The July 31st trade deadline is approximately 7 weeks away. The Red Sox are currently in last place in the AL East, 2 games below .500, 6.5 games back in the division, and 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race. Yes, 6.5 and 5.5 games out of a playoff race with 100 games left of the season, making the playoffs seems very possible. However, with 5 teams above them in the Wild Card Race, 4 teams above them in the division, things may not be as possible as they seem.
There’s been a lot of discussion in the Red Sox circuits about whether or not the Sox will be buyers or sellers come July 31st. The name that keeps being brought up in the trade whisperings in Kevin Youkilis. I think it’s pretty fair to say that Youkilis’s days as a member of the Red Sox are numbered. Though, his stats aren’t impressive (.219 BA, .303 OBP, 4 HR, 13 RBIs), and it’s already been reported that scouts from other teams aren’t impressed with him and the Sox are asking too much.
The Red Sox need to move Youkilis to allow Will Middlebrooks to play everyday. He’s been one of the brightest sparks on the Sox this year, and he needs to play everyday to get used to the Majors and to get his bat in the line-up. Could Youkilis be packaged with another player to bring in a legitimate starter? It doesn’t look like Bard is going to be back as a starter anytime soon as he surrendered a run in relief the other night. Or, could Youkilis be traded for prospects? Which would benefit this club the best?
I’m really on the fence with whether or not I want the Red Sox organization to throw in the towel this early in the season, but I don’t know if the Sox have a real shot at the playoffs. Besides that, making the playoffs wouldn’t really be the much of an accomplishment, as the Sox have not won a playoff game since 2008. The Sox need to start winning and being a dominate club, get the fans excited to go to the games (besides the fans that live and breath the Sox, much like myself), and start to have the baseball analysts discuss good aspects of the team rather than the bad.
Next year, I think we’ll see a team with Lavarnway behind the plate, possibly as a back- up catcher to Saltalamacchia who will teach Lavarnway the ropes like Varitek did for him. Jose Iglesias will be the starting shortstop; the Sox really need an anchor in that position. For years, shortstop has been a non-stop revolving door. Middlebrooks will be at third base, and Ryan Kalish will be the starting right-fielder. Until then, what the Red Sox do with their players is a big question mark.
The Sox need to get younger; and to do that, they need to get rid of their older players. There are some players that I feel are untouchable, besides the up-and-comers I’ve already mentioned: Pedroia, Ortiz, Gonzalez, Crawford, Beckett, and Lester. Pedroia and Ortiz are the heart-and-soul of the Red Sox, in my opinion. Pedroia is the unofficial captain, and Ortiz has already said he wants to retire with the Red Sox after next year. Red Sox- let him. He’s done more for this organization than any other player on the team (besides possibly Pedroia). Crawford and Gonzalez’s contracts are too much and too early into them to trade either; and besides that, Crawford is currently on the DL. Beckett has 10/5 rights and would need to approve any trade, which I don’t think he’d do. Also, I think Beckett’s more of a leader in the clubhouse than he gets credit. The Boston Globe today stated how Beckett taught Buchholz a split-finger fastball before Buchholz’s start on May 16th against the Rays and it’s been working for Buchholz. Lester, while struggling as of late, has been the Sox’s most consistent pitcher the past few years.
With those players mentioned, Ellsbury, Bailey, Lackey, Jenks, Hill, Cook, and possibly Ross are all virtually unmovable because of currently being on the disabled list. Ross is supposed to start a rehab stint this weekend, so he should be back soon. The others are all basically stuck in limbo at the moment.
Players with the most trade value, in my opinion: Sweeney, Saltalamacchia, Nava, Podsednik, Aviles, Doubront, Buchholz, and really anyone in the bullpen. I don’t think the Sox will trade Buchholz, since he’s been pitching well, and they need pitching. I really doubt the Sox will trade Salty, since he’s been outstanding for the team this year and is still relatively young. As much as I don’t want to see them go, Sweeney and Aviles are the key candidates here and could really bring back the most for the Sox, again in my opinion. If the Sox are really wanting to make a go at it this year, Sweeney would be the logical one to part with, as he’s a left-handed outfielder and the team has a plethora
of outfielders at the moment.
The other trade candidates would be: McDonald, Punto, Shoppach, and Matsuzaka. If the Sox trade Matsuzaka, it would be the ultimate admission that the money the organization spent on him was a waste (in my opinion, it was). The other three are dispensable, unfortunately.
The Red Sox have some tough choices to make in the next few weeks. I’m sure much of their decisions will be hindered by which players finally make it off the disabled list, and of those players, who makes a difference (positively) on the team. This is for sure, the Red Sox team we see take the field tonight will not be the same Red Sox team we see take the field in two months.
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