ARLINGTON, Tex. – The Boston Red Sox are loaded with stars, but they plan to utilize their depth as well.

“We’ve told the guys, we have guys like Jed Lowrie, Mike Cameron and Darnell McDonald, and we plan on using them,” manager Terry Francona said as the 2011 season got underway.

On paper, the Red Sox lineup is set. Only right field might lend itself to platooning, and despite using Cameron in Friday’s opener, Francona still considers J. D. Drew the starter.

He has no plans to platoon David Ortiz, whose first home run Friday cama against Darren Oliver, a left-hander.

So where does that leave time for his four non-starting position players? Baseball has a way of answering that question.

It came up last spring with utilityman Bill Hall, who eneterd the season without a position but was capable of playing six.

Hall wound up collecting 382 plate appearances in 2010. That was more than he had logged in 2009 with Milwaukee and Seattle.

Hall hit 18 home runs last year, the second highest total of his career. He is now the second baseman for Houston.

This year’s version of Hall is Jed Lowrie, who does not play the outfield (as Hall did), but will be used at all four infield spots.

Lowrie is the backup to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who played in 643 of San Diego’s 648 games from 2007 to 2010.

Gonzalez hopes to play every game this year, but he is coming off shoulder surgery and may need a break.

So might shortstop Marco Scutaro, who played 150 games despite his own shoulder problems.

The other infielders are Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. They play so hard that Francona looks for occasional days off, giving their banged-up bodies a break.

McDonald can play anywhere in the outfield. In 14 pro seasons, this is the second time he has opened on a major league roster.

The other came with Cincinnati in 2009.

He came to Boston from Pawtucket on April 20 last year, unknown to the public, and homered in his first two games.

Prior to last year, McDonald had played 68 major league games. He played 117 last year, hit .270 and became part of the club’s 2011 plans.

“I feel like I’m living a dream, man. This is the most fun I’ve had in my professional career,’ McDonald, 32, told media.

“I worked hard for a long time to have this opportunity,.”

When Francona announced that Cameron would start in the opener, Cameron and Drew were asked about it.

Each inserted McDonald’s name into the mix as a player who would also be a factor.

The backup catcher is Jason Varitek, who turns 39 on April 11. Francona was asked how much of a workload he can handle.

“If we have to find out, something went wrong,” Francona said.

The Red Sox see Varitek as more than just an ordinary backup. As long as his starts come by the team’s choice, and not by injury to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the Red Sox think Varitek can hold up.

“People talk about him retiring, but he wants to play. It’s been a blessing for us,” Francona said.

Francona likes getting everyone into the action quickly. Even in the early games, before players might need a day of rest, it’s likely everyone will get a chance.

The manager’s standing in the clubhouse makes bench use a non-issue because it’s used as strategy, not punishment.

“I think Terry is right up there with the best (managers),” Drew said.

“He never questions a player’s status. You can go to him with a problem, and you won’t get negative feedback.

“That’s important with a lot of players these days. Some guys need more pushing, some guys less.”

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HOUSTON — Mike Cameron will draw the opening day start in right field for the Boston Red Sox Friday against the Texas Rangers, manager Terry Francona announced Thursday morning.

The right-handed hitting Cameron will play instead of J.D. Drew, in a concession by Francona to the presence of left-hander C.J. Wilson on the mound for the Rangers.

Wilson held left-handed hitters to a .144 average last season, the lowest for a starting pitcher (minimum 150 innings) in the past 35 seasons. Drew is 1 for 6 in his career against Wilson, but he is not alone among Red Sox hitters who have struggled against the southpaw.

Newcomer Carl Crawford, who also bats from the left side, is 2 for 15 (.133), and David Ortiz is 1 for 10 (.100). Drew was in the opening day lineup three times in his first four seasons with the Red Sox. He missed in 2008 because of back spasms. Brandon Moss played right field in his place.

“This is not a platoon,” Francona said. “J.D. knows that.”

Here’s Friday’s lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

3. Carl Crawford, LF

4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B

5. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

6. David Ortiz, DH

7. Mike Cameron, RF

8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

9. Marco Scutaro, SS

SP — Jon Lester, LHP

Scutaro, Crawford and Youkilis are the only Red Sox players with as many as two hits off Wilson. Crawford has the only home run. Youkilis has the highest average (2 for 7, .286).

Cameron is hitless in three at-bats against Wilson, with two strikeouts. Saltalamacchia is 0 for 2, while Gonzalez and Ellsbury each have faced Wilson just once, and did not get a hit.

Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.

Follow Gordon Edes on Twitter: @GordonEdes

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Published: Saturday, February 26, 2011, 9:18 PM     Updated: Saturday, February 26, 2011, 9:23 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the leadoff spot in Boston’s lineup to help the Red Sox beat Northeastern University 13-2 on Saturday night in the second game of an exhibition doubleheader.

Ellsbury, who missed all but 18 games last season because of broken ribs, went 0 for 1 with a walk as the Red Sox swept the twin bill after a 6-0 win over Boston College earlier Saturday.

“It felt good getting out there and getting some at-bats in and some innings,” Ellsbury said. “I feel good. I feel actually ahead of schedule than normal spring training. So I think everything’s going along smoothly.”

Ellsbury said he felt no hesitation in the field or at the plate.

“Not at all,” he said. “That’s what we had the offseason for, is to get rid of all the hesitation, come in to spring training and just ready to be back.”

Mike Cameron, who played in only 48 games last season because of a lower abdominal strain, served as the designated hitter, going 0 for 2 for the Red Sox.

“It was nice to see them both in action,” manager Terry Francona said of Ellsbury and Cameron.

It was Cameron’s first game activity since July 30.

“It was good,” Cameron said. “You just never know how the game is going to transpire. It was good. I got a chance to get out there and get in the box. The jitters kind of went away. I don’t know if it was the guy who was throwing or what, but I felt kind of comfortable out there. We’ll continue the work in progress.”

Left-hander Rich Hill, vying for a spot in Boston’s bullpen, earned the win for the Red Sox, going one inning, giving up a run on one hit with a strikeout.

Northeastern took the lead when Ryan Maguire, of Arlington, Mass., hit the first pitch from right-hander Kyle Weiland over the left-field fence.

Shortstop Jose Iglesias, one of the top prospects in the Red Sox system, went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and three RBI.

“He took a nice swing,” Francona said. “The big thing for Jose will not be his swing. I think he’s got a pretty swing. It’s just swinging at strikes, trying to work counts and learning that aspect of it because he can hit. He can get the barrel on the ball.”

Peter Hissey and Che-Hsuan Lin also had two RBI each for the Red Sox.

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FORT MYERS — Mike Cameron has been in baseball long enough to know where he stands with the Boston Red Sox.

After he and Jeremy Hermida were signed last offseason to round out the outfield with J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury, both players were only able to turn in a combined 69 games. The Red Sox responded this offseason by signing former Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million contract.

At 38-years-old and in the final season of the two-year deal he signed with Boston, Cameron didn’t shy away from playing a role in the Red Sox wooing Crawford.

“All I did was express what the pros and cons of coming here were, and after that, it was the $142 million that got him here,” Cameron said. “There’s a brotherhood between us as baseball players, we try to take care of each other. It was his first opportunity to go in a different direction, and he just came to me for a little bit of knowledge about playing in Boston.”

Cameron downplays his influence in Crawford’s decision, but their lockers are next to each other in the clubhouse at the team’s training facility in Fort Myers. The senior outfielder doesn’t take responsibility for that, either, but isn’t too far from doing what he can to help Crawford get acclimated to his new team.

“It was probably a little by design and a little by coincidence,” Cameron said of the locker pairing. “I’m fortunate to be able to help another man get adjusted as much as possible, we all have to find a level of comfort amongst each other, and as comfortable as him and Adrian (Gonzalez) get, the easier it is to play the game, the easier it is to understand what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Crawford’s move to the deeper pockets of Boston wasn’t particularly surprising, but Tampa’s offseason has raised eyebrows after the team traded Matt Garza to the Chicago Cubs, and signed former Red Sox sluggers Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon.

“It was fun playing against those guys, but they can help the Rays now because they’re character guys,” Crawford said. “I’m sure that they’re going to have fun there, they definitely bring some experience to the team.”

The Rays still have All-Stars David Price and Evan Longoria, but will lean heavily on Ramirez and Damon to replace the pop that Crawford and first baseman Carlos Pena took with them when they left as free agents. The Rays may seem a thinner team on paper heading into this season, but Crawford still contends that they will make the American League East more than just a two-horse race with the New York Yankees.

“They have a creative front office that has done a good job of keeping the team competitive,” Crawford said. “I think that one of the biggest things that they have going for them is that they have a lot of young pitching, so they’re going to continue to be tough.”

With Crawford now in the fold, Boston’s projected lineup doesn’t seem to leave too much room for Cameron, who likely will need to develop comfort as a spot starter and pinch-hitter. It’s not difficult to see that doesn’t exactly sit well with him, but he knows what it takes to be a contributor on a team with high expectations.

“I was on a good team in 2001 — the four years that I was in Seattle we had really, really good teams but still came up short,” he said. “Having the opportunity because we have this much talent makes it easier, but at the same time it’s difficult because we all have to come together to chase the same goal.”

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FORT MYERS — Mike Cameron has been in baseball long enough to know where he stands with the Boston Red Sox.

After he and Jeremy Hermida were signed last offseason to round out the outfield with J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury, both players were only able to turn in a combined 69 games. The Red Sox responded this offseason by signing former Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million contract.

At 38-years-old and in the final season of the two-year deal he signed with Boston, Cameron didn’t shy away from playing a role in the Red Sox wooing Crawford.

“All I did was express what the pros and cons of coming here were, and after that, it was the $142 million that got him here,” Cameron said. “There’s a brotherhood between us as baseball players, we try to take care of each other. It was his first opportunity to go in a different direction, and he just came to me for a little bit of knowledge about playing in Boston.”

Cameron downplays his influence in Crawford’s decision, but their lockers are next to each other in the clubhouse at the team’s training facility in Fort Myers. The senior outfielder doesn’t take responsibility for that, either, but isn’t too far from doing what he can to help Crawford get acclimated to his new team.

“It was probably a little by design and a little by coincidence,” Cameron said of the locker pairing. “I’m fortunate to be able to help another man get adjusted as much as possible, we all have to find a level of comfort amongst each other, and as comfortable as him and Adrian (Gonzalez) get, the easier it is to play the game, the easier it is to understand what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Crawford’s move to the deeper pockets of Boston wasn’t particularly surprising, but Tampa’s offseason has raised eyebrows after the team traded Matt Garza to the Chicago Cubs, and signed former Red Sox sluggers Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon.

“It was fun playing against those guys, but they can help the Rays now because they’re character guys,” Crawford said. “I’m sure that they’re going to have fun there, they definitely bring some experience to the team.”

The Rays still have All-Stars David Price and Evan Longoria, but will lean heavily on Ramirez and Damon to replace the pop that Crawford and first baseman Carlos Pena took with them when they left as free agents. The Rays may seem a thinner team on paper heading into this season, but Crawford still contends that they will make the American League East more than just a two-horse race with the New York Yankees.

“They have a creative front office that has done a good job of keeping the team competitive,” Crawford said. “I think that one of the biggest things that they have going for them is that they have a lot of young pitching, so they’re going to continue to be tough.”

With Crawford now in the fold, Boston’s projected lineup doesn’t seem to leave too much room for Cameron, who likely will need to develop comfort as a spot starter and pinch-hitter. It’s not difficult to see that doesn’t exactly sit well with him, but he knows what it takes to be a contributor on a team with high expectations.

“I was on a good team in 2001 — the four years that I was in Seattle we had really, really good teams but still came up short,” he said. “Having the opportunity because we have this much talent makes it easier, but at the same time it’s difficult because we all have to come together to chase the same goal.”

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Jacoby Ellsbury is one of the few question marks in the Red Sox outfield. Dan Roche breaks it all down in part 2 of his 5-part “State Of The Red Sox” (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

FORT MYERS, FL (CBS)- In Part One of our annual “State of the Sox’ preview we took a look at the Red Sox infield for 2011. In Part Two, we take a look at the outfield…

Left Field

The Sox let Jason Bay go to the New York Mets following the 2009 season. Last year, they shifted Jacoby Ellsbury from center to left field while signing veteran Mike Cameron to a two-year deal to patrol center. The idea was to upgrade the defense in both places.

Maybe a good idea on paper, but it quickly fell apart due to injuries.

Ellsbury played in just 18 games due to broken ribs that never healed. Cameron gutted out 48 games with a stomach injury and had to have surgery.

So, what did Theo Epstein do for 2011? Shocked many people around the baseball world by inking free agent Carl Crawford to a 7 year, $142-million deal. Wow. The 29-year-old will be an exciting top of the line-up addition. Last season, Crawford hit .307 with 19 HRS, 90 RBI, 110 runs, 30 doubles, 13 triples, an OBP of .356, and a slugging percentage of .495. He also stole 47 bases. And, he won a Gold Glove.

Synopsis

Crawford will be a dynamic addition to the Red Sox line-up and will add above average defense. I would bat him third because I think he can drive in a ton of runs behind Ellsbury and Pedroia. He’s also heading that way as a player….more power and less stolen bases. It will take a lot of the wear and tear off his body which should help him over the long haul.

Center Field

One of the biggest question marks for the team as they hit Spring Training. Jacoby Ellsbury had as tough a year as any ballplayer can possibly have. He was limited to 18 games due to broken ribs, an injury that lingered all season long. It led to a battle between the player and the team’s medical staff. His teammates also questioned why he wasn’t with the team more during the year.

Many people thought Theo may trade him, but he’s here. If he can secure the lead-off spot in the line-up he has a chance to score 100-120 runs while stealing 50-75 bases. He should be more comfortable back in center field as well.

Synopsis

With the run-prevention experiment over, Ellsbury has the chance to settle back into his lead-off spot. He has unlimited potential and if he stays healthy, he could put up All-Star numbers.

Expect the Sox to bring him along slowly all spring making sure he is 100-percent. It would be best if he has a nice quiet camp.

Right Field

JD Drew is entering the final season of a 5 year, 70-million dollar contract. Perhaps the most controversial free agent deal Theo Epstein has handed out in his Sox tenure. Theo is a staunch defender of Drew. Last year though, was an off-year for the 35-year-old. His .255 batting average was his lowest since 2002. His .341 OBP was his lowest since 1999. And, his .452 slugging percentage was his lowest since 2007.

With that said, he still can put up good numbers if he can stay healthy. However, we’ve already heard hamstring before camp even began.

Synopsis

I am a staunch defender of Drew. He’s put up good numbers over the course of his contract. Granted, he only plays in 140 or so games, but he’s productive out of the 6-7 hole. His defense is above average, especially in hard-to-play right field at Fenway Park.

Perhaps the biggest reason why Sox fans should love Drew is the way he performs in the postseason. He had that monster grand slam in Game Six of the 2007 ALCS against Cleveland helping the Sox to win that game, series, and eventually the World Series.

My only concern with Drew is that he hit just .202 vs lefties last season. If that continues, you may see Darnell McDonald or Mike Cameron playing against LHP’s.

Bench

Darnell McDonald, Mike Cameron, Ryan Kalish, and Daniel Nava are expected to battle for two back-up outfielder jobs in 2011 for the Red Sox.

The 32-year-old McDonald was finally able to stay at the big league level for a full season. Over 117 games, McDonald was huge for the injury-depleted outfield as he hit a solid .270 with an OBP of .336 and a slugging percentage of .429. His defense was solid as well. Look for him to secure a spot.

The 38-year-old Cameron tried to play through a stomach injury, but ended up having to have surgery. He appeared in only 48 games. Biggest question is… can he stay healthy? Terry Francona loves him, so if he proves he’s ok the job should be his.

Both Nava and Kalish provided Sox fans with many thrills in their first taste of the majors. Nava’s first at-bat grand slam was one of the best moments in Sox regular season history while Kalish showed flashes of a player that could be a 30-30 guy one day down the road.

Overall — Synopsis

What was a question mark going into the 2010 season is still that in 2011, but could be a huge strength if things fall into place.

Crawford should be great in his initial Sox campaign as he knows Fenway, the AL East, and AL pitchers. There’s no reason why he can’t put up a .300 season with 15-20 HRS and 80-100 RBI, especially if he bats third in this potent line-up.

Ellsbury and Drew are question marks. If they both put up close to their average numbers then watch out. Add in McDonald, Cameron, Kalish, Nava, and perhaps JJ Reddick and you’ve got the potential for as good a 1-5 outfield as there is in the game.

Click Here To Read Part 1: The Infield

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