a700hitter

Smoltz and Dice K have a combined ERA over 7.

If they sit back and do nothing, this team could head the way of the 2006 team. They have fallen from first place much earlier than that team, and many thought the 2006 team to be a beast even as it showed signs of crumbling. This team has a thin weak bench as did that team. But that team had two offensive monsters-- Ortiz and Manny. By the time Manny quit on the team that year, the team was already in a death spiral. Management did nothing and the 2006 team collapsed. Some people want to say that they were right to do nothing and point to 2007. That's faulty logic. 2007 did not result from the fact that the FO made no moves to help the team in 2006. 2007 resulted from 3 very costly off season acquisitions and the emergence of Dustin Pedroia. I was of the posters on this site who warned of the 2006 collapse early on, and I was met with all sorts of derision. This team is at a crossroads. If they do nothing, IMO, it is unlikely that they will overtake the Yankees, and they could slip out of playoff contention altogether. What they do in the next week will go a long way towards determining the fate of the 2009 team.

I think we have seen enough of Smoltz. We got 1 win out of him for $5 million. I wish Atlanta hadn't made an insulting offer and kept him. It was obvious from his last start that he has nothing left. He gave up three gargantuan homers in one inning. His days of dominating are ovah. Unfortunately, if the Red Sox don't make a trade,they have few options other than to keep him in the rotation. Penny, who was the 5th starter at the beginning of the season is currently the #3 starter behind Beckett and Lester. Wakefield doesn't have a target return date and he probably misses a couple of more starts. Dice K will not return any earlier than September, and that may be too late for this team. Buchholz is a green kid who has proved nothing and he can't seem to pitch beyond 4 or 5 innings. For all the depth that some thought they had a few weeks ago, it is becoming obvious that this starting rotation needs help. Wakefield can help, but if the team weathers this period and still advances to the playoffs, they only have two pitchers who am comfortable with the ball-- Beckett and Lester. I don't think that will be enough.

They would be scouting Wells or Rios only as part of a Halladay deal.

Our bullpen guys are good. They are being overworked. If you get Woods, that would not alleviate the problem, because they would have to send down or cut a pitcher. The only guy in the pen with options is Bard and possibly Masterson. Bouncing them back and forth is not going to alleviate the overwork issue. But he stinks. He did very well early, but he is crashing back to earth. He is a utility guy.

People are clamoring for Jack Wilson? Jack Wilson is a superior fielding SS while Scutaro is not, but I haven't noticed any clamoring for Wilson.

Scutaro? Betancourt? Scutaro is a cheap player who has over-performed this season, but he is little more than a utility player. Betancourt stinks. Woods? Why would they be looking at another bullpen piece? I agree with Cafardo that the Sox are there to scout Halladay and Lee.

The main focus of my post was the need for pitching. I was just noting the irony that Damon is outperforming all of our OFers. I wasn't revisiting the merits of whether the Sox should have let him walk. According to Nick Cafardo's article today, the Red Sox are scouting the Guardians - Blue Jays series. I don't think they are looking at VMart or Overbay after acquiring La Roche. I think they have to be considering Lee and Halladay. There has been some talk that the Yankees would take on Wells contract to get the deal done, but with our offense needing a jolt, maybe we should consider taking him on. He is as good a fielder as anyone and he is a power threat. He's not too old. He could turn out to be a surprise like Lowell in the Beckett deal. Taking on Wells might drop the price for Halladay prospect-wise.

How ironic that Johnny Damon is more productive than all of our OFers right now. We are missing a catalyst at the top of the order and that is hurting Youk, Ortiz and Bay.

The wheels are starting to wobble.

They should shoot him in the clubhouse right after the game.

You've got to be kidding me. They are making this chump look like Jim Palmer.

I didn't think you were so anti-Halladay.

Let's pop this puss pimple of a pitcher. This guy stinks.

Why are you so anti-Halladay?

Buchholz's pitch count is high. This will probably be a 5 inning outing.

The Curse of Johnny D?

Thank goodness for Nick green. He comes through when you need him the most.

It would be nice for the Sox to put up a crooked # against this puke.

Are we collecting big lumbering left hand batting doofuses?

Kotsay will get released. This is decent insurance for the cost of a couple of bags of balls. Still need some offense in the OF and a pitcher that can go deep into games. Cliff Lee maybe?

In 2006 the Sox didn't fall out of first place until the first week of August.

I think we need an OF that can get on base and drive in runs. Two-thirds (Ellsbury and Drew) of our OF is useless offensively and the othe rguy is slumping badly.

Drew is getting into "bench his ass" territory, but we don't have an OF to take his place. Baldelli can't play more than twice a week, and Kotsay just sucks.