Josh Beckett, age 25

In 2005, new Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett achieved career highs in wins (15), innings pitched (178), strikeouts (166), games started (29), and complete games (2). If those numbers don’t conjure up images of the second coming of Roger Clemens, digest this fact. He’s only 25.

For those of you keeping track of these things, that makes Beckett the same age as Boston Red Sox rookie Jonathan Papelbon (also born in 1980). And if you’re one who plays the market and believes in trends and buying low and selling high, this would seem to be a stock on the rise. Case in point, Beckett’s numbers have improved every year since breaking in with the Florida Marlins.

Still, for what we gave up (Hanley Ramirez) and the dead weight we took on (Mike Lowell), you’d like better odds than a guy who won the same number of games as David Wells last year. But if Wells was 25 and coming off a season like that, there’s no way the Boston Red Sox would consider trading him.

So, hang tight, Red Sox Nation and let this one play out. Those career best numbers leave an awful lot of room for improvement for a guy with Beckett’s kind of stuff.

Boston Red Sox a 10

For those of you who don’t agree with some of the off-season trades and non-signings, you’re probably wondering where the “10” comes from. By all counts, there’s a minimum of 10 new faces on the Boston Red Sox 40-man roster of players who could/will make a major impact on this year’s club.

Rather than wait for the season to begin, the Stat Man thought a preview of all these new faces might make the weeks leading up to spring training go a tad faster. Hey, it sure beats following the sale of Manny’s condo at the Ritz.

Stay tuned for the Stat Man’s first pitch of the 2006 season…

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