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2011 was perhaps the most critical season in the history of the AWBL Boston Red Sox. We had been building for years towards a future without Pedro Martinez, and when the greatest pitcher in AWBL history retired following the 2010 season with three World Series rings, a lot of people wondered how the Red Sox would fare. Even I will admit to some feelings of trepidation, relying on four rookies -- three of them only 23 years old -- in the starting lineup and on three rookies in the starting rotation made me nervous.

In retrospect, it shouldn't have.

My major concern was not having that stopper out there every 5th day in Petey. It can't be overstated just how much having a guaranteed win out there every 5th day means to a successful ballclub. Pedro won 337 ballgames and if possible, was even more valuable than his record would indicate. While every now and then a rookie will have a tremendous rookie season, many times a young player's first year in AWBL is rocky. For the Sox and our winning tradition, relying so heavily on young players was a gamble -- admittedly a gamble we had been building to for years -- but one that now in hindsight, has worked out very well.

So, let's take a look at the 2011 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.



Jose Colon -- 3.43 19-4 (.213/.335/.310) 210 IP
El Caliente as he is known to his teammates has gone 40-7 over the last two years and has become the staff ace. His 2010 performance was Pedroesque, winning 21 games and posting a 1.98 ERA. He followed that Pedro Martinez Award winning season with an outstanding year this season and anchoring a Bosox rotation just barely out of kindergarten. Jose sets the example for the young horses on the Sox staff.

Christy Matthewson -- 3.75 15-9 (.280/.329/.305) 211.3 IP
Christy came over in a midseason trade with Detroit in 2010 and gave Boston a solid #2 starter in 2011. Matthewson would be a #1 starter on most teams, but the 27 year old gives the Red Sox tremendous depth atop their starting rotation. His presence in tandem with Jose Colon made it much easier to entrust the rotation duties to a bunch of young kids this year.

Shin Yodama -- 3.96 20-3 (.256/.318/.386) 227.7 IP
The 25 year old "Izanagi Yakuza" dazzled in his AWBL debut, leading the Red Sox in innings and wins, breaking the 20 win mark in his rookie season. The Bosox relied heavily on the Yakuza's clutch pitching during the regular season -- and the posts eason as well. It's not often you see a rook go out and win Game 7 of the World Series by shutting down the potent Padres attack. Shin went 2-0 with a 2.17 ERA in the 2011 postseason -- clutch pitching at a clutch time.

Amanda Freed -- 3.45 15-5 (.233/.281/.360) 169.7 IP
One of the much heralded "Girls of Pawtucket", Amanda made her debut in 2011 winning 15 games and excelling at keeping enemy hitters off balance -- and off base. Freed is one of those rare young hurlers who outperforms their talent level, her only drawback being her lack of endurance. She's a smart pitcher and compliments any rotation as a 4th or 5th starter.

Curly Cooper, Shigeki Noguchi, Tim Campbell
The 5th starter spot was where the Bosox got beat in 2011. Rookie Shigeki Noguchi was overmatched in his AWBL debut, walking the ballpark and giving up the bomb. Journeyman Curly Cooper did yeoman's work filling the gaping hole in the rotation, but Curly's talent level is better suited to coaching pitchers rather than pitching. AAA phenom Timmy Campbell came up in September and made a few starts and looked raw but impressive, but got hammerrred in the postseason and was left off the World Series roster. This was the wasteland of the Red Sox rotation.

Brad Baker -- 3.66 5-4 (.247/.298/.357) 32 SV
After providing steady middle relief for Boston over the past four seasons, the Red Sox finally turned to BB in 2011 to close out games. The Sox haven't ever had a really consistent closer for more than a season, and Baker provided a certain amount of comfort level that Sox starters weren't used to having. Brad was a crucial member of the Bosox pitching staff in our championship season.

Victor Starffin -- 3.92 8-5 (.223/.314/.349) 96.3 IP
The big Russian found his forte as the utility pitcher of the Boston staff in 2011, cutting down his walks as he started, relieved, and even shut down the Padres with a spot start in Game 4 of the World Series. Victor was far more effective out of the pen than he was starting, but his rubber arm and clutch pitching provide the Red Sox with some versatility and depth most teams lack.

Bullpen -- Icky!
And it's a good thing Starffin is so versatile, because the rest of the Sox bullpen was filled with firebugs, arsonists and roman candles. As a pitcher, the sultry Jennie Finch (2-1, 7.82) proved to be a far better baserunner than hurler, being used often as a pinch runner and helping the ballclub that way far more than she did out of the pen. Rich Gossage (4-3, 5.65) continued to disappoint -- his tendency to walk baserunners in crucial situations making him all but a crapshoot late in games. Rookie John Newell won 5 games and saw a lot of action as a rookie, but his 7.67 ERA and secondary numbers (.311/.402/.417) only serve to highlight just how good the Red Sox lineup was. Onetime promising closer Stephanie Winton (6.81 5-4, 5 SV, 80.7 IP) was downright awful for the first 2/3 of the season but rebounded to become a valuable contributor down the stretch. We're not real sure what happened to her talent, but she just doesn't sem able to throw strikes anymore, and when she does they end up over the monstah. This may be the worst bullpen ever to win a World Series.




(2B) Kimmy Ng -- (.310/.432/.471) 22 HR, 135 R, 62 SB
The speedy and defensive minded Ng (the real life Assistant GM of the Dodgers and rumored to be the leading candidate to become MLB's first female GM in Montreal if Omar Minaya takes the Reds job) won the Gold Glove at 2B in her rookie season in 2011, but it was her ability to get on base, wreak havoc on the basepaths and score a ton of runs that set the tone for the potent and deep Red Sox lineup. Kimmy was one of the premier tablesetters in AWBL this year.

(DH) Chris Snelling -- (.342/.454/.507) 105 R
Chris was the prototypical #2 hitter against RHP in 2011, moving Kim Ng around the bases and geting on base at an even better pace than she did. Snelling also has an outstanding glove, having won the Gold Glove in the outfield in 2010, but the Red Sox lineup was so deep in 2011 he spent most of the year DHing. I can't overstate just how valuavle Chris is as a 32 hitter in this lineup.

(RF) Ryan Langerhans -- (.341/.412/.571) 27 HR 116 RBI
Ryan's been around in a Bosox uniform a long time now, but the 31 year old RF hasn't lost anything, filling the #3 hole as one of the truly great hiters in all of AWBL. Langerhans also played a very solid rightfield defnsively in 2011, making only 3 errors in 127 games.

(LF) Joe Dimaggio -- (.323/.416/.574) 38 HR 118 RBI 113 R
"The Fenway Clipper" had yet another spectacular year at the plate in 2011 in the cleanup spot, anchoring a very deep, yet young lineup. Joltin Joe isn't your typical cleanup hitter, but the Red Sox lineup doesn't have the big 60 homerun smashers and emphasizes a deep, balanced attack and Dimaggio is typical of that approach. Joe also played outstanding defense this year, winning the Gold Glove.

(C) Josh Gibson -- (.298/.405/.610) 43 HR 120 RBI 102 R
Josh simply pounded the ball in 2011, blasting 43 HR and slugging at over a .600 pace. But Gibson became a superb all around hitter this year, nearly hitting .300 and showing excellent plate discipline getting on base at a .405 clip. Gibby couldn't throw out his grandmother using a walker, but the Sox needed his potent bat in the lineup so a catching he did go.

(SS) Alleish t'Riuurren -- (.253/.382/.531) 38 HR 117 RBI 115 R
The "Sandbitch" had quite the impressive rookie season in 2011, ripping through opposing pitching staffs to the tune of 38 tall-jacks and slugging at a .531 pace. Ally still has a lot of room for improvement in making contact, but it's not for lack of discipline at the plate as she drew 117 walks and got on base at a .382 pace. t'Riuurren, one of the fabled "Girls of Pawtucket" the past few years, was also very solid with the leather, giving the Bosox a terrific doubleplay combo with fellow rookie Kim Ng.

(3B) Izumi Himuro -- (.305/.384/.550) 35 HR 125 RBI 110 R
Izumi made a big splash in 2011, hitting .305 her rookie season while driving in a terrific 125 runs. She has it all, power, contact and plate discipline and is also solid defensively, giving the Red Sox a very young and solid infield for years to come.

(1B) Bryan Barnowski -- (.280/.375/.490) 25 HR
Barno is one of the best secondbasemen in history, winning multiple Gold Gloves at that position and putting up impressive offensive numbers year after year. But with the emergence of Kim Ng at second, Bryan slid on over to first where he had another solid year at the plate, and he was simply sensational defensively, making 2 errors in 137 games for a .999 FA at first.

(CF) Koharu Hotta -- (.279/.343/.513) 35 HR 106 RBI 105 R
Hotta and her "wave-motion-swing" got off to a horrendous start in her rookie season of 2011, but the Sox know Koharu is the centerfielder of the future for this franchise and we stuck with her. Hotta rewarded us by rebounding in the second half and putting up very good numbers offensively, joining fellow rookies t'Riuurren and Himuro in the 30 homerun club. Koharu was also very solid defensively, posting a .987 FA in center.




(DH) Jim Rice -- (.345/.394/.668) 22 HR 223 AB
Jim Ed filled in ably for Chris Snelling against southpaws, and boy did Rice pound the lefties. Jim Ed averaged a homer every 10 at bats and hit .345 in his part time role for the Red Sox.

(RF) Ray Benton -- (.298/.426/.507) 272 AB
Ray provided much needed rest against lefties for star (RF) Ryan Langerhans and got on base at a terrific .426 pace. Benton also showed good gap power and put up a .507 slg pct. But it's with the leather that Ray is most versatile, able to fill in in the outfield and at the corner spots in the infield, where he is sublime defensively.

(U) Cesar Tovar -- (.294/.392/.412) 18 SB 125 GP
Cesar played every position for the Bosox in 2011 and also saw considerable action as a pinch runner and defensive substitute. Tovar got on base at a terrific .392 clip and was absolutely invaluable to the Red Sox because of his amazing versatility.

(1B) Matt Watson -- (.314/.416/.445) 137 AB
Matt, the Red Sox starting thirdbaseman in the 2010 stretch run, adjusted well to his role as pinch hitter and occassional corner sub, hitting over .300 and getting on base at a .416 clip in limited action. Watson provided Boston with a serious pinch hitting threat late in ball games and filled that role perfectly in 2011.

That's a look back at the 2011 World Series Champions. I found this season to be one of my most challenging, and perhaps my most rewarding in having built this team from scratch and ending up with such a successful result. At times, especially with Koharu Hotta, I was so tempted to send her back to the minors and go with a more proven lineup, but I had to tell myself to have patience and just wait for the lineup to gel. In looking back, I think it gelled well, as did the starting rotation, and this may have been my most favorite Red Sox team to date.