The Red Sox

I'm sure the observation will be made by many that the Red Sox were officially eliminated from the playoffs on the official first day of Fall. Obviously I thought of that observation too but the observation that kept me awake in bed last night was the realization that every single position is a question mark this off-season. No position is etched in stone. I'm not sure how I feel about this level of uncertainty.

Follow me on this:

RF: Will this be the offseason that Manny is finally traded? You know the rumors will be ripe.

CF: Coco Crisp has many detractors and the Torii Hunter rumors have already begun. Will the Vernon Wells rumors be far behind?

RF: I'm pretty sure Trot Nixon won't be back. Does the position go to Wily Mo Pena or is someone else brought in?

3rd: Mike Lowell had a fine season. So good in fact that it is now much easier to move his 2007 contract. Kevin Youkilis can always go back to 3rd base or Eric Hinske for that matter.

SS: Alex Gonzalez is a free agent. Do they re-sign him or does the job go to Dustin Pedroia?

2nd: Mark Loretta is a free agent. Do they re-sign him or does the job go to Dustin Pedroia?

1st: Kevin Youkilis have proven to be very flexible. He can play 1st, 3rd or OF. Do the Red Sox move Lowell and put Youkilis at 3rd? Do they shake up the outfield and put him out there?

C: This is the one position you would think is locked in (and it probably is). Jason Varitek is signed for 2007 and 2008 but he is breaking down and his decline at the plate seems to be a slippery slope. Over the past three years his batting average has gone from .296 to .281 to .245 and his OPS has gone from .872 to .856 to .747. You'd have to be blind not to see a trend and dumb not to be concerned.

Ace: Next year will supposedly be Curt Schilling's last. Currently he's 14-7 with a 4.07 ERA - which is very good but he is 1-4 in his last 8 starts with a 5.44 ERA over that span. He's 40 and he has to be a question mark for next year.

#2: Josh Beckett is a grab bag - you never know what you'll get. The question about him is whether he'll exhibit ace stuff in Boston.

#3: Tim Wakefield - it used to be a given that Wakefield was a very valuable member of the team but if he requires Doug Mirabelli as his catcher to be effective - is that too high a price to pay?

#4: Supposedly Jon Papelbon will be moving into the rotation next year. Big question mark.

#5: Matt Clement - you may as well nickname him The Riddler for all the questions surrounding him.

Closer: If Jon Papelbon is moving to the rotation - then what do the Sox do for a closer? Hansen is not ready and Foulke may be over the hill?

Now do you see what I meant by every position has question marks? And I did not even mention the health questions surrounding Jon Lester (we are all pulling for him). It should be a very interesting off-season (at least much more interesting then the last month of the season turned out to be).