Daily Red Sox Links: Ryan Lavarnway, Will Middlebrooks, Josh Beckett

So I write an article about the reasons Red Sox fans should be optimistic about the rest of the season and the Red Sox, clearly after reading my article, decide to go out and disprove me on the field. Because, as I'm sure you're all aware, this is about me.

While last night's no-show performance isn't helping the Sox in the standings, Boston does find themselves in a good position in at least one regard: they have an abundance of catchers. With Daniel Nava hitting the DL with a wrist injury (fortuitously timed considering the DL is the first thing Nava has hit in about a month), the Red Sox called up Ryan Lavarnway. Lavarnway found himself in the starting lineup of last night's game, and not as a DH either. But now the conundrum: what do the Red Sox do with three catchers? (Alex Speier; WEEI.com)

The Sox have a few guys in the minors who are, as the kids say, "playing baseball." Some of them are "playing baseball" well. Others, not so well with the playing of the baseball. Mike Andrews of Sox Prospects has the details. (Mike Andrews; ESPN Boston)

Can Will Middlebrooks keep producing like this if he keeps playing like this? Well... maybe? (Jack Moore; Fan Graphs)

So, thank your stars that dumb deadline stuff is over with, right? Well, no, not really. The non-waiver deadline may have passed but the waiver deadline is still to come. And that means more trades. More delicious wonderful trades. Who could be dealt? How about Cliff Lee for starters. Want more? Joe Sheehan has more names for you. (Joe Sheehan; SI.com)

Was booing Josh Beckett after his back locked up on him something worth doing? Well, no. Not at all. Really classless. That's my opinion. Here is Peter Abraham with a more measured look at it. (Peter Abraham; The Boston Globe)

Ever dreamed of walking into an old house, opening a dusty box, rooting through some old newspapers and finding baseball nirvana? Tons of old baseball cards worth tons of money, just sitting there, waiting for you. Well, that's just a dream. But this is real. (Associated Press; SI.com)

If you like good writing, you probably know Josh Wilker and his Cardboard Gods. Here's Mr. Wilker on Dave Roberts. No, sorry, not that Dave Roberts. A different Dave Roberts. (Josh Wilker; The Classical)

As fans, we put a lot of thought and effort into the trade deadline. Did the Red Sox do well? Did the do poorly? The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of deals don't end up making any difference at all. Then there are those rare deals that really do matter. They matter so much they swing an entire pennant race. Here are seven deals who's impact on the post-deadline period and the post-season was huge (including a current Red Sox player and a deal you'd probably rather forget). (Baseball Prospectus Staff; Baseball Prospectus (free))

This is confusing but really interesting. Really. (Dan Lependorf; The Hardball Times)