I would say the starting pitching is by no means overwhelming. schilling may or may not really be the same guy as he used to be. the #4 and #5 starters arent going to scare anyone to death.
but the bullpen is finally where it needs to be. it has the upside potential to just be filthy.
figure
1 schilling
2 beckett
3 papelbon
4 clement
5a wakefield .....or moved to the pen
5b wells..... or is he traded?
that moves Arroyo into a long or middle reliever
IF foulke can close effectively, that pushes Timlin ( 2.24 ERA LY) back into his preferred set-up man role where he finally has help and its 4 other guys
1) Seanez 2.69 era with SD LY
2) Riske 3.10 era with Balt LY
3) Tavarez 3.43 ERA with STL LY
and wild card Craig Hansen, who could even close this year if Foulke falters, if foulke doesnt then Hansen is another set-up guy. Hansen was the closer for St. johns last year and was promoted to Boston after just 10 innings at AA. that is partyl because Boston was desperate for bull-pen help, well mostly that, and partly because Hansen is a nasty flamethrower.
Boston recently had Timlin and Embree as good set-up men and THATS IT. Last year it was just timlin and then he had to close. The pen is significantly better, they finally have the arms there they need.
I agree there are questions, schilling, foulke and Bos pitching is not ideal, but it aint bad at all.
there is your red sox pitching scouting report
there offense, if anything looks better. little is expected, for instance from Mike Lowell, but what if his miserable season last year wasnt roid withdrawal as it couldha been, it was just an anomoly....guy could be a terror batting 7th at Fenway.
Youkalis finally gets an everyuday job, guy is an OBP machine and Crisp is younger and may well have a better yerar than Damon. He certainly is a defensive upgrade. Loretta may go nuts in the #2 spot. guy hit .335 with 16 dingers for the Pads in 2004. something of an off-year LY, he says he was injured, but 100% now. With BigPapi and Manyy behind him and Crisp, people gotta pitch to those two.
At least until Manny demands to be traded again, which should happen by the all-star break.