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Here it is, the 30th and final installment of the 2009 team previews. So let's get to it, here are the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox

Last Season’s Result: 95-67. 2nd place in the AL East.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added RF Rocco Baldelli (Signed from Tampa)
• Added SP Brad Penny (Signed from Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Added SP John Smoltz (Signed from Atlanta)
• Added RP Takashi Saito (Signed from Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Added RF Brad Wilkerson (Signed from Toronto)
• Added RP Ramon Ramirez (Trade form Kansas City)
• Lost CF Coco Crisp (Traded to Kansas City)
• Lost 1B Sean Casey (Retired)
• Lost SP Curt Schilling (Retired)
• Lost SS Alex Cora (Signed with New York Mets)
• Lost C David Ross (Signed with Atlanta)
• Lost RP Mike Timlin (Unsigned free agent)
• Lost SP Bartolo Colon (Signed with Chicago White Sox)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: C+ I think the made some nice low risk signings in Smoltz, Penny and Baldelli. My problem with their offseason is that they refrained from making a large splash, since they were one of the few teams that had the financial prowess to do so. They should have pressed their financial advantage by going after somebody like Pat Burrell, or better yet Adam Dunn, who would’ve given them a big right-handed bat at first base at a relatively discount price. I mean is anybody going to get 30 home runs on this team?

• Rotation Grade: A A very nice rotation, with 3 potential aces at the top in Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K. Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield fill out the back end of the rotation for now, with John Smoltz and youngster Clay Buchholz also in the mix to start this season. If that wasn’t enough depth, the Sox could always start Justin Masterson in an emergency. By the way, Masterson would be in almost every other rotation in the league, and he’s option 8, I’d say the Sox are set here.

• Bullpen Grade: C+ Jonathan Papelbon is a fine closer, and he anchored this group that was about average last season. This year expect Masterson to play a very large role in returning this pen to among the league’s best.

• Lineup Grade: B This team was second in the league in runs scored in 2008, but I don’t know if they can be that good in 2009. There are a lot of question marks on this squad. Some are very large red flags like Veritek and Lowrie, injury concerns surround Papi, Drew, Baldelli, and Lowell. Another question is how good is Dustin Pedroia, is he really an MVP caliber player, or is he just a very good middle infielder. Pedroia will regress from his great 2008 season, the question is how much. The only two guys I think the Red Sox can count on are Youkilis and Bay, but if the lefties fail to protect them it could be trouble.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: David Ortiz. Is Papi at theend or was 2008 jjust an aberration? The answer to this question may decide the fate of the Sox in 2009. With their staff they will compete, but if Ortiz can’t provide a left-handed threat, this lineup is lopsided.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury has been handed the chance to hit leadoff in a high-powered offense, so it’s likely Ellsbury will have a star making year. Then again it’s not like there’s a ton of young talent to choose from, especially since I consider Lester to already be the Sox best pitcher.

Best Case Scenario: 100 wins and cruising into the playoffs. You know the talent, and you’ve know their potential, what more can I add?

Worst Case Scenario: Drew and Papi can’t protect the righties, and the back end of the staff doesn’t work out. With the Rays as the defending champs and the Yankees much improved, the Sox could miss the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Prediction for 2009: 89-73. 3rd place in the AL East.

Local Thoughts

By: Allan Wood from the Joy of Sox.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: B. We now know that Mark Teixeira had absolutely no intention of signing with Boston, so there was nothing Theo Epstein could do about that. I wasn't crazy about having Jason Varitek back, but he is (and we still have our young pitching prospects). The team made a few low risk/high reward signings of Smoltz and Penny that could really pay off.

• Most Essential: Daisuke Matsuzaka. As the 3rd starter after Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, Boston needs a strong #3.

• Breakout Potential: Jacoby Ellsbury. (Or Jed Lowrie. (If Varitek rebounds and hits .240, does that could as a breakout?))

• Prediction for 2009: 98-64, 1st in East.