Spring training site
Fort Myers, Fla.
Look back at 2007
96-66, won World Series
New faces
1B Sean Casey (from Tigers, free agent); RHP David Aardsma (from White Sox, trade); RHP Danny Kolb (free agent from Pirates), RHP Bartolo Colon (free agent from Angels).
Biggest offseason acquisition
The Red Sox essentially have the same team back, but Colon, if he can prove he's healthy, is less than three years removed from a Cy Young season. But he'll be 35 in May and has almost 2,000 major-league innings on his right arm. He has had shoulder and elbow issues, which is why there was little interest on the free-agent market.
Gone but not forgotten
Eric Gagne. Things really worked out down the stretch for the Red Sox, but what looked like a good deadline deal never panned out. Gagne never adjusted well to a setup role (6.75 ERA) and proved he couldn't be trusted in close games in the postseason. (He received a huge deal from Milwaukee, and then was named in the Mitchell Report in the offseason.)
Gone but definitely forgotten
1B Eric Hinske (free agent, signed with Rays). He won't be missed too much (.204 average last season).
Spring training battles
Since the Red Sox are essentially intact from last season, there aren't too many battles. It will be interesting to see what manager Terry Francona does in center field with Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp. Ellsbury is already one of the most popular players among Sox fans.
Projected lineup
CF Jacoby Ellsbury, 2B Dustin Pedroia, DH David Ortiz, LF Manny Ramirez, 3B Mike Lowell, RF J.D. Drew, 1B Kevin Youkilis, C Jason Varitek, SS Julio Lugo
Projected starting rotation
RHP Josh Beckett, RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. RHP Tim Wakefield, LHP Jon Lester, RHP Clay Buchholz
Projected bullpen
RHP Jonathan Papelbon (closer), LHP Hideki Okajima, RHP Manny Delcarmen, RHP Julian Tavarez, RHP Mike Timlin, LHP Javier Lopez, RHP David Aardsma
Biggest strength
In a hitter-friendly ballpark like Fenway Park, this team is going to score a ton of runs again, especially if Ortiz and Ramirez are healthy. And no team has a 5-6-7 like Lowell, Drew and Youkilis.
Most glaring weakness
The shoulder injury of Curt Schilling puts some pressure on young pitchers Lester and Buchholz, but both were outstanding in the stretch run last season. Wakefield, 41, isn't getting any younger, and had arm issues in the playoffs last season as well.
Boston Red Sox team profile.