The 2009 Boston Red Sox are going to resemble very closely the 08 version. What the Red Sox hope is that they will have very different endings. They made some upgrades here and there, with the signing of Rocco Baldelli, and John Smoltz, but no major changes. Varitek will still be catching the pitches, though he will be spelled by newbie Josh Bard perhaps a few games more than usual. Big Papi, Pedroia, Youkilis, and Jason Bay will still be smacking the ball around the park. The real difference you might see is a bit of urgency on the part of the team. They won nothing much at all last year, and they want that to change.

The evil empire that is the New York Yankees went out and signed everyone, and spent about a billion dollars doing it. The Rays upgraded an already awesome team with the signing of Pat Burrell from the World Champion Phillies. Boston liked their chances as is for the most part. That decision will play a large role in the results of this season. Will they move up by standing pat?

The Red Sox are blessed with plenty of talent across the board. They have solid players at pretty much every single fielding position and their starting pitching and bullpen is sure to be near the top of the line as well. Jacoby Ellsbury and his development may end up being the biggest key in the whole season for the Red Sox. They need him to step up and be a powerful force on the bases. Youkilis will need to duplicate the great season of a year ago, as will Pedroia.

The starters are counting on a bounce back season from Josh Beckett. Last year was a bit of a nightmare for him mostly, and they can ill afford for him to struggle this year. A great year from Beckett will virtually guarantee that Boston will be in the mix for the playoffs. You have to figure that you will get solid work from the rest of the starters.

Here is a look at the expected lineup for the Boston Red Sox and starting rotation:

Catcher – Jason Varitek
First Base – Kevin Youkilis
Second Base – Dustin Pedroia
Third Base – Mike Lowell
Shortstop – Julio Lugo
Left Field – Jason Bay
Center Field – Jacoby Ellsbury
Right Field – J.D. Drew
DH – David Ortiz
Starting Pitchers – Josh Beckett (R) Daisuke Matsuzaka (R) Jon Lester (L) Tim Wakefield (R) Brad Penny (R)
Closer – Jonathan Papelbon (R)

First of all, they are going to have to get even better pitching than last year. The Rays are in the same division with the retooled and powerful New York Yankees, as well as the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays are no pushovers anymore as both have strengthened their chances. The competition is the one thing that has changed for the Rays, and they must improve with it.

The Rays are largely the same team that took the field last year, with one important addition of note. They now have slugger Pat Burrell to take over the DH duties and his power and presence should pay dividends. The one catch with Burrell is that he strikes out far too often, and he does not hit for any average at all to speak of. What Burrell does do, however, is hit Home Runs and drive home runners. The slugger will be a potent force for the Rays in the 2009 season.

Carl Crawford is another key ingredient for the Rays. He has just not been the same the last couple of years, and the Rays could really use him getting back to the player he was a couple years ago. He still has the speed, and gets the stolen bases, but he has the talent to be so much more. You have to know that Crawford is due to break out soon. He is just too talented not to.

Evan Longoria provided one of the more memorable rookie seasons in MLB history last year, and this year he will need to avoid the sophomore slump. This year will be the year that he might struggle if he is going to. With the natural ability he possesses, this is highly unlikely. I expect that Longoria will be even better with Burrell in the lineup. Also the loss of Rocco Baldelli will demand that Longoria produce even more. Baldelli was hurt a lot, but when he was in he was a force to be sure.

The Rays are in prime position to repeat last seasons World Series run, and if the cards fall right, they could even improve and win it. The keys are going to be pitching, and the continued growth of their young players. If these things come together, the Rays might find themselves back in the Fall Classic and continuing their rise to the top of the baseball world.

“The surgery went exactly as we planned,” said Dr. Marc Philippon, who performed the 80-minute procedure at Vail Valley Surgery Center in Colorado. “No surprises.”

Rodriguez, his doctors, and the Yankees decided upon the arthroscopic procedure instead of a more aggressive surgery that would have kept the superstar out for about four months. The other option, rest and treatments, was probably never a real possibility. This type of injury is sure to affect the swing of a power hitter such as Rodriguez, and it is hard to imagine that it would not severely limit his mobility at third base. It remains to be seen if he will be back to himself come May after choosing the less aggressive surgery, but early returns from the doctors look promising.

The more aggressive option for surgery will still be needed, but the Yankees and Rodriguez hope they can delay that until the off season so that he would be ready for Spring Training come 2010.

This surgery will allow Rodriguez to begin rehabbing immediately, to include range of motion drills, and stationary bike riding. Within a week, he may even be trying to begin the process of getting his swing and rotation of hips back in shape. Having immediate clearance to begin rehab bodes well for Rodriguez’ chances to hit the field this season. If the injury were more serious, he would have a period of rest between the surgery and rehab.

The Yankees are probably more glad than ever that they signed Mark Teixiera and all that pitching talent in the off season as this will severely hamper a powerful offense. The Yankees are still not short of bats, by any means, but you can not take away a player the stature of Rodriguez and not feel the bump. The full effect of his injury will not truly be felt until the Yankees take the field opening day. It remains to be seen if the Yankees will try to fill the gap in house, or go the free agent route.

Roy Halladay – Halladay was just short of incredible last season and particularly in fantasy baseball. His 2.78 ERA and 1.05 WHIP was simply off the charts for the number of innings he pitched. Throw in that he won 20 games while only losing 11 and you have a fantasy baseball MVP candidate. Halladay gives you everything, including strikeouts, so do not hesitate to draft him if you get the chance.

Josh Beckett – Many people would take issue with my putting Beckett at number two on this list, but remember that this list is for 2009, and not 2008. I expect that Josh will return to the form that made him one of the hottest commodities around a couple years ago. The ERA and low win totals from last year were purely health related, and Beckett is ready for this year it appears. He will get you the wins and K’s while keeping a strong ERA and WHIP. That is all you need to win.
CC Sabathia – The biggest free agent signing of the off season, picked up by the New York Yankees, Sabathia is sure to make a splash in the big apple. CC was simply incredible for Milwaulkee last season with a 2.70 ERA and WHIP of only 1.11. He also won 17 games and struck out oodles of batters. Do I think Sabathia will be worth what the Yankees paid the man? Hell no. I do not think anybody could pitch that well.

Jon Lester – Lester is the absolute best story in baseball after all the health issues that he has come back from. Still, it is his numbers that make him a viable fantasy draft pick. 16 wins, and an ERA of only 3.21 are always a welcome addition to any fantasy team. Lester might just eclipse those numbers this year.

John Lackey – Lackey is another pitcher who is usually seriously undervalued. I will gladly take him later in the draft and win my league. His ERA and WHIP are comparable to all of those players above when he is on, and he is due to breakout this year. His 12 wins last year were a fraction of the games he will win this year. I am looking for 20 wins out of this fantasy dark horse.

The New York Yankees made their feelings known by telling Alex Rodriguez to keep his cousin, Yuri Sucart, away from all things Yankee. That includes the facilities, as well as the hotels when they are on the road. The simple fact that Alex Rodriguez had to be told this is mind boggling. He just apologized for the offense for heaven’s sake. He just swore that the mistakes of those days were behind them. Then he went and hung out with the guy that freaking supplied him with the drugs.

What is worse, was his statement about the situation. “It’s been addressed,” he said. “And, no further comment.” Well isn’t he just arrogant? Why no explanation about why he was picked up by his former drug provider? Why no heartfelt apologies? Why? Because he thinks he is above baseball. I have always been an Arod fan, and truly loved watching him play his games over the years. Now, I would not watch his game if he was about to break the home run record. He has completely lost the respect of this baseball writer.

I have spent the majority of the last month trying to give Rodriguez the benefit of the doubt. No matter how hard I try, however, I can not give him the benefit of the doubt on this. Why in the heck would he be with this man? There is no good reason. I can, however, think of a number of bad reasons, and so can the Yankees.

If Alex Rodriguez did not deserve a suspension before, he certainly does now. If I were the Yankees, I would sit his butt so fast it would make his head spin. With all the cash they pay this man, he should truly be ashamed of himself. From a fan’s point of view, it has to be a clear cut example of his thinking that he is above it all. He thinks that he can get away with whatever and the fans will continue to flock to his side. Ask Mark Mcgwire if that is true or not. You are mistaken Mr. Rodriguez.

1. The biggest offseason move in baseball came when the New York Yankees signed starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia to a seven year deal worth 161 million dollars. Sabathia is a solid starter with lots of gusto behind the talent, and the Yankees certainly spiked a gem here. The left hander will headline an awesome starting rotation that includes another signing found later in this list in AJ Burnett. Oddly, Sabathia could end up being a bust as well because he has pitched a ton of innings over the past few years. The Yankees have 161 million reasons to hope not.

2. Again the Bronx Bombers headline the list with the signing of Mark Teixiera to an eight year deal worth 180 million bucks. This sweet swinging switch hitter is going to be a brutal addition to the already potent Yankee lineup. Nobody will look forward to going down that murderer’s row this year. The price was steep, but this was the best signing the Yankees have made in a long time.

3. The Oakland A’s actually made a play for scoring some runs for a change when they acquired slugging Matt Holliday from the Colorado Rockies. They continued to upgrade the offense later, and it is sure to pay dividends in the runs column. Holliday however, is going to find that the air in Oakland is not as friendly as Colorado’s space shuttle launching pad. The numbers do not lie. Holliday is not even close to the same player away than at home. Still, he is a huge upgrade for an anemic Athletic lineup last year.

4. The Cleveland Indians make the list with the signing of Pitcher Kerry Wood as well. He signed a two year deal worth 20.5 million in the offseason. The dog days of high ERA bullpens seem to be a thing of the past if they can keep Wood healthy. He will be the most effective closer they have had in a very long time. The Indians was near the bottom in bullpen ERA last season with a sparkling 5.13. That has to get better with Wood in the mix.

5. AJ Burnett is yet another of the offseason additions for the New York Yankees. It is something when a player of Burnett’s caliber is brought to town and it is the third biggest story for your team. The Yankees just went wild spending money in the offseason this year. Burnett’s contract? Five years….82.5 million. The odd thing about Burnett is that he is potentially the best of the three signings, even though he was the cheapest.

Abreu is amazingly consistant and has been throughout his 13 year career. Though his age is cause for concern on some levels, he does not appear to be slowing down as much as many do at his age. A steady source of power and average throughout his career, Abreu should fit in quite nicely with the existing Angel batting lineup. He is also a steady run producer and scorer as his 100+ in each category over the last two years demonstrate.

Abreu was seeking a longer term deal, but maybe the opportunity to go to a very talented Angels squad changed his mind. It also probably was due to the huge number of veteran left handers still on the market. With names out there like Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr, and Frank Thomas, the market changed quickly.

Abreu enjoyed a number of fine seasons in Houston and is known for being a good locker room player. That is, he is a player that works hard, gets along with the others, and helps out the younger players throughout the year. That type of influence in Los Angeles is sure to be a welcome addition. A team can never have enough veterans around, and especially if they are still highly productive like Abreu.

Abreu spent last season with the New York Yankees, and had a pretty solid season. He hit 20 home runs, and had 100 RBIs as well as scoring 100+ runs. What is truly amazing is that even at the ripe age of 35 Abreu still managed to steal 22 bases. That is no fluke either as Abreu is always in excess of 20 SBs. If he can maintain that pace for the Angels, that will surely help out some of the bats in the Angel lineup.

Abreu will certainly be missed in New York and it is a bit of a puzzle why they did not resign him. The Yankees have a history of signing aging superstars, however, and letting them move on after a year or two. That said, the Angels are surely glad to have him on board with their team. It looks as though the Angels might just be a pretty strong contender if the pitching holds out.

Arod is truly an example of a player that could have had it all, and threw away everything to try and take a short cut. His “coming clean” mantra rings very hollow now as it comes only on the heels of getting caught red handed. Had his positive test results not come to light, this sudden infusion of truth would never have been revealed.

What is the big deal anyway? Well, for starters, Arod is on pace to break some of baseball’s most hallowed records. Ironically, the all time home run record is held by fellow steroid user Barry Bonds. An already tainted record previously held by Hank Aaron, will be further sullied if Alex Rodriguez breaks it. When a baseball player takes a short cut, it becomes personal with baseball fans.

Baseball, more so than any other sport, is beloved and woven into the fabric of America. Perhaps this steroid era is a microcosm of ourselves in some ways. Results now have become a large part of our society even at the expense of our dignity and word. Only when baseball players begin to have a true respect for the game will this horrible blemish on the game end.

As for Rodriguez, he will have a very hard time living this down. While others have skimmed along after revealing their steroid use, Arod is simply to big of a household name to do so. This will not go away, and will follow him long after he retires. It will also likely cost him entry into the Hall of Fame if Barry, Mcgwire, and others are any indication.

That is truly a shame for one of the greatest players of our day, but he earned the distinction. Alex had many chances to come clean on his own, and he did make the decisions that put him here. Doing the wrong thing for three years is not the same thing as making a one time mistake. This was an ongoing affair that only stopped when he would likely be caught. That speaks directly to his character, and takes away all pity from most baseball fans.

Phil Coke showed has been steady and strong since joining the Yankees five years ago. There were plenty of reasons to rush him through the system, and to bring him to the next level quicker. Rather than giving in to that temptation, they instead allowed Coke to gradually develop through the minor leagues and get a good grasp of what it will take to succeed on the next level. The dividends are paying off nicely as Coke was fantastic in the appearances in 2008.

This is the problem with the majority of the Major League Ballclubs. They get a hot prospect and jump him from the minors up to the majors quicker than you can bat an eye. This can work with some special players, but the vast majority of young players end up taking a huge hit to their confidence levels. This makes the process longer than it would have been had they progressed normally through the farm system. Some players come up to the Show and never recover from the failures that they encounter.

Knowing when to bring a prospect up is very difficult and it is even more difficult when you have only watched the player for a year or two. The exception to this rule is few and far between. If the Major League ballclubs give the prospect time to rise or fall in the minor leagues, then they are much more likely to succeed at the next level. It is far easier to see them grow in this way, and it gives the youngster a chance to adjust to some of the things that ball players do. Adjusting to the schedule is a tough thing to do even in the minor leagues. The travel and the season are long and tiring, and the minor league ball player has to learn to adjust.

That builds character and helps the player mature.

Phil Coke is a perfect example of how to bring a minor league ball player along properly. This year, the Yankees will be rewarded for doing so, and maybe the rest of Major League Baseball will follow suit.

During the period of the eighties and early nineties, Henderson was an absolute beast on the baseball diamond. He could absolutely control a baseball game with his feet as he would often swipe second and third in a single inning. Nobody in the history of Major League Baseball has stolen more bases or scored more runs than Rickey Henderson. Henderson was no slouch at the plate, either. He was about as likely to pop a home run as to hit a slicing triple, and that gave his game an extra dimension during his best years.

It was these qualities that led to Henderson being voted in on the first ballot at a cool 94.8 percent. Henderson is the 44th player to be elected into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 26th along with Boston slugger Jim Rice. Rice is entering the Hall of Fame on the final ballot, and made it by the skin of his teeth. Others that came up just short included Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven, Lee Smith, and Jack Morris.

Henderson was easily one of the best leadoff hitters of all time. He would start a game off with a home run 81 times throughout his career, and nobody knows how many times Henderson would reach and steal second to start a game. He generated runs for a team at a record pace throughout his career, and made virtually every team he played for a much better one. In his long and illustrious career, Henderson stole more bases and scored more runs than any player in history. His stolen base record is nearly double the second place Lou Brock. Many feel that his records might not be broken. This includes the single season stolen base record of 130 that he accomplished during the 1982 season with Oakland.

Henderson’s Hall of Fame Resume: