Kuzul

Out-of-court settlements are usually the fate of frivolous lawsuits.

Today, the lawyers for two tempests in a teapot settled their dispute about as amicably as warriors in the longstanding baseball feud involving the Red Sox and Yankees could.

Yes, Jay-Z of rap music and friendly fan of publicity had sued Big Papi of the friendly Red Sox Nation for copyright infringement.

Skeptics hinted that Jay-Z, a lifelong New York Yankees fan and among the most solvent of pinstripe patrons, had chosen a battle with Ortiz deliberately.

Ortiz, recently accepted as a naturalized American citizen, keeps his roots in the Dominican Republic fueled with business dealings. He had opened a restaurant in his native land and chose to call it the Forty-Forty Club.  Alas, the name 40/40 had already been legally adopted by the paternal Jay-Z for his own American enterprise purposes.

Jay-Z may have been upset by the scandal when a construction worker on the new Yankee Stadium had cursed the home team by burying a jersey with Ortiz’s number in concrete back in 2008. A bigger dig ensued than at the Boston tunnel scandal.  Conducting an excavation ceremony at the new Yankee home, Ortiz’s Red Sox shirt caused delays and uproar as the jackhammers released the evil spirit.

Did this lead to the dispute between Ortiz and Jay-Z in April of 2010?

Big Papi Ortiz, an occasional patron of the Jay-Z nightclub in New York City, had been inspired to flatter the singer by imitating Jay-Z’s business acumen.

Alas, Yankee fans are never flattered when it comes to money. Jay-Z took Ortiz to court immediately when he tried to open his restaurant, namely based on a 40 home runs and 40 doubles he achieved in 2004 as his ideal.

Who owned the right to the name? Which event came first? Was it the chicken or the egg? The Federal court judge suggested both parties ought to stop wasting the time of the busy judicial system and have their high-paid mouthpieces come up with a solution.

They did so, announcing on March 28th that something akin to principles had allowed both sides to agree to sign off on the latest skirmish in the Yankee-Red Sox feud.

We expect Big Papi may not bring his dance shoes to the emporium of Jay-Z any time soon, and Jay-Z will likely not travel to the DR to eat up a storm off the menu at the Ortiz eatery.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Marco Scutaro was the “highlight” signing of 2009’s offseason. For those who are true fans and/or have played the game, you know that he was not the big solution. In fact, he should never have been signed in the first place. He is simply overpaid and overrated. If the Red Sox did want to sign him it should have been at a much cheaper annual salary. 

Fans were becoming increasingly frustrated with the product being put on the field. No disrespect to Boston‘s finest, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkillis, Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia but the fans simply did not feel that the overall product being presented to them correlated to the ticket prices they had to pay (the highest in all of baseball). 

2010’s offseason was different. This offseason the Boston Red Sox were very busy and rightfully so. It is thought across the MLB that the Red Sox and the Phillies were the two teams that improved their teams the most this offseason. The Red Sox signed All-Star veterans Adrian Gonzalez (formerly of the San Diego Padres) and Carl Crawford (formerly of the Tampa Bay Rays). The Phils bolstered their starting pitching by signing Roy Halladay (formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays) and Cliff Lee (formerly of the Texas Rangers).

My question to you is…which player is better out of those the Red Sox signed and why? Is it the new Boston Left Fielder, speedy Carl Crawford or is it the always reliable, defensive machine Adrian Gonzalez?

Carl Crawford has tremendous speed, solid outfield play, a great bat and it seems like the only thing he can’t do is fly. Adrian Gonzalez is not quite as mobile but has more pop with his bat and is probably an even better defender at his position (1B) than Crawford is at his (LF). Gonzalez does not have much speed but he has a detailed goatee which gives him extra brownie points.

Gonzalez’s goatee aside and being completely serious, Carl Crawford seems to be the better overall player. It will be interesting to see them play on the same team as they should fuel one another’s game and they will likely have career years in 2011.

It’s an exciting time to be a Boston Red Sox fan.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When the top RBI guys are off the board, there are still value picks that can help you in that category.

Average Draft Positions are from Mock Draft Central.

Catcher

Kurt Suzuki, Oakland A’s: Suzuki had 71 RBI last year and 88 in 2009. Both years he had the fourth RBI among catchers.

With an ADP of 171, there are ten catchers that are (on average) going before him in fantasy drafts.

Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals: Molina had the eighth most RBI (62) last year. He was 11th in 2009 (54) and 12th in 2008 (56).

He’s not going to win the RBI category for you, but he should be a nice value with his 189 ADP.

First Base

Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals: LaRoche had the 10th most RBI (100) among first basemen last year. He has averaged 89.2 RBI over the past five years.

Despite his consistent solid performances, he has an ADP of 178, which is 15th among first basement.

Carlos Pena, Chicago Cubs: Pena had 84 RBI last year and has averaged 101.8 the past four years.

He has an ADP of 181, which makes him a pretty strong value.

Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins: Sanchez is a boring pick, but he did manage 85 RBI last year. He has an ADP of 187, so he’s worth a look.

Ike Davis, New York Mets: Davis had 71 RBI in 147 games last year and should only get stronger.

He’ll turn 24 later this month and he has a ton of upside. Davis has an ADP of 201.

Derrek Lee, Baltimore Orioles: Lee had just 80 RBI last year, but has averaged 90.8 the past four years.

His ADP of 228 is a great value.

Second Base

Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays: Hill had 68 RBI last year, despite a .196 BABIP. With 108 RBI in 2009, he is definitely worth a look, especially with an ADP of 160.

Juan Uribe, Los Angeles Dodgers: Uribe had 85 RBI last year, which ranked third among second basemen.

He likely loses some value with his move to the Dodgers, but makes up for it with multiple position eligibility. He’s worth a look with his 240 ADP.

Third Base

Ty Wiggington, Colorado Rockies: He’ll play a little bit of this and a little bit of that. He had 76 RBI last year, and his move to Colorado should be a favorable one.

Wiggington’s ADP is 215. Jose Lopez (ADP 199) should also get some work. Both should have value right away, as Ian Stewart will likely start the year on the shelf.

Kevin Kouzmanoff, Oakland A’s: Kouzmanoff had 71 RBI last year and has averaged 79.3 the past four years.

He has an ADP of 363, which means he’ll likely go undrafted in your league.

Shortstop

Alex Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves: Gonzalez won’t match the 88 RBI he had last year, but he should be a nice source for his position. His ADP is 147.

Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers: Peralta isn’t a sexy pick, but he’s averaged 84.3 RBI the past three years and 78.5 the past six.

Not a bad option at shortstop, especially considering he also has third base eligibility and an ADP of 251.

Outfield

Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: Jones had 69 RBI last year and 70 the year before, but the Orioles have made improvements to their lineup.

He’ll turn 26 in August, so this could be the year he fulfills his promise. His ADP of 180 puts him at a nice value.

Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox: Quentin had 87 RBI last year. He always seems to be an injury risk, but his ADP of 193 makes him a good gamble later in your draft.

Michael Cuddyer, Minnesota Twins: Cuddy could be easy to overlook as the Twins seem to move him all around the field. Still, he remains productive.

He’s averaged  87.5 RBI the past two years and has first base eligibility. Cuddy has an ADP of 224.

Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies: I have no idea how he has anything left in the tank, but Ibanez had 83 RBI last year and has averaged 100.5 RBI over the past six years.

He’s worth a look with an ADP of 198.

Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays: You’d be drafting on potential if you chose Snider, but with an ADP of 247, there isn’t much risk involved.

Designated Hitter

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays: He could possibly have first base or outfield eligibility, but with 186 RBI over the past two years, he’s a solid utility option. His ADP is 166.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: He is slow out of the gate, but Big Papi has averaged 96.7 RBI the past three years.

Not bad for someone with an ADP of 173.

Hideki Matsui, Oakland A’s: Matsui left the Bronx, but still managed 84 RBI with the Angels.

I doubt he’ll be as productive, but he’s worth a look with an ADP of 261.

Also check out:

• 2011 Fantasy Baseball Value Picks
• 2011 Fantasy Baseball Profiles
• 2011 Fantasy First Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only First Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only First Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Second Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Second Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Second Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Third Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Third Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Third Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Shortstop Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Shortstop Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Shortstop Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Catcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Catcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Catcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Outfielder Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Outfielder Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Outfielder Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Starting Pitcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Starting Pitcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Starting Pitcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Closer Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy A.L. Only Closer Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy N.L. Only Closer Rankings

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When fans think of the Boston Red Sox, many players quickly come to mind: Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester and new comers Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are certainly some of them.

But no player has become a bigger icon and face of the Red Sox then the man known around baseball as Big Papi, David Ortiz.

Since 2003, Ortiz has essentially become the heart and soul of the Red Sox for eight years and counting.

From his home run power, to his intimidating physical stature, to his big bright smile, Big Papi is certainly a player that has become recognizable around the world.

Who could forget those two magical nights during the American League Championship Series in October 2004, when Ortiz not only won Game 4 for the Red Sox on a game-winning home run in the bottom of the twelfth inning, but helped them win Game 5 as well, getting the game-winning hit just one night later in the bottom of the fourteenth inning.

Besides being a six-time All-Star and two-time World Series Champion, Ortiz has averaged just about 30 HRs over his past four seasons in Boston, hitting .270 with 32 HRs and 102 RBI in 145 games in 2010.

Now at 35-years-old, Big Papi will once again try and silence those fans who believe he will struggle during the 2011 season.

Does Ortiz have one more big year left though?

Make no mistake about it, Ortiz has struggled for three straight years at the start of the season, so much so that many baseball fans believed he would never be able to recover. 

Here are his last three stat lines in the month of April over the past three seasons:

• April 2008: .198  5 HR  21 RBI in 96 ABs
• April 2009: .230  0 HR  12 RBI in 87 ABs
• April 2010: .143  1 HR  4  RBI in 56 ABs

Even with those dismal numbers, Ortiz has yet to be bothered by an early season struggle, breaking out the majority of the time after the July All-Star break, having just enough time to help the Red Sox and their playoff push down the stretch.

His days with a 1.000 OPS maybe over, but Big Papi has still been as reliable and consistent a player as he was three years ago.

Sure, Ortiz is getting up there in age, but being a part of what should be baseball’s best lineup will only help him on his quest to be successful once again.

Even if he fails to hit 20 HRs or drive in 100 RBI, there will be enough pieces in the Red Sox lineup that will help pick up the slack, and kind of shield any struggle left by Ortiz.

There is simply no doubting Big Papi though, as he still has what it takes to be one of the American League’s most feared hitters in 2011.

When it’s all said and done, David Ortiz will simply be the David Ortiz we all know he can be this upcoming season, a guy that cannot only hit 25+ HRs and drive in 100+ RBI, but become the icon and face of the Red Sox yet again in 2011. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When it comes to his lineup, Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona has a lot of difficult decisions to make. He was handed some of the best puzzle pieces around and was told to “Tetris” them together to the best of his ability.

Francona better invest in those extra big pencil erasers that you used to buy in elementary school. You know, the ones that fit onto the end of the writing utensil over the small eraser that’s already attached to the pencil. I think Tito will be going through quite a few of those.

Not only will he spend this Spring Training figuring out the Red Sox best lineup, but he must also figure out secondary lineups for certain pitchers (lefties or righties) and certain ballparks. In addition he will need to run scenarios in his head to see what he would switch around if, say Jacoby Ellsbury gets in a slump or Youkilis were to become injured. What would his back-up lineups look like?

What if they would need to call some players up? Who would be the most likely minor leaguer to make the trip to Fenway and where would they best be suited in this batting order? There is a lot on Tito’s plate right now, but I don’t think he would want it any other way.

It’s my job to figure out the best way for Francona to set the 2011 Boston Red Sox starting lineup and your job to tell me where I went wrong or right (I’ll always take positive reinforcement) in the comment section.

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It is preposterous to think we know what is going to happen as the season progresses. There will be injuries. There will be trades. There will be unexpected distractions that impede a team’s progress.

That being said, this is how one person thinks the 2011 MLB Postseason might go, if the teams stay as they are, and no key players get hurt, and players don’t crash into unlucky, year-long, Adam Lind-status slumps. 

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Last season, New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia stated to the press that despite having the option to do so, he would not opt out of his contract.  Joining the team in 2009, the big lefty’s seven-year, $161 million deal has a clause that allows him to opt out after three years, should he want to.

Just yesterday, however, Sabathia hinted that he might exercise that clause after the season.  Being a Yankee fan, I just had one response.  WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Sabathia is, for all intents and purposes, the top dog of the Yankees pitching staff.  Were he to opt out for more money, there aren’t any other big market teams who would be able to swing the funds to do so.  Long story short, it would be the stupidest career decision he could possibly make.

Hell, while we’re at it, let’s have a look at some other, less idiotic things that could happen!

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Wait he still plays?

Like many baseball fans, I am guilty of saying this expression from time to time. It seems like more than any other major sport, baseball players still tend to have the ability to produce in the later stages of their careers.

Every team seems to have that one old hitter that you thought retired five seasons ago. Often times we poke fun at them, but it is not deserved.

Most championship caliber teams are guilty of having these kinds of players. There is a lot of value in having a hitter that has aged like fine wine.

They can keep they clubhouse under control, they mentor young players, and they have the “game-changer mentality” to come up with a big hit.

In this list I will rank the best hitters from each team over 35 years old (at the start of the 2011 season) based on current skill, not career statistics.

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Spring is almost here. Okay, not really. A good portion of the country is currently covered in snow. But it is just around the corner. And with spring comes the baseball fan’s favorite thing to hear after a long, cold, baseball-less winter: Pitchers and Catchers report.

The truck full of equipment pulled out of Boston on its way to Florida yesterday. It reads, “First Stop Fort Myers, Next Stop The Series.” With those expectations in mind, let’s look at the 2011 team’s chances of reaching that goal.

We’ll go by position numbers, which means we start with No. 1 at pitcher and add a “10” for the DH position.

1. Pitcher
   • Here’s how the rotation should look like come Opening Day:
     1. Jon Lester (19-9, 3.25 ERA, 225 Ks)
        • By far the Red Sox most consistent starter, he pitched 208 innings in 32 games in 2010, and was a legitimate candidate for the Cy Young. Barring injury, this success should continue and he is the absolute ace of this staff.
        • 2011 prediction: 23-6, 2.75 ERA, 250 Ks and the AL Cy Young 

        

     2. Clay Buchholz (17-7, 2.33 ERA, 120 Ks)
        • Last season he continued the pattern of improvement he’s shown since he started getting serious playing time in the majors, look for that trend to continue in 2011.
        • 2011 prediction: 19-7, 2.33 ERA, 220 Ks
     3. Josh Beckett (6-6, 5.78 ERA, 116 Ks)
        • Beckett had a terrible year last year. He spent a good period of time on the DL and had an ERA over five for the second time in his career. Good news for Red Sox fans, the first time was in 2006 and Beckett turned in a 2007 that was arguably his best season ever.
        • 2011 Prediction: 19-8, 3.50 ERA, 215 Ks
     4. John Lackey (14-11, 4.40 ERA, 156 Ks)
        • I’m going to chalk last season’s performance up to being in a hyper-competitive division for the first time in his career. He’s always hovered around 14 wins but the last time he lost 11 games, he went 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA the next season. If he manages another 14 wins next season and cuts the losses down a little, he’ll be the perfect fourth starter for the Red Sox.  
        • 2011 prediction: 16-7, 3.45 ERA, 240 Ks
     5. Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-6, 4.69 ERA, 133 Ks)
        • Dice-K really hasn’t had a good season since 2008 when he went 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA. Every other year he’s been over four with his ERA. Good news is he’s the fifth starter, so the team isn’t leaning on him to win 15+ games this season. He has won an average of 44 percent of his games since joining the Red Sox, and if he can preform just above average and win half his games, no one would complain.
        • 2011 Prediction: 11-11, 4.40 ERA, 145 Ks
     6. Bullpen:
     •  
       • Last season the bullpen was terrible. They finished the season with a 4.24 ERA, and a record of 19-23. Papelbon had an okay year, but not his normal dominance, and the core of relievers was disappointing in general. Look for veterans like Okajima, Ramon Ramirez to bounce back from dismal seasons, Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard to continue to grow, and the additions of Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler will help the ‘pen rebound.
       • 2011 Prediction: Papelbon returns to his more dominant form (though his 2010 season wasn’t as dismal as some of the other relievers) and the ‘pen will once again be serviceable (AKA, above .500)
2. Catcher
   • This year should be Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s year to shine. If he can stay healthy and get his bat going, he’ll be an excellent offensive catcher and under the tutelage of Jason Varitek, should be a whiz at handling the pitching staff. And if he doesn’t, Jason Varitek is more than just your average back-up catcher. I think Salty will really start to come into his own and his batting average will go above the Mendoza line.
   • Jason Varitek will start the season as the back-up catcher, but still the Captain. Don’t discount how important this is especially since there’s a new pitching coach this year. He may only bat .230 and he may not be able to throw anyone out at second, but he’s still important. Since Terry Francona took over the team in 2004, they have only missed the playoffs twice: 2006 and 2010. Both years Varitek spent time on the DL. And he’s caught a league record 4 no-hitters. Dice-K’s almost no-hitter last year against the Phillies? Victor Martinez played first base and Jason Varitek was behind the plate. That is not a coincidence.
3. First
   • Adrian Gonzalez is the prize the Red Sox have been trying to get for years. They had to give up a few prospects to get him, but the farm is deep, and the Red Sox are hoping their initial investment will pay off huge. And it should. Adrian Gonzales has been a fantastic hitter, averaging 32 homers and 100 RBIs since joining the Padres in 2006. Imagine what this guy could do in Fenway park, which has ranked 7th since 2006 in runs per game as opposed to Petco Park, which ranked 29th in the same period.
   • And if Adrian gets a day off, it’s not a big deal to shift Kevin Youkilis back over to first and stick Jed Lowrie at third.
   • 2011 Prediction: Adrian will be Going-Going-Gonzo! Look for an increase in home runs and RBIs around May/June. It will take him a few weeks to really get adjusted to playing in the AL East. Projected stats: 40 HR, 135 RBI, .348 batting average.
4. Second
   • Second base was an issue in 2010 because Dustin Pedroia was hurt. He’s the little spark plug of the Red Sox, the angry, hyper-competitive, boastful little team leader. He gives 100 percent every game, no matter what. And as long as he can bounce back from foot surgery in 2011, there’s no reason to think he’ll be anything other than the person he was before a bizarre foul ball broke his foot. He’s going to do anything he can to help his team win. Remember last year, him taking grounders on his knees? I think Pedroia is in for a great season. And if he starts off slow, Jed Lowrie can always back him up.
   • 2011 Prediction: another All-Star season, starting off slow but finishing with .320 batting average, 20 HR, 65 RBIs and plenty of runs scored.
5. Third
   • Kevin Youkilis left the Red Sox in August with a bizarre hand injury. He was healed by October, but the Sox were done by then, so I don’t think his injury is going to play a big part in 2011. I think we are really going to see Youkilis’ power come out in 2011. And we already know he’s fantastic at third, and if he needs a day off, Jed Lowrie can step in (do we see a running theme here? Lowrie is going to be busy even if he’s not starting).
   • 2011 Prediction: 30 HR, .308 batting average, and 95 RBI.
6. Short
   • Shortstop is the only position this season where there’s really any controversy. Marco Scutaro is coming into camp as the Red Sox shortstop and barring injuries or a truly dismal Spring Training, he should remain there. But he’s got Jed Lowrie riding his tail, because if he can’t do it, Jed can, and then Scutaro will be the back-up for when any of the rest of the infield needs a day off. Not a bad problem to have, really.
   • 2011 Prediction: Marco Scutaro, recovered from the nagging injuries of 2010, will hit .285 with 15 homers and 60 RBIs.
7. Left
   • 2011 starts with another new face in left field, and it’s a much safer place now that Adrian Beltre isn’t at third to break any more left fielder’s ribs. Carl Crawford is certainly an upgrade from the Hermida-Nava-Reddick-whoever-is-healthy 2010 version of left field. Between him in left and Jacoby Ellsbury in center, the Red Sox might get to 100 stolen bases in 2011, isn’t that a wild idea? Plus we don’t have to worry about trying to pick him off, a huge relief for the catchers. Crawford will also enjoy being supported by the Fenway Faithful instead of booed, and join the legendary ranks of Red Sox left fielders. It’s not everyday you get to stand in the same spot as Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jim Rice, and play their same position.
   • 2011 Prediction: 15 HR, 90 RBI, 55 stolen bases, and hits .302.
8. Center
   • Jacoby Ellsbury returns to the field after a very disappointing 2010 season where he played only 18 games. His backup was also hurt and played in only 48 games. Hopefully both Jacoby Ellsbury and backup outfielder Mike Cameron will be back 100 percent in 2011. If they are, Ellsbury should continue to develop as a hitter, maybe even hit for power, and Cameron will continue to be the steady, quality backup the Red Sox need for the long season. Ellsbury is young so rebounding from his rib injury shouldn’t be a problem, and he should be back to stealing bases in April.
   • 2011 Prediction: hits .307 with 15 HR and 50 RBI with 75 stolen bases
9. Right
   • Old Faithful J.D. Drew maintains his spot in right field. J.D. is always good for a few bouts of vertigo, a hammy, and a back injury during the season but he is also one of the best right fielders fielding percentage wise in the league and when he gets hot his bat is a beast. This might also be his last season, and I think Drew is one of those guys who will want to go out with a ring and a bang. And there’s a slew of minor league guys and Mike Cameron to take care of the times Drew is hurt or needs rest.
   • 2011 prediction: .250-.285 (depending on how many hot streaks he has and how long they last), 27 HR, 65 RBI. Nice, solid season.
10. DH
    • When the Red Sox signed Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, Big Papi was celebrating. For the last two years the offense has been on his shoulders, and when he struggled in April it was all anyone seemed to talk about. Now the talk will be on the new players, especially since Papi will likely be batting 5th or 6th, all the pressure will be off. I love Papi and I think he has another two or three decent years left in him and without the pressure his bat should be fierce.
    • 2011 Prediction: Papi will hit .289 with 35 HR and 116 RBI.

I look for the 2011 batting order to shape out like this:

Ellsbury, Pedroia, Crawford, Gonzalez, Youkilis, Ortiz, Drew, Saltalamacchia, Scutaro.

As for the Red Sox lofty World Series goals? They are extremely viable. Two of the scarier pitchers in baseball, Cliff Lee and Doc Halladay, are with the Phillies in the National League.

Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia is recovering from knee surgery and lost 30 pounds over the offseason, that will certainly help his knees but changing your body that much is going to affect your pitching. Pettitte retired, and their rotation after Sabathia isn’t exactly frightening. Plus, the Yankees are getting a little older.

They are still a good lineup but age will eventually start to catch up with them. New York will definitely be competition, but if the Boston lineup holds up and the pitching staff rebounds a little, the Red Sox can take them.

The Rays are another matter. They are reloading this year, dumping most of their expensive players in trades or with free-agency, but it would be foolish to overlook them. Joe Madden has a talent for getting quite a bit out of young, inexperienced players. I look for the Rays, Jays and Orioles to put up more of a fight this year than most people think.

I am superstitious and don’t like to make predictions of the World Series in February, so I’m just going to end by saying the Red Sox have a good chance of getting there and winning. They have the talent, the rotation, and Epstein has plugged some of the holes in the bullpen to keep them from losing games late. It’s certainly not a pipe dream, and with a little bit of luck, it could be a reality.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The title of the article says it all, Red Sox Nation.  Let’s do this.  But first, a few quick ground rules:

Some of the players on this list played part of their careers for other teams, but only accomplishments in a Red Sox uniform will be considered.

The era a player played in will be factored in when considering all statistics.  Players’ numbers will be compared to their contemporaries, not just to players from other eras who played the same position.

Longevity counts, but the biggest factor will be how much a player stood out from the pack during the years they played in Boston.

A player must have played the majority of their career at a position (more games there than anywhere else) to be considered the best player at that position.

This list is meant to depict the best overall player at each position, not to build a functional baseball team.  There will be no attempt made to balance power and speed in the lineup, etc.

That should just about cover it.  It’s time to put together the Boston Red Sox All-Time Team.

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