The Boston Red Sox are absolutely loaded in the starting rotation for the 2010 season. It all starts with 29-year old righty Josh Beckett. Beckett started 32 games for the Red Sox last season in which he was 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He has started 122 games in 4 years with the Red Sox in which he is 65-34 with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. You can book 15-20 wins for Beckett if he stays healthy all year for the Red Sox in 2010.

26-year old lefty Jon Lester was really sharp last season for the Red Sox. He started 32 games for the Red Sox last season and he was 15-8 with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Lester only gave up 186 hits in 203 1/3 innings last season while whiffing 225 batters showing just how nasty he can be. Lester has now pitched in 92 games (91 starts) in his four years with the Red Sox and he is 42-16 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. If Lester just tightens up his control a little bit this season he will be in the Cy Young Award race in 2010.

31-year old righty John Lackey was the big signing for the Red Sox over the winter. Lackey started 27 games for the Angels last season and he was 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He now has won 10+ games 7 years in a row and the only thing that could stop him from extended that streak this year is injury. Lackey essentially gives the Red Sox’ three #1 type starters in the rotation.

25-year old righty Clay Buchholz will probably slot as the Red Sox’ #4 starter in 2010. Buchholz started 16 games for the Red Sox last season and he was 7-4 with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Buchholz also pitched in 17 games (16 starts) in AAA-ball last season in which he was 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He only gave up 67 hits in 99 innings pitched in the minors last season. The Red Sox are banking on Buchholz giving them a solid, complete season in 2010 and I think they will be happy with the results.

The Red Sox are hoping that Daisuke Matsuzaka will step up in 2010. He started 12 games for the Red Sox last season in which he was 4-6 with a 5.76 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP. Matsuzaka gave up 81 hits (10 homers) in only 59 1/3 innings last season for the Red Sox. To me it seemed as if Japan worked Matsuzaka too hard, too early in the WBC and I think it bothered Dice-K all year long in 2009. The Red Sox are hoping to get the Matsuzaka of 2007+2008 when he started 61 games for them and was 33-15 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

43-year old righty knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is back for another season with the Red Sox. He started 21 games for the Red Sox last season and he was 11-5 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. In 11 of Wakefield’s 15 years with the Red Sox Wakefield has won 10+ games. Wakefield is a very dependable pitcher for the Red Sox as he will be in the rotation if Matsuzaka isn’t ready to start the year.

23-year old righty Michael Bowden is the Red Sox’ #13 prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. Bowden pitched in 8 games (1 start) for the Red Sox last season and he was 1-1 with a 9.56 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP. He also started 24 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 4-6 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. I see him starting the year in AAA for the Red Sox and getting a call if they need him during the season. He also could be a good trade chip for the Red Sox at the trade deadline.

23-year old righty Junichi Tazawa is the Red Sox’ #6 prospect according to Baseball America. Tazawa pitched in 6 games (4 starts) for the Red Sox last season and he was 2-3 with a 7.46 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP. He also started 20 games in AA+AAA-ball last season and he was 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Tazawa will likely start the season in AAA and be one of the first pitchers the Red Sox call up if the need arises.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: A

The Red Sox have acquired 20-year old righty starter/reliever Miguel Celestino from the Mariners to complete the Casey Kotchman trade. Celestino pitched in 13 games (12 starts) in Rookie ball last season in which he was 5-3 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. He has now pitched in 42 games (25 starts) in his three years in the minors and he is 14-6 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. You can never have too many talented young pitchers so I like this move for the Red Sox who had nowhere for Kotchman to play anyway.

19-year old lefty swinging outfielder Ryan Westmoreland will likely miss the entire 2010 season after undergoing brain surgery yesterday. He was the Red Sox’ #1 rated prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. Westmoreland played in 60 games in A-ball last season in which he was 66 of 223 (.296 avg, .885 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 7 homers, 35 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. The Red Sox have their fingers crossed that Westmoreland will have a full recovery.

The Dodgers have returned 23-year old lefty reliever Armando Zerpa to the Red Sox. The Red Sox essentially have made $25,000 bucks on this deal as Zerpa was selected over the winter in the Rule 5 Draft. Zerpa pitched in 38 games (0 starts) in A-ball last season in which he was 2-3 with 2 saves, a 2.65 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He has now pitched in 89 games (10 starts) in his five year minor league career in which he is 10-11 with 2 saves, a 3.12 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. You can never have enough lefty relievers so the Red Sox will welcome back Zerpa with open arms.

The Red Sox signed Nomar Garciaparra to a 1-day contract yesterday so that he could retire as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Garciaparra played 9 years for the Red Sox in which he played in 966 games. In those 966 games, Garciaparra was 1,281 of 3,968 (.323 avg, .923 OPS) with 709 runs scored, 178 homers, 690 RBIs and 84 stolen bases. Garciaparra was an All-Star 5 times for the Red Sox and he was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1997. This was a class move by the Red Sox for a very classy player.