I say the performances of:
Beckham
Sale
Floyd

For me, it's Floyd, whomever is in the closer role, post trade Edwin Jackson being here.

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I agree with Jackson, for some reason I'm not at all worried about him, but I should be based on his inconsisten career number. Santos is also very important

buerhle

floyd

beckham

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I have just kind of figured buerhle will be a .500 pitcher the next couple of seasons with and ERA stlightly above 4, maybe a little higher and I think thats fine

i think that was last couple years...id get ready for an era pushing 5 and below 500...kenny should have moved him to nl 2 years ago

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...being smuggled in Dayan Viciedo's quarter-panels.

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1. Brent Morel. He has to hit enough to keep his glove on the field.

2. Carlos Quentin. Hitting behind Dunn, Pauly and Rios he's going to get a TON of RBI opportunities so he has to be more consistent and stay away from prolonged slumps.

3. Ozzie. He has to manage with a higher sense of urgency and do a better job managing the bullpen.

1. Defending the BP Cup
2. Getting an AED in the booth for Hawk
3. AJ's hair not falling out from the bleach

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

compelling and rich!

Agree on Morel...feels like Brian Anderson 2.0

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Pitching
Hitting
Health

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hopefully morel is a little more dedicated to the game...anderson seemed to really enjoy the life of a big leaguer too much at first and i think that sunk him

I hope so too...The reports coming out are that he knew the job was basically his, and he spent the spring trying to prove himself anyway.

BA knew the CF job was his in 06, and if I remember correctly, his spring was awful.

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Ozzie
Oney
Kenny

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

anderson is the only guy i can think of in a long time that i hated on the sox, cocky and he sucked..could not hit for shit

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He's trying the reverse Ankiel bit now, sucked as a position player, why not try pitching?

As for the 3 keys,

1. Top of order getting on base for sluggers (Pierre, Beckham)

2. Consistency of the 3,4 starters. That would be Floyd and Jackson. Pretty much know what to expect out of Danks and Buehrle. I'll exclude Peavy because anything over about 15 starts and 100 innings out of him is a plus.

3. Limited off field drama- Ozzie/Kenny, twittering, etc.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Morel has to hit .235, 12HR and 50RBI. Those are pretty pedestrian numbers but if he can do that, nobody will say a word about him as long as he throws the leather.


This team will go as far as the starting pitching and health in the bullpen will take them. Which will be deep into October my friends

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Pitching needs to make up for the slow bats in April, I hope the Sox learned the lesson from last years start...

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

Tough first-half schedule. Peavy, Quentin, and Jackson are the three players who have to exceed expectations if the Sox are going to be World Series contenders.

Peavy
Morel
Oney

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1) Starting pitching. I don't think there's an ace on the staff, but each of these guys are capable of being fairly consistent and giving the team a quality start.

2) Offense being consistent. I know they will have games were they put up 10 runs, but they have to avoid what they have done in the past of scoring very little over stretches, and then piling it on over a game or two.

3) Closer - they can't afford to blow games. I'm hopeful Thornton will settle in, but believe his splits (vs lefties and righties) were not overly impress against righties.

*

Obviously, these keys can be said of any team.

1. I don't think Morel is going to be a 140 GP guy unless he surprises with his hitting. Guillen is going to use Vizquel and Teahan there occasionally as well. At least in the first month or two, I think Morel will get the majority of starts, but he'll be rested against tougher pitchers.

2. I'm afraid that Quentin's streakiness is going to be a symbol of the entire offense.

3. Ozzie's teams usually do better than before the season projections, but I agree with you about the bullpen. One thing he has to avoid is over-using any of his more trusted options. Last year, Thornton and Putz both tired out. He can't do that again with Crain or Sale. He's going to have to be smarter with the rest he gives these guys.

I'd rather have a tougher first-have schedule if it means not having the August road trip where they play NY, Boston and Minnesota over 11 games and go 2-9. The last few years, it seems that they always get the Yankees and Red Sox in the 2nd half of the season.

Seems like Ozzie and Coop's way of handling the staff is leave the starter in for 100 pitches - even if they're getting hit around - then empty the bullpen. I don't like using three relievers based on left/right matchups just to get through an inning.

1. Attendance (Kenny already told you, it's your fault if they can't add a player)
2. Bicardi Lounge, but ? wait? No....that means you aren't actually at the game if you go there during the game? Hmmm?
3. Herm Schneider, the best trainer in baseball, who somehow can't get himself to drop 5 pounds!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

Those longsleeve WORLD SERIES shirts always add a few pounds.

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Well how many has he got on?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Probably 2 or 3. Remember, the roof was open that October in Houston

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