BOSTON RED SOX -- Adam Ulrey

The so-called experts all have Boston as one of the top teams in the American League. I personally don't know if they'll make the playoffs. Besides Pedro Martinez, the Red Sox don't have a starter you can depend on. They will need a couple of their starters to step up big time to give them a chance at the post seasons.

There's a logjam at first base, where the competition is between Brian Daubach, Morgan Burkhart and dark horse Dernell Stevenson. Daubach (21 HRs, 76 RBIs) is the odds-on favorite to win the job. Jose Offerman will be the everyday second baseman this year after being switched back and forth between first and second last year. At shortstop is one of the great young players in today's game, Nomar Garciaparra. All he did last year was win his first batting title with a .372 average. He had 51 doubles, 21 home runs and 96 RBIs even though he missed 22 games. The Bosox went out and picked up third baseman Chris Stynes as insurance if John Valentin is unable to start the season. Valentin blew out his knee after only 35 at bats and was done for the year. If Valentin can come back and be the player he was just two years ago, that's a big plus. Last year was also a disappointing season for catcher Jason Varitek. He hit only ten homers after hitting twenty in 1999. They expect him to rebound and have a big year at the plate. Dante Bichette found his calling as a DH and could be a big bat in this lineup. The scariest thing to see is Dante carrying a glove because he doesn't know what to do with it.

The Red Sox wanted to make a big splash in the free agent market and did so by signing the best run producer in the game, Manny Ramirez, for 160 million dollars. He will most likely play left field instead of his more accustomed right field. In only 118 games Manny hit .351 with 38 homers and 122 RBIs. Manny's last three years have been phenomenal but a big part of that success was the fact that he had Lofton, Vizquel and Roberto Alomar batting in front of him. Every time up he had somebody on base to drive in. It's a whole different world in Boston, where the leadoff hitter is Offerman followed by Garciaparra and Everett. Carl Everett is a cancer on this team, but the most talented cancer you could have. If they can somehow get him to just play baseball,he could be a huge help. He hit .300 with 34 homers and 108 RBIs. The problem is that you're going to be keeping your eye on this guy wondering when he blows up again.

Trot Nixon will be back to play right field and he's coming off his best year, but the stats don't exactly put fear in you. The Red Sox keep waiting for this guy to put it all together but their patience is running out.

Pedro Martinez is simply the best pitcher on the planet. His numbers are so far off the Richter scale they can't be measured. He was 18-6 with a minuscule ERA of 1.74 and he added 284 strikeouts. After him, it gets awful thin; Hideo Nomo, Rolando Arroyo, Frankie Castillo, David Cone, Brett Saberhagen and Tomo Ohka for the final four spots. Last year the Red Sox didn't have a great staff after Martinez and just missed the playoffs. If someone can put together a decent year it could make the difference in them playing in October.

The bullpen was the strength of this club last year and will have to be again this year. They might have the best closer in the game in Derek Lowe, who had 42 saves last year and by most scouts' assessments would be better as a starter. According to Manager Jimmy Williams he's so good that he could be a number one or two starter right now. Rich Garces, Rod Beck, Tim Wakefield, Hipolito Pichardo and Paxton Crawford make up a solid bullpen that can get the job done. Last year the bullpen put in a lot of innings. The starters have to help them out and not overuse them.

It all comes down to finding some starters to help take the pressure off of Pedro. Last year Offerman, Valentin, Varitek and OLeary all had off years. Look for one or all of them to bounce back.