To Ramirez, who not long ago felt as if he had nine toes in Texas and one in Boston as the Sox tried to trade him for Alex Rodriguez, this is the year. To others, it's the last roundup on Yawkey Way. And to some, it's simply time to get started regardless of the contract conundrum or key injuries to Garciaparra and Trot Nixon.
"We feel great," Kevin Millar said after the Sox dropped their exhibition finale, 5-0, to the Braves and prepared to board a plane for Baltimore. "We're going to get Trot and Nomar healthy, but until then we've got guys who will step up. And as far as the contracts go, everybody signed for 2004. That's all that matters. We're playing right now for this season. It's not about worrying about next year, next year, next year. It's all about this year."
The Sox will enter the season with one of the most fearsome pitching staffs in franchise history, led by Martinez, who has been irked about persistent questions about the velocity of his fastball this spring and is expected to unleash his wrath tonight against the Orioles. He has not been charged with a loss in his six Opening Day starts, though the Sox have gone winless in his last three opening starts.
Martinez and Curt Schilling could form one of the most devastating 1-2 combos in the game. Lowe looks as sharp as he did when he went 21-8 and challenged for the Cy Young Award in 2002. Tim Wakefield has given every indication he could rank as one of the most productive fourth starters in baseball. And Bronson Arroyo, the reigning International League pitcher of the year, is expected to serve as a solid fifth starter at least until Byung Hyun Kim returns from a strained right shoulder.
The Sox also have Ramirez at full health to anchor much of the lineup that last year led the majors in batting (.289), runs (961), hits (1,667), doubles (371), extra-base hits (649), total bases (2,832), sacrifice flies (64), slugging (.491), on-base percentage (.360), and overall offensive thrills.
