in at least 90 runs and hit at least .280, all contingent if he stays healthy.
I've always liked Julio Lugo, put that domestic assault case behind him already, it's time to move on and play some ball. Lugo will be expected to do one thing and one thing only: get on base. His yearly average numbers hover around .280, with 10-12 homers, 70-85 RBI's and 25-40 stolen bases. Sorry my friend, you're going to have to do better than that in Boston if you want success as a solid leadoff man in this town.
Make no mistakes about it; Lugo is the catalyst for this offense. He needs to get on base, hit doubles, steal bases, and do what a quintessential leadoff man is supposed to do. If he does his part I'm confident that Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and J.D. Drew will their part in driving him in.
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