Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2012 Red Sox Opening Day lineup!
Here they are:
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 3B
Ryan Sweeney RF
Cody Ross LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Mike Aviles SS
Pitching: LHP Jon Lester (15-9, 3.47 in 2011)
TIGERS (95-67 in 2011)
Austin Jackson CF
Brennan Boesch RF
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Delmon Young LF
Ryan Raburn DH
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Ramon Santiago 2B
Pitching: RHP Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 in 2011)
Game time: 1:05 p.m.
TV / Radio: NESN, ESPN2 (blacked out in Boston) / WEEI.
Let's go! I don't care that Justin Verlander is going to hit triple digits upwards of five times today. So what the middle of the Tigers lineup is very, very intimidating. David Ortiz had a shitty swing? Erroneous. Mike Aviles is actually the starting shortstop? Awesome, I like underdog stories. The back end of our rotation and the bullpen is full of question marks? Let's get those questions answered!
This is the year Jon Lester steps up and becomes the ace that everyone has expected him to be. I can feel it. He's been knocking on the door the past few years but I think if he can get the win today against the reinging MVP it could be the catalyst the team, and Jon Lester, needs to put last season officially in the rearview.
Go get yourself in front of a TV, folks. The Red Sox are back.
