I know it's early but

The Red Sox will be a much improved team from last year's 78-84 and I expect them to win at least 90 games and the division. The Red Sox were 32-26 from August to the end of the season with a .552 winning percentage. That is pretty damn good. It is a hard step to do but if any team can do it, it's the Red Sox. We have made it from worst to first before and 2016 has that same goal.

Pitching and defense is what win championships and the Red Sox have that. I think after this offseason, they have formed a very royal-esque baseball team. Their pitching got a lot better. We now have a formidable rotation with David Price leading the way. He is our ace and if he pitches like he did last regular season then we are in good hands. Clay Buchholz is a solid number two starter and he has shown that in spurts throughout the season. The key for him especially and everyone else is HEALTH. We then have Eduardo Rodriguez. He was a very nice surprise and a beam of hope for the Red Sox last season. He is one of the few Rodriguez's that I like and will root for next year. With a 3.79 ERA and only 23 years old, his upside is tremendous. I look forward to seeing him pitch next season. Finally we have the disastrous Rick Porcello and Joe Kelly. They were both terrible last year and make Red Sox fans cringe when they hear their names. 

I think there is actually hope for them. If you look at the last two and a half months for Porcello and Kelly, Red Sox fans should be feeling good about their rotation in 2016. Porcello had a 3.53 ERA in that span and that was right after he came off the DL. It seemed like he had found himself. It was too late in the season to save the boat from drowning but it showed a glimmer of hope for his 2016 season. I still believe in him and hope for the best. Joe Kelly, the number five starter in my mind, had an unbelievable stretch where he won eight straight games in a row. That is just crazy. It was the longest winning streak by a Red Sox since Pedro. If you are in the same sentence as the hall-of-famer Pedro Martinez, then you are doing something right. I think Joe Kelly found himself after he came back from the minor leagues. He is a hard thrower, which I really like, and can win. If his control stays strong and he pitches like he did, this is another sign of excitement and something to look forward to in the 2016. 

I think I have shown the hope all Red Sox fans should have in our rotation. It is not the best but certainly much improved. The next thing to look forward to for the Red Sox is their bullpen. Adding supreme closer Craig Kimbrel and hard thrower Carson Smith really solidifies our bullpen. Kimbrel is the fastest pitcher to 200 saves with only 318 games needed. Smith had a strikeout rate of 11.8 which is really good. Kimbrel our new closer, allows Koji and Tazawa to go down a spot. You could even make Smith the setup man and Koji the 7th. It lengthens our bullpen and allows pitchers to rest more often to prevent fatigue. Those two were great additions and in this new day and age, a strong bullpen can get you far. 

The Red Sox should have plenty of thump in their lineup. David Ortiz at 39 years old hit .273 with 37 hrs and 108 rbis. This is his last year but it does not seem like his is slowing down. He is a force to be reckoned with in that middle of the lineup and still has the power. If Hanley and Panda were anything near their normal forms and healthy then they provide two huge bats. They just need to be healthy and their track record shows that they should produce to their capabilities. I believe in them. Mookie had a great season, hitting leadoff with a .291 average and 21 steals. He is solid. Pedroia hits the ball hard and with contact so if he stays healthy then he should have success. JBJ had a great stretch from August 9th to around September 13. He hit .458 with 24 of his 37 hits going for extra bases. If can find that hot streak then his in a good place. Castillo is the mystery guy in the lineup. He hit .253 and did not really find his stride. He should improve though. With all of that, the Red Sox when healthy have a great lineup. 

The last part to the championship formula is defense. Castillo, JBJ, and Mookie provide a great defensive-minded outfield. They're fast and can cover a lot of ground, just like the royals. Mookie and Castillo both posted a 1.4 defensive wins above replacement with JBJ at .8. Those are really good numbers. They have all shown signs of greatness in the outfield with Castillo's speed, Mookie's great over the bullpen wall catch, and Jackie's basket catch in Detroit. This could be one of the greatest outfields in history. 

I have covered all the things that Red Sox now have that make them a contender again. We have the pitching and defense and with a healthy Panda and Hanley, we should have the offense too. I strongly believe that the Red Sox will win the division next year and go far in the playoffs. Let' hope I am right. #redsoxnation