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Boston Red Sox’s 2013 Projected Lineup

Will Middlebrooks

The Boston Red Sox head into 2013 with a refreshed lineup, and the hope is that the Olde Towne team can forget the last season and a half and return to the team that was averaging over 90 wins a year for over a decade. Multiple additions to the lineup should inject some needed offense into a team that struggled to hit last season. The front office was under fire, and they reacted by trying to take a page out of their early millennium book — find guys that are patient, powerful and thick-skinned.

Let’s take a look at the projected lineup for the 2013 Red Sox:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF: Contract year for the most dynamic talent on the Red Sox roster. When Ellsbury’s healthy, the Red Sox are dangerous.

2. Shane Victorino, RF: The NL to AL move isn’t easy, but Victorino will get plenty of plate appearances to get into a groove.

3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B: The engine of the infield tries to get back to normal after an inconsistent 2012. Pedroia has flourished in the three and four spot in past seasons.

4. David Ortiz, DH: Returning from an Achilles injury in 2012, Big Papi needs to be eased into the season in order to keep him in the lineup until the 162nd game on the schedule.

5. Mike Napoli, 1B: The Red Sox finally got their guy, albeit on a one-year deal, to stretch the lineup and provide desperately needed right-handed power.

6. Will Middlebrooks, 3B: The super sophomore is back after his great 2012 ended in injury. Can pitchers adjust to Middlebrooks, or will he continue to develop into one of the best third basemen in the AL? Lineup depth will help him greatly, so bet on a strong year.

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7. Stephen Drew, SS: Another member of the Drew family gets to take his swings in Fenway, and the career .265 hitter will be given every chance to have a strong year.

8. Johnny Gomes, LF: Gomes has been productive two of the last three seasons. The Red Sox are hoping for 2010 Gomes: 148 games, .266/.327/ 18 homes runs and 86 runs batted in.

9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C: “Salty” continued his development in the power department, hitting 25 homes runs and providing punch from the bottom of the lineup. The Red Sox need 2013 to be the same.

*Statistics provided by Baseball-Reference.com

Chris has been a Red Sox and MLB fan since 1982.