Boston Red Sox

Unless an injury occurs or a trade happens, the Boston Red Sox will have four-fifths of their starting rotation set until 2014. That is because John Lackey, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and now Josh Beckett are under team control until that year.

Yesterday, the Red Sox signed Beckett to a four-year, $68 million contract extension. The deal will pay Beckett $15.7 million from 2011-2014. Beckett also received a $5 million signing bonus.

When the deal ends, Beckett will be finishing his 14th year in the major leagues and will be 34 years old.

In an afternoon press conference at Fenway Park, the Red Sox and RHP Josh Beckett announced they have finalized a four-year, $68 million extension that will keep the right-hander in Boston through the 2014 season. The contract includes a $5 million signing bonus and annual salaries of $15.75 million per year from 2011-2014.

For those of you who might find it suspicious the deal was announced on the day AFTER Beckett was roughed up by the NY Yankees on Opening Night, there IS reason to find the timing curious, though it probably isn’t what you are thinking.

The Boston Police Department has set out in search of the body of Jason Varitek. The Red Sox catcher was last seen behind the plate of Fenway Park for the first pitch. He shortly disappeared after the toss by Pedro Martinez and was not seen in the clubhouse afterwards.

Many people speculate that Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez was behind the plate yesterday because of Varitek's absence. After all, Varitek is the better of the two catchers and is the team captain. 

He steps up to the plate with his hat tugged low on a line that meets his eyebrows.

He is shorter than the home plate umpire but he gives the impression he could care less.

Sunday night's game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees marked the beginning of the 2010 MLB regular season.

Despite the return of Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez to throw out the first pitch, the season's inaugural game was anything but a pitchers' duel.

It didn't take long for Boston's Josh Beckett to run into trouble against the stacked Bronx Bomber lineup.

Opening night, Boston Red Sox vs the New York Yankees on a beautiful 67-degree night at Fenway Park. It was a perfect setting. Red Sox ace Josh Beckett was warming up, as was Yankees ace CC Sabathia, who looked a little more portly than usual. Players laughed in the dugout, new faces donned new uniforms, and the crowd buzzed energetically. Baseball was set to begin.

And, expecting nothing less, it was a classic nail-biter between hated rivals.

The baseball season begins tonight with arguably the best rivalry in sports.  With the Red Sox and Yankees both making major changes to their team over the offseason, it's time to take a long at what differences the fans will look at this season.  With that in mind, here is a look into who made the right moves and who made the wrong moves.

Boston Red Sox

With the first game of the MLB season tonight and the full slate kicking off tomorrow, it's time for everyone to make their picks for the season.

NL East: Phillies

The Phillies are the consensus choice to win the National League East for the fourth year in a row. Roy Halladay could win 25 games with that offense backing him up. Their lineup is still one of the best in baseball, and their rotation is good enough to get them back on top of the division.

First off, I would just like to wish everybody a very happy, secular, non-denominational day of spring and painted egg collecting.

But for most of us, the most special part of this day is the first night of baseball in America.

Tonight at 8pm (or probably 9pm because of ESPN’s commercials), the New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox in what will be the first day of baseball for the 2010 season. As die-hard a hockey fan as I am, nothing feels like Opening Day baseball, especially when the fate of your team is unknown.