You're the Red Sox, with Curt Schilling poised to come back from the DL, and a minor league with pitching strength. Do you try to get another bat, preferably right-handed power, or do you live with what you've got?
Let's presume that you're not going to do anything major with your position players. That's probably a fair presumption, because your most valuable commodities are low-salaried players, guys like Youkilis, Pedroia, and Coco Crisp.
You have three major pitching talents in the minors, Clay Buchholz who fanned ten in five innings in his last start, Justin Masterson who has been lights out since promotion to Portland, and twenty-year old Michael Bowden who has scuffled somewhat lately, but has a high ceiling.
Jacoby Ellsbury has already been deemed virtually off the market as your top minor league position player. Jed Lowrie (shortstop) has a major league future, and the Sox seem overloaded with lefthanded outfielders like Brandon Moss and David Murphy.
What exactly is Wily Mo Pena, besides an enigma? At best he is a mediocre defensive outfielder, and offensively he has major holes and plate discipline issues, but right handed outfield power is hard to come by. Would you trade the disappointment Pena for Octavio Dotel, and what would you have to add?
Who do you really want pitching against the Yankees? Beckett, Matsuzaka, and Schilling all fit the bill, and Wakefield's struggles against New York argue for trying to bypass him.
Consistency, not talent, has plagued the Sox this season. Injury to David Ortiz shows, and Manny Ramirez hasn't been fully in gear, although he croaked a couple of tape measure shots tonight.
Problems, problems. But still in first place, and doing better than the Dow Jones Industrials lately.
Red Sox Randoms. Although not specifically the Sox, Chris Gasper was brilliant today on Globe 10.0 with Bob Ryan. Gasper showed a lot of energy, knowledge, and charisma as Ryan previewed questions about the Patriots this year. Gasper's a keeper. Amalie, how about some words on Justin Masterson and his transition from struggling at times in the bandbox at Lancaster to domination at Portland?
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