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With CC Sabathia being dealt to Milwaukee and Rich Harden going to the Cubs, I feel like the Red Sox are out of the mix. When are the Sox going to make a big move? Do the Sox even need to make a big move?
This team has had its ups and downs this season, but I sort of feel like not a lot needs to be done at the trade deadline. The obvious concern at this point is a reliever. But, as we've seen in years past, there aren't many quality relievers out there for the taking. But with Justin Masterson heading to the pen, where do we sit? Personally I think, although it's been ugly out there, all the pitchers will level out and start pitching like we're used to seeing. And if that's true, we're in good shape.
Do we need a starter? I don't think so. We have our obvious starters, plus a lot of good arms in the minors like Michael Bowden, David Pauley, Charlie Zink (YES!) and if we really run into trouble we can put Masterson back into the rotation.
If we're focusing on the lineup, the only position we could really replace would be Julio Lugo at shortstop (we're not moving Captain, got it?). And you all know my thoughts on who should be Boston's shortstop.
I like our bench, too. Sean Casey is solid and I've been pleasantly surprised with Kevin Cash's work behind the plate and swinging the bat. He hasn't been great, but he could be a lot worse.
Part of me feels like this year's trade deadline will be a lot like last year's, minus that whole Eric Gagne fiasco (which, I still say, was a good trade at the time and, had he been good, we would have won the World Series ... oh, wait). Do we really need to make a splash? I don't think so, but we could.