2010 Rewind: 89-73, missed playoffs. The Red Sox had a disappointing season to say the least. Although they did win 89 games, they finished third in the AL East. Thus, you could see some radical moves coming for this offseason.

The Good: The starting pitching. Jon Lester was the club’s ace and an All Star. So was Clay Buchholz, who has the looks of a future #1 starter. The rest of the rotation was sporadic. Dustin Pedroia was the heart and soul of the Red Sox woeful offense last year before suffering a second-half foot injury. Ask anyone who covers the Sox and they’ll say he’s the guy on the team who leads with his glove and his bat.

The Bad: Everyone else. Injuries did in the Red Sox and so did an abysmal bullpen. Losing Jacoby Ellsbury early was too much for the team to overcome. Josh Beckett put up his worst statistics of his career. Like Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon was a major disappointment. Additionally, manager Terry Francona couldn’t find any consistency in the middle innings or in the set up role. In short, the bullpen cost the Red Sox a shot at the AL East title.

Biggest Loss: Adrian Beltre. His power will be missed from lineup. Or will it? (read below). The veteran turned in one of the best seasons of his career before leaving for Texas via free agency.

Best Addition: GM Theo Epstein made his displeasure with 89 wins known and set the bar high with his impactful offseason moves. Boston went all in on the biggest free agent on the market – Carl Crawford. Teaming with a health Ellsbury, they will be one of the fastest and most ranging outfields in baseball. To pair up with Crawford, Epstein acquired Adrian Gonzalez as the club’s power hitting first baseman. Kevin Youkilis will move back to third base to make room for A-Gon. Less showy, but just as impactful was the signing of Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler to shore up the porous bullpen. Wheeler is one of the AL’s most consistent set up men and Jenks provides insurance should Papelbon continue to freefall.

Fantasy Slant: Adrian Gonzalez will be an elite fantasy performer in the AL. He’s perfectly fitted for Fenway and will have Carl Crawford in front of him in the lineup to protect him. The combination of Gonzalez and Crawford will be formidable. A healthy Jacoby Ellsbury makes an attractive fantasy option. With Crawford and A-Gon attracting fantasy owners’ attention, Ellsbury might slip on draft boards making him a great bargain. 120+ runs looks possible with this potent lineup.

Final Take: The Red Sox look like the best team “on paper.” Their offense looks like murderer’s row and should their pitching staff return to form, they will return to the playoffs and force the Yankees off the perch. If they get off to a slow start, look for Francona to be the sacrificial lamb...2011 Record: 96-66, AL East champions.

Fantasy Baseball, MLB 2011 preview, boston red sox, al east, fantasy outlook, 2011 mlb preview