The roster has undergone an extreme makeover since last year, but don't expect the transformation to end with the opening pitch.

01:00 AM EST on Sunday, April 2, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA -- When the 2006 Red Sox open the season in Texas tomorrow, they'll be hardly recognizable. That's largely by design.

From the end of last season, when the club enjoyed its fourth straight 90-plus win season and third consecutive postseason appearance, the Red Sox have entirely remade their infield, added a potential front-of-the-rotation starter, changed their center fielder (and leadoff hitter) and gutted their set-up relief corps.

Gone are recent mainstays (Kevin Millar, Johnny Damon and Bill Mueller). Here are critical new additions (Coco Crisp, Josh Beckett, Mark Loretta). Kevin Youkilis has moved from one side of the infield to the other.

Of the 25 players set for the Opening Day roster -- including the suspended Julian Tavarez -- 11 were not with the club at all last season. Go back to the 2004 World Series, and only nine players remain.

In just over 18 months, then, almost two-thirds of the roster has been completely turned over.

And the transition isn't complete. Before this season is out, it's expected that the Sox will begin to integrate numerous young players, including infielder Dustin Pedroia and pitchers Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen and Jon Lester.

The 2006 Red Sox are trying to do two things at once -- win and change. It's a delicate balancing act, and given the age of their pitching staff -- two pitchers are over 40, two others are 39 -- they may be more dependent on good health than most clubs.

Offensively, the Sox remain a powerhouse. In each of the last three seasons, the Sox have led the majors in runs scored. The Yankees are a threat to bring that streak to an end, but the Sox won't lack for thump.

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz remain the most potent 3-4 combination in the game. Crisp, who assumes Johnny Damon's responsibilities in center and leadoff, must get on base as a table-setter. In newcomer Mark Loretta, the Sox may have their most accomplished No. 2 hitter in a decade.

It will be incumbent upon Trot Nixon (172 games played combined in the last two seasons) to remain healthy to provide protection for Ramirez. Nixon averaged just under 90 RBI from 2001-2003; if he can return to that form, the lineup will be that much more formidable.

If the lineup isn't quite as prolific as the last few seasons, the Sox may more than make up for the dropoff with better defense, particularly in the infield.

Mike Lowell's bat may have slowed, but he remains an asset with the glove at third. Likewise, Alex Gonzalez will represent a significant upgrade over Edgar Renteria, who last season led all major-league shortstops with 30 errors.

Veteran J.T. Snow, who has captured six Gold Gloves at first, will come off the bench in the late innings for Youkilis and earn occasional starts at the position.

Crisp, who had gotten into some bad habits throwing last year, is expected to cover at least as much ground in center as his predecessor.

The rotation is experienced, though age could become problematic over 162 games. Of the five starters, only Beckett is under 30, and he's not without health issues. Shoulder woes and persistent blisters have limited his durability -- he's never thrown as many as 180 innings in a single season -- but there's little doubt about his stuff. Some scouts said he was as good as any starter in Florida this spring.

Curt Schilling enters the season as the Opening Day starter, and nominally anyway, the team's ace. But even Schilling, after the nightmare of last season, is unsure what he can provide.

"Until you go out there and it counts," he acknowledged last week, "you can think all you want. I'm human. I want to see myself get it done."

Tim Wakefield and David Wells are veteran warriors. The wild card may be Matt Clement, who has rediscovered his sinker and is intent on having his finest season. But how many pitchers blossom at 32?

The bullpen appears to have been upgraded appreciably, with David Riske, Rudy Seanez and Tavarez joining the venerable Mike Timlin and the young Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon could be a key, since he gives the Sox a late-inning power arm they've lacked since Scott Williamson was healthy in 2003.

For all the upgrades made in the set-up personnel, the season may hinge on the effectiveness of closer Keith Foulke. Foulke's body language, health and changeup are much improved over last year, but he must successfully spot his fastball to be the weapon he was in 2004.

Should Foulke fail, the only other in-house option will be Papelbon, who has the requisite makeup and the dominant stuff.

The bench is able, with Wily Mo Pena set to platoon in right with Nixon, and Alex Cora returning as a reliable utility infielder. Snow, backup catcher Josh Bard and World Baseball Classic breakout star Adam Stern round out the reserves, with Stern ticketed for Pawtucket once his 17-day stint satisfies Rule V requirements.

The division -- a two-team race for the last eight seasons, has become more competitive, with Toronto poised to compete with the Red Sox and Yankees.

If Lester continues to develop as expected, he may allow the Sox to deal from an excess of pitching midyear to fill other holes. For a team in a near-constant state of evolution, change is inevitable.

It's what the Red Sox do along the way that will prove fascinating.

smcadam@projo.com / (401) 277-7340