Tickets Boston Red

Tickets Boston Red

Tickets Boston Red

Boston Red Sox Tickets – Dice-K Looks To Return To Form In 2010

After the New York Yankees took down the World Series at the end of last year, everyone knew that the Red Sox weren't going to lay dormant for very long. The Sox didn't waste much time in the offseason, signing Angels ace John Lackey and centerfielder Mike Cameron to contracts that should significantly help their team.

Now it appears that they are about to get Daisuke Matsuzaka back in their starting rotation in the early portion of the year, following an injury-plagued season in 2009 that was a disappointment to both Dice-K and for Boston fans. But with Dice-K hopeful about returning to the rotation, they should boast one of the top pitching staffs in the league to go with a strong lineup as well.

Even if they are the division's second best team heading into the new season, the Red Sox are still easily among the best in the league and have the talent level to challenge for another Word Series title. Just as every year, <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/boston-red-sox-tickets/">Boston Red Sox tickets</a> are sure to be among the most sought after in the league.

Dice-K's career has been up and down for the Red Sox after they signed him in 2007, but not many have doubted his talent level. After a so-so rookie year in 2007, in which he went 15-12 and a posted a 4.40 ERA, Dice-K came back strong in 2008 with an 18-3 season and a dominant 2.90 ERA. It seemed that Dice-K had made the transition to the United States fairly well and he headed into a 2009 season with lofty expectations.

But standing in the way was the World Baseball Classic, in which Dice-K again joined his Japanese teammates to challenge some of the best baseball players in the world. Dice-K proved to be a dominant pitcher on the world stage, helping Japan take down the WBC title and being named the MVP. It wasn't a complete utopian experience for Dice-K, however, as he injured his hip and pitched through the pain. Though he tried to pick up where he left off with the Red Sox, he struggled mightily early in the season due to his injured hip and a tired arm, and was on and off the DL for much of 2009.

After extensive rehabilitation in the offseason for a variety of ailments, though, it seems that Dice-K is finally back on track, even if it's unlikely that he will make his first start of the season. In addition to the hip injury, he is also dealing with minor neck and back problems, which have caused Boston pitching coach John Farrell to be cautious moving forward. But recent activity has been encouraging, according to Farrell, and it seems that he will soon face live hitters in a minor league assignment.

If Dice-K can return to even 80% of what he was able to do in 2008, the Red Sox will be in great shape in terms of their rotation. Josh Beckett is still capable of being a dominant pitcher and had a solid 2009 season. John Lackey has ace-caliber stuff and should win plenty of games with the explosive offense of the Red Sox, and young starter John Lester is likely the best third-starter in the entire league. When Dice-K does come back, it should be as a fourth starter, which will take a significant amount of pressure off of Dice-K while bolstering Boston's rotation even further.

Even with Big Papi taking a noticeable step down from his former dominance, the Red Sox still have an explosive offense that is capable of generating runs in a hurry. Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis form their talented core and having slugger Victor Martinez over an entire season will be a tremendous asset. They also brought over Marco Scutaro from Toronto, who comes off a career year in 2009 and will give them a bit of pop at either the two-hole or at the bottom of their lineup.

Though they are not in the same class as the Yankees are offensively - just like the rest of the league – the Red Sox have enough pitching to make the Pinstripes nervous heading into the season. The Red Sox no longer require Dice-K to be his former self to compete in the AL East and anything they get out of him will likely be a bonus. But if Dice-K does return to his former self, the Red Sox could even become the favorite to win the World Series in 2010.

About the Author

David James wrote this article, which was sponsored by <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/">StubHub</a>, one of the finest places in the entire world wide web to get <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/boston-red-sox-tickets/">Boston Red Sox tickets</a>, concert tickets, theatre tickets, special events tickets, or almost any kind of sports ticket out there.