Don't touch...this team is EXTREMELY fragile
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by user MegECass110
So the Red Sox are known for always being active at the trade deadline. This year, things may or may not be different from the past. Personally, I love this team to death. I really do. I don't want Theo to do anything stupid, like make a trade for the sake of making a trade. I know there are some holes, and if we can fix them, that'd be great. But honestly, I don't see too many things that need fixing, or could be fixed with a trade.
My biggest beef is at shortstop. Everyone's been saying all year, "Lugo will heat up, Lugo will heat up...right?" It hasn't happened, and all indications are that it won't. I don't know what it is, but the shortstop position has been a thorn in the organization's side ever since Nomar left.
Orlando Cabrera should be playing shortstop for this team right now. If we could trade for anyone, I'd trade for him. He was such a great spark the second half of 2004 and he looked he was having more fun than anyone else on the team. But he left Boston for LA (this never should have happened).
Boston proceeded to use three different shortstops over the next three years, choosing not to resign any of them. Jed Lowrie, their first round draft choice from 2005, is in AA but isn't expected to be ready until 2009. I hope Lugo can wake up or they start Alex Cora more often.
But, like I said, I really like the way this team is built for the stretch run. Injuries aside, things are looking good for a run in the postseason. The top ten reasons why I like their chances:
10. Solid off the bench: Cora, Ellsbury, Hinske, and Pena have all accepted their roles and have not hurt the team when they have played (they may not help, but they don't hurt, that's the key).
9. The defense: Once 12th in the league, they're now up to 5th. It's been over 100 games since Coco Crisp made an error. Yum-o.
8. Star power: Six All-Stars. This town LOVES these guys.
7. The whole lineup: With the exception of Lugo, everyone is hitting over .260, and the team average is .273. That's decent.
6. The back of the bullpen: I firmly believe I played a significant role in Hideki Okajima going to the All-Star game, and Jonathan Papelbon is one BAMF (if you don't know what this means, you can probably figure it out).
5. Give me one team who wants to see this in the postseason: Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka. Good golly.
4. Youth: Youk's 28, Beckett's 27, Dice-K and Papelbon are 26, and Pedroia's 24. These guys will be revved up and ready to go in October.
3. The least number of Manny-being-Manny moments in a very long time, i.e. it seems like he's going 100% more than ever (which is weird, because his numbers are down).
2. Luck. Hardy anyone on this team has been hurt, and if they have, they've fought their war through any tough stretch.
1. Joshua. Patrick. Beckett. The Red Sox Love of My Life for 2007 (This status was briefly threatened by Jacoby Ellsbury, but I couldn't make a fourth outfielder the Love of My Life. Yet.).
Bottom line? I don't want to risk the future, I don't want to risk the now, I like things the way they are. The only guy I kind of want besides OC is Mark Buehrle, and that's only if Schilling is out until the end of July. So don't trade Jon Lester, don't trade Clay Bucholz, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don't trade Jacoby Ellsbury. But feel free to trade Lugo.
