By Jordan Liebhaber, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer

The Sox went out with a vengeance this past off-season to acquire some depth for the roster.  Gone are Jason Bay, Billy Wagner, and Casey Kotchman.  In are Jeremy Hermida, Marco Scutaro, Ramon A. Ramirez, Boof Bonser, John Lackye, Mike Cameron, Adrian Beltre, and Bill Hall.  Below is a look at each of the new additions.

Jeremy Hermida (RF): Sox GM Theo Epstien acquired Hermida from the Florida Marlins in exchange for  minor league pitcher’s Hunter Jones and Jose Alverez.  Last year he batted .259, had 13 home runs and 47 RBI’s.  As the 11^th overall player drafted in 2002, the Marlins had high expectations for Hermida which have not yet been met.  His best season with the Fish was in 2007 when he hit for a .296 average, 18 home runs and 63 RBI’s.  Hermida will compete with Rocco Balldelli as a 4^th outfielder and right handed bat off the bench.

Marco Scutaro (SS): In the never ending merry-go-round of Red Sox shortstops, Marco Scutaro looks to fill the void left by Nomar Garciaparra back in 2004.  Since that infamous July 31 2004 trade of Garciaparra in exchange for Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera, the Red Sox have gone through shortstops Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Gonzalez, Julio Lugo, Alex Cora, Jed Lowrie and Nick Green.  Scutaro is known as a gritty player, who has good hands and some pop in his bat.  Hopefully he will provide some stability to a position which has been a question mark for the past five seasons.

Ramon A. Ramirez (P): Not to be confused with Ramon S. Ramirez, righty Ramon A. Ramirez will compete for a spot in the bullpen.  The former Cincinnati Red has pitched a total of 29.1 innings the last two seasons.  In 2009 he had a 0-0 record with a 3.65 ERA over 12.1 innings pitched.

Boof Bonser (P): Boof Bonser was traded by the Twins to the Sox for minor league pitcher Chris Province.  Bonser did not pitch last season after undergoing right shoulder surgery in the Spring of 2009. Over his first three seasons in the big leagues, Boof Bonser showed glimpses of what he can add to a team, striking out 317 in 391.2 innings.  With a loaded staff, don’t expect to see too much of Bonser unless there is a rash of injuries.

John Lackey (P): The prize of the 2010 free agent pitching class, John Lackey will compete with Jon Lester and Josh Beckett for the role of the staff ace.  Lackey is known for his fearlessness and his ability to pitch in the big game.  As a rookie in 2002 with the Los Angeles Angels, he was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series.  Last year he pitched 176.1 innings with a 11-8 record, a 3.83 ERA, and 139 strikeouts.  Lackey signed a 5 year contract worth $82.5 million, so the big Texan is coming in with big expectations.

Mike Cameron (CF):  As a 14 year veteran, Mike Cameron is revered for his Gold Glove defense, solid hitting, and leadership in the clubhouse.  Cameron will replace Jacoby Ellsbury as the everyday centerfielder (Jacoby will move to leftfield).  Last season for the Millwake Brewers, Cameron hit .250 with 24 homeruns and 70 RBI’s.

Adrian Beltre (3B):  Defensive wiz Adrian Beltre is coming off a disappointing 2009 season with the Seattle Mariners.  Last year he hit .265 with 8 home runs and 44 RBI’s.  His 2004 season in which he hit 48 home runs and 121 RBI’s was somewhat of an aberration, but it proves that this guy can hit.  Signing a one year $10 million contract with the Sox, Beltre is looking to prove he is still a star third baseman.  His defensive skills will never be in question, but after a poor year offensively last season, he has some work to do.

Bill Hall (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF): Super utility man Bill Hall can play any position on the field but pitcher and catcher.  He has also shown that he can hit.  In 2006 with the Brewers, Hall smashed 35 homeruns and 85 RBI’s.  Although he has not matched that offensive productivity over the last three seasons, he is still a proven commodity on the field.  Hall will come off the bench as a right handed bat and give any of the position players a rest when needed.

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