I don't know what your problem is with minor leaguers, but it seems that you just don't like guys who are 'inexperienced' Talent has to come from somewhere, and Pauley has shown he has the pitches to get good major leaguers out, Giambi and A-rod were a combined 0-6 against him.
The Red Sox can't afford to trade young pitching right now, because nothing is getting moved for cheap or even fair. Scott Kazmir just 2 years ago got traded for Victor Zambrano. That is like trading Jon Lester for Vincente Padilla. It makes no sense at all. That is what pitching prospects are getting moved for and I think even you can grasp that Lester is at least worth more than that.
Sure, we could sell the farm and get Zito, but why? Does half a season of Barry Zito really excite anyone? I would take a guarenteed 6 years of Jon Lester over a half season of Barry Zito any day. Lester is at least worth a shot. If he isn't ready quite yet, Pauley will give us at least league average numbers this year while Lester fine tunes. That leaves only Clement as a problem in the rotation and believe it or not i think he will figure himself out at least a little bit. This is not a bad team at all. We aren't in dire circumstances. We have a good rotation a good enough pen, and a good offense to go with the best defense in the american league. We haven't yet clicked all of these things together, but we will. Our rotation hasn't been so great the past couple times through, the pen is a little thin with Timlin having the tired arm and Foulke the bad back, but Hansen is up and those guys are coming back. We have been under achieving and still are only .5 games back on the Yankees. We could surge and change that.
We can afford to give Lester a shot. Don't be surprised if you once again have to put your foot in your mouth, 700. He might struggle, but who knows, he might light the rangers up. Lester has adjusted to every level he has been moved up to. He is no longer struggling in AAA. If you haven't checked it recently take a guess what his ERA is, 700. Ready? 2.70 including all of his balooned numbers from the get-go.