Red Sox vs. Yankees: Shortstop

This is another lopsided positions. Lugo plays average defense, Jeter plays stellar defense. Lugo hit .237-8 in 2007, Jeter hit around .315-12. Despite being lopsided now, there is a bright future for Boston, Jed Lowrie. He seems to right off the bat hit .300-15. He also seems like a defensive dazzler. However, Lugo is what the Red Sox have for now, and that is Subpar.

Red Sox: 2

Yankees: 2

Dice-K, Drew, Lugo, can they get better?

This is a question that has been circling us all winter, can these three h=key players kick it up a notch in '08, here's my input on the matter.

Dice-K: Dice-K will definitley improve in '08. Despite not being what expected last year, he still won 15 games with 201 K's. He proved to be important in the Postseason, and provided 2 wins. He is also doing well in spring training, and I think he mearly needed to adapt to America. I don't think he can be a second Josh Beckett, but he can easily provide, 16-19 wins, 200-220 K's, 210-230 IP's.

Drew: Again, he had an average season last year, but not to his standards. He is also doing better in Spring Training, and another Adaption problem. His bat might have been a little cold, but his glove was hot, only 6 errors. He was also a boost in the postseason. I think we all remember that gramd slam in inning 1 in game 6 off Faust Carmona during the ALCS. That really seemed to change him, and he seems to be looked at completly differently by Boston since then. Drew can easily provide .280-20 numbers, and more baserunning and another hjot glove season.

Lugo: Lugo is different than Drew and Dice-K. He is a middle class player on an upper class team. It seems like he could have a Coco Crisp style Red Sox career, a subpar first season, then having a youngster take his job in season 2. He might have AB's shortened toward the end of the season due to Jed Lowrie, but can still provide .260-5 this season.

Red Sox vs. Yankees: 2nd Base

Again, another position that both teams are gifted to have top quality players. The Red Sox have Dustin Pedroia, who won R.O.Y. honors with a .317 average in '07. Also, he will turn 25 in August, and look to be set up for a long term service with thwe Red Sox. The Yankees are also set up for a while with Robinson Cano at 2B. He carries a defensive glove (like Pedroia) and a +.300 average with 19 home rins in '07. Despite great numbers from Cano, Pedroia is a large defensive, and hitting machine.

Red Sox: 2

Yankees: 1

Red Sox vs. Yankees: 1st Base

First basae is often a position to see power hitting and average defense. Although many teams might have to settle for average defense, the Red Sox get a boost from having Kevin Youkilis on the field, 135 '07 games at first base, 0 errors. Meanwhile, Youkilis also contributed .288-16 numbers, and a .390 OBP. Then with the Yankees, thefirst base position is in jeprody. Giambi has proves that he has officially become only a DH, and will be splitting time with Hideki Matsui. So Someone must be found to take over at first base. Meanwhill, the Red Sox have amazing depth at first base, Sean Casey. Casey is a preastine .301 career hittler, and hit .296-4 in '07. The Red Sox are gifted to have the First Basemen the have, and have no trouble dominating this position.

Yankees:1

Red Sox:1

Red Sox vs. Yankees: Catchers

The Red Sox Yankees rivalry is one of the most talked about rivalries in Sports. It all startes with the guys behind the backstop. Both of these teams are gifted to have agless wonderes behind the plate. The Yankees are very well off to have Jorge Posada, a 36-year-old rock, whoo hit a career .338 in '07. Posada also blasted 20 long balls. Meanwhile the red sox have Jason Varitek, who might not be Posada with .255-17 numbers in '07, but also only commited 6 errors, and should be recognized as one of the best Catchers in the game. Both of these players are getting along in years, but could keep on playing past 40 if they wanted to. This is because they both are able to stay in shape this deep into their careers. The Red Sox do have one advantage over the Yankees, which is their backup. Doug Mirabelli, a 37-year-old that can still give some pop. Alas, he only put up .202-5 numbers in 114 AB's last year. But a woloping 22% of his hits were Homers. Despite the Res Sox depth, the Yankees none the less have the better Catching position.

Red Sox:0
Yankees:1

Curt Schilling's Situation

Many people must be wondering about what Curt Schilling might be in for when he comes back to the Red Sox following the All Star-Break. He could pitch for the Paw Sox, he sould be put in the starting rotation, he could long relief, or, be traded. We all know Curt Schilling is an outstanding player and could easily be in the hall of fame someday. I think he should long relief. The role can be managed until then by Bartolo Colon, then Schilling can come in then, and hold the role from then on out. However, he must get starts in the postseason, as we all know the form he takes in October. The long relief role would benefit both Schilling and the Red Sox. First, his ability to throw strikes is going to be very helpful to strike throwers Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima. Thw more strike throwers we have in the bullpen, the better a bullpen we'll have.

Center Field

I think that Jacoby Ellsbury should be the starting center fuielder in '08. First of all, he can flar out hit, and his glove, though it is no where near Coco Crisp's, it isn't far behind. Not only that, but Coco would be amazing as a defensive replacement, or a pinch runner. Plus, his bat still could be successful off the bench.