Kevin Youkilis is impeccable with the glove, but is his bat worth considering?

Catchers – Jason Varitek, Doug Mirabelli

Jason Varitek is one of the best at calling a game, but when it comes to the hitting department, he has not been as reliable. The switch-hitting catcher batted just .255 with 17 home runs and 68 RBI in 2007. His numbers have been heading south over the last couple of seasons, but he is still a viable option as a hitter. Varitek should improve on his batting average this year and hit 15-20 home runs while knocking in 75-80 runs. Doug Mirabelli only plays every fifth day to catch the knuckleball of Tim Wakefield and will have no impact on fantasy rosters.

First Base – Kevin Youkilis, Sean Casey, David Ortiz

Kevin Youkilis started very hot last season, but cooled off after the All-Star break. Altogether, he batted .288 in 2007, with 16 home runs and 83 RBI. The attributes that make Youk a fan favorite in Boston do not necessarily make him a fantasy favorite. Youkilis will flirt with a .300 average and knock in 90 runs. While he is a solid bet in AL-only formats, Youk is, at best, a late round pick in mixed league drafts. David Ortiz played a lot of last season with pain in his knee, but still managed to hit .332 with 35 home runs, and 117 RBI. His knee has been repaired, and hopefully he will be ready for the season. He should hit 40-50 home runs and knock in 135 runs. Ortiz will be high on everyone’s draft board and will go early in most drafts. Sean Casey is not a fantasy option, as he will only get into games as a pinch hitter or to give Youkilis a day off now and then.

Middle Infielders – Dustin Pedroia, Julio Lugo, Alex Cora

Dustin Pedroia tore into the major leagues last season hitting .317, with 8 home runs, and 50 RBI, and he is likely to improve on those numbers this season. Pedroia will likely bat near the top of the lineup and break the 100 runs scored barrier. He does not have the speed of other middle infielders in the majors but he will steal a handful of bases. Julio Lugo should bounce back from his bad year at the plate, bringing his average up to .270, and stealing 25-30 bases. Lugo is a risky pick on draft day because of his batting average, but he did get on base last year, and he did steal when on. His peripheral numbers indicate that his second half turnaround was not a fluke, so there is hope that Lugo’s struggles are behind him. He has 15 home run upside to go with the thefts, making him a high-risk high-reward type draft pick. While Alex Cora might have the occasional clutch hit, he should be avoided on draft day, no matter how deep the league, as he will not play enough to be a factor.

Third Base – Mike Lowell

Last year, Mike Lowell had an outstanding season, batting .324, with 24 home runs, and 120 RBI. However, his season could have been a fluke, or perhaps the product of a motivated player in a contract year. Either way, Lowell’s numbers will drop back to reality, and he will not be the same player that won the World Series MVP. Keep his 2007 production in perspective with his numbers in prior years when bidding on him. Otherwise, you are likely to pay for numbers long gone and unlikely to return.

Outfielders – Manny Ramirez, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Coco Crisp

Manny Ramirez had a down season last year batting .296 with 20 home runs and 88 RBI. Last season was Ramirez’s lowest home run total since 1994 and he began showing signs of aging. Ramirez claims to have changed his workout program, and says he will be on time to camp this year. But that does not change the fact that he is getting old, and 14 years in the big leagues has taken its toll on him. Ramirez could also have a bounce-back season and continue, “being Manny.” In almost every fantasy league, Ramirez will go early, but do not fall victim to the trend and just let him go.

Center field, at least for now, is an enigma for the Red Sox. Will it be Jacoby Ellsbury or Coco Crisp? The only thing Crisp will be good for is his speed. He will steal you 30 bases if he can stay healthy. Ellsbury is one of the most interesting players in fantasy ball this year. He has tremendous speed, can hit for average, and he showed that there is a little pop in his bat. Manager Terry Francona has not committed to either player winning the job outright. He is quoted as saying there are plenty of at bats available for both of them. If neither of them gets the job full time, their fantasy values will drop accordingly.

J.D. Drew is a fantasy nightmare. He is injury prone, his power has disappeared, and he cannot hit for average. At this point in his career, it is difficult to recommend him for fantasy purposes until he shows some consistency. He has only hit more than 20 home runs in a season twice in his career, so there is little reason to use any more than a bench spot on him.

Starting Rotation – Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield, Jon Lester

Josh Beckett is a fantasy monster; he gets the strikeouts, wins, and posts a low ERA. His Cy Young caliber season last year was not a fluke, and this year he will improve his numbers. Daisuke Matsuzaka could experience the same kind of success Beckett had last year. Matsuzaka showed he has the stuff to succeed, but imploded in the fourth or fifth inning on numerous occasions. Matsuzaka will win 15-20 games and strike out 200 batters, but his ERA will hover around 4.00. The rest of the rotation is solid but should not be cornerstones of your fantasy pitching staff. Tim Wakefield will get you wins but his knuckleball is a home run magnet. Clay Buchholz is a rookie and Jon Lester, well we don’t know which Jon Lester to expect. He shows signs of greatness, and then he has one of those nights that every fantasy owner and manager dreads. Neither pitcher has shown enough at the major league level to be relied upon for fantasy just yet.

Bullpen – Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Mike Timlin, Kyle Snyder, Manny Delcarmen, Julian Tavarez, Javier Lopez

Jonathan Papelbon is fantasy gold. He gets the Ks, will save you 30-40 games, he posted a 0.77 WHIP, and his ERA hovers around 1.00. Hideki Okajima will be one of the best relievers in baseball again this year. Okajima is good for a few wins, but he is great for getting the Ks too. In 69 innings last year he struck out 63 batters, and maintained a WHIP just under 1.00. Okajima should be drafted in the middle rounds and will be a can’t-miss draft pick. The rest of the bullpen is risky at best. Kyle Snyder gets people out, but is susceptible to the long ball, and will not pick up any saves. Mike Timlin is good enough to be drafted in the middle rounds, but is losing his stuff, and he tends give up some runs. Julian Tavarez might be a good pick up. When he started games last season, he would pitch two solid innings, then opposing hitters would kill him next time through the order. If the Red Sox keep him to two innings or less, then he is good for use as a middle reliever.

Projected Lineup

Dustin Pedroia - Second Base
Kevin Youkilis - First Base
David Ortiz - Designated Hitter
Manny Ramirez - Left Field
Mike Lowell - Third Base
J.D. Drew - Right Field
Jason Varitek - Catcher
Coco Crisp - Center Field
Julio Lugo - Shortstop

Projected Rotation

Josh Beckett
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Jon Lester
Tim Wakefield
Clay Buchholz

Closer

Jonathan Papelbon

Next in Line

Hideki Okajima