1. Jacoby Ellsbury. This is one of the 1989 Bowman is Back inserts from 2014. I will always appreciate Ellsbury for being Boston's first 30/30 man and setting the team record for stolen bases in a season. I just wish he had been healthier and had not missed so much time in 2010 and 2012 or he might have set the career stolen base record. That record is held by Harry Hooper with 300. Ellsbury had 241. He was a rare Red Sox player blessed with speed.
2. Jackie Bradley Jr. I love this photo of JBJ laying all out to catch a ball. Bradley is expected to be Boston's starting center-fielder this season and he is terrific defensively. He also had a very impressive month at one point last year. Hopefully he can be at least an average hitter, his defense will make him a very valuable player.
3. Craig Breslow. Breslow has not caught on with another team yet after struggling for the last two seasons. He is a left-handed reliever so he should be able to find some work somewhere. If he does not return to Boston, his performance in the ALDS and ALCS in 2013 will always stick out in my mind.
4. Brock Holt. Holt is one of my favorite players because of his versatility and durability. He hit for the cycle in a game last year, becoming the first Red Sox player to do so since 1996 when John Valentin did it. Holt was also Boston's only All Star last year. He is not likely to repeat that as utility players frequently don't make All Star teams.
5. Alfredo Aceves. I love this photo too. It is not as clear with this card as the base card. But Aceves has just converted a save and is celebrating with catcher Kelly Shoppach. Aceves lead the team in saves in 2012 with 25.
6. Ted Williams. This is the Rarities insert and I apologize that it can't really be seen that well. This card celebrates his home run in his final at-bat in 1960.
7. Ted Williams. And this card celebrates the 530 foot home run he hit to right field that broke a spectator's straw hat.
8. David Ortiz. Ortiz is entering what is likely to be his final season of his career. It has been a hell of a career. He has been responsible for a lot of my favorite moments in Red Sox history: Game 3 of the ALDS in 2004, Game 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS, Game of the 2013 ALCS, and the 2013 World Series when he was unstoppable. Ortiz will be missed.
9. Rusney Castillo. This is apparently a short-printed variation. I did not even know there were such things in last year's Diamond Kings set.
10. Christian Vazquez. He is coming back from Tommy John surgery and will hopefully be ready to step back into the Major League club. He is a terrific defensive catcher, something Boston does not have too often.
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