Of course, you can never have enough pitching.

With the addition of Takashi Saito, Boston now has 6-8 starters and 10 relievers.

How will the Red Sox be able to hold onto everyone? They can't. But a little depth heading into spring training doesn't hurt.

For starters, Boston appears set.

The rotation goes:

Josh Beckett
Jon Lester
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Brad Penny
Tim Wakefield

John Smoltz begins the season on the DL (he underwent right shoulder surgery last summer), and both Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden will head to Pawtucket.

It gets interesting when Smoltz is ready to go after a month or two. Unless an injury makes room for him, the Sox have a decision on their hands.

And what if Buchholz and/or Bowden are dominating Triple-A?

Good problem to have.

The bullpen is crowded:

RETURNING
Jonathan Papelbon
Justin Masterson
Hideki Okajima
Manny Delcarmen
Javier Lopez
David Aardsma
NEW
Ramon Ramirez, via trade with Kansas City (Coco Crisp)
Wes Littleton, vis trade with Texas (Beau Vaughan)
Saito, free agent
Miguel Gonzalez, via Rule V draft pick (from Angels)

Assuming Masterson remains a reliever, the locks appear to be Papelbon, Masterson, Okajima, Delcarmen, Ramirez and Saito.

That leaves four pitchers for one remaining spot:

Gonzalez, who never pitched higher than Double A, will really have to stand out in spring training. He must make the 25-man roster or be returned to the Angels.

Littleton has a career 3.69 ERA in the majors (80 games). He spent most of 2008 in Triple-A and cannot be returned to the minors without clearing waivers.

Aardsma made 47 appearances for Boston (49 K, 35 BB, 5.55 ERA) and needs a dynamite spring.

Lopez appears the favorite to retain his spot. He compiled a 2.43 ERA in 70 games (59 1/3 innings). But Lopez was the lefty specialist, which is a role Okajima could assume. Lefties batted .184 against Okajima, and .238 vs. Lopez.

As for the rest of the roster:

Catchers: TBA, Josh Bard
Infield: Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jed Lowrie, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo and Mark Kotsay.
Outfield: Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Rocco Baldelli
DH: David Ortiz.

Now about that catching vacancy ...

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