Play Ball

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It is opening day for all of Red Sox nation.  The first pitch is about an hour away.  Expectations are through the roof.  Fans expect championships in Boston, and that is exactly what the front office is trying to deliver.  With a star-studded line-up, the Red Sox are front-runners to spray champagne and hoist that World Series trophy above their heads.

What are we going to see today?  A potential Cy Young taking the hill in Jon Lester?  An MVP candidate in Adrian Gonzalez?  Five plus steals by Ellsbury and Crawford combined? 

I want to see Adrian Gonzalez.  I want to see how he approaches each at-bat.  How he reacts to each pitch.  If he gets that 3-0 green light.  If he drives in those runs he's supposed to.  Being out in San Diego, most Sox fans don't know much about A-Gon, myself included.  All I know is that he is a run-producer.  I expect nothing less than 30 homeruns, 100 RBI's, and a .300 average from the lefty slugger.

I want to see the speed from the top of our line-up.  I want to see how it effects the pitcher.  Will it give Youk and A-Gon pitches to hit.  Will they capitalize on these pitches?

I want to see how Tito manages the bullpen.  Who is going to pitch the 7th and 8th innings.  Will it be Bard then Jenks, or Jenks then Bard?  How is Papelbon going to pitch this season?  Will he bounce back?  Is Danny Reyes that lefty specialist we need?  How will he do in that role?

I want to see how Jarrod Saltalamacchia handles the pitching staff.  He had a solid Spring at the plate, and seemed to handle the staff well.  Can he, with the help of Tek, handle our staff for a full season?  I don't need to see Salty hit .300, but then again I don't want to see him hitting .220.  I expect Salty to fall in the .250 range this season, at the worst.

How is our DH, David Ortiz, going to hit lefties?  CJ Wilson shuts down left-handed hitters.  With our lefty-heavy line-up, will Wilson have his way today?

These are the things I'm looking at today.  Here we go, baseball season is here.  Play ball.

Red Sox predictions coming soon.