The Over The Monster Podcast - Episode 57 - The Deadline Looms

The Red Sox are heading into a vital run of the season, one in which it doesn't stretch the truth to say could easily define the fate of the season and thus affect the franchise for years to come. That's a lot of weight to put on two weeks of baseball for a 43-43 team, but that's the situation the Red Sox find themselves in. Joining me (Matt Kory) to discuss this most wondrous of times in Red Sox land is Chip Buck, editor supreme of Fire Brand of the American League, the Red Sox blog on ESPN's Sweet Spot Network.

Chip and I discuss how the Red Sox got to where they are now (injuries and under-performance) and then look ahead to the second half though really mostly to the trade deadline where the team's fortunes will be sealed for better or worse. Along the way we hit on Carl Crawford and the left field situation, the pitching staff, the best players to trade (if indeed a trade is called for) and the future of Jacoby Ellsbury. There's probably other stuff too, but it's late and I'm tired.

As to the recording, at a certain point down the line Skype which is normally an excellent service, decided it would be fun if my voice was repeated back to me a split second after I said it. This is quite literally disorienting and I'm sorry to say while I was able to remove most of the actual noise itself (though some of it is audible) that disorientation comes through. So, if this is your first OTM Podcast, or even if it isn't, I hope you'll grant us a pass on this particular issue.

You can subscribe to and/or download the podcast at iTunes and/or listen and/or download at our hosting site, Podomatic. Email us with media inquires and marriage proposals at OTMPodcast@gmail.com. Thanks as always to Chip Buck for jumping in and providing excellent analysis with very little notice. Thanks also to Kahoots, the official band of the OTM Podcast, and of course thanks to you for listening.