Is this the proposed 03/04 team we never saw?

[joeynach]

I remember the talk about the sox team in the 2003 and 2004 years. Those years the sox hit well over 200 home runs, and I believe they set a record of something around 240 homers in 2003. We had Mags, Big Frank, Carl Everett, Carlos Lee, Crede, Jose Valentin, etc. The knock was we had a softball sluggers lineup, we would score 10 runs one game and 1 the next. We had decent pitching, nothing special. We finished 86-76 in 2003 and 83-79 in 2004. After the 2004 season the sox made their historic shift, away from all or nothing softball sluggers to a more well rounded roster, inlcuding the lineup, rotation, and bullpen. We all recall the specific changes made that lead to our World Series run for 2005. But back when these changes were going on I remember a lot of people and media around the time of soxfest talking about not giving the softball sluggers stlye team a fighting chance. That KW broke up the team without giving them a fighting chance, meaning a loaded rotation and bullpen for support. Some people wanted the overhaul others wanted the sluggers with the beefed up pitching (we all remember 03-04 5th starter problems). So my question is this, is the 2008 team we see before us the "softball sluggers" lineup with the beefed up pitching? There is no doubt he have some solid pitching on this team, both in the rotation and pen. So is this 2008 team, the team lots of people were talking about post 2004, we certainly slug and hit a ton of home runs, and we certainty pitch very well.

 

P.S. Not that I have a problem this type of team vs. another type. I actually believe that its wise to construct a team home ballpark tendencies. IE lots of sluggers at The Cell, Citzens Bank, etc.....and lots of speedy gap hitters at places like PetCo, At&T, Comerica, etc.

Edited June 10, 2008 by joeynach