It really does seem Tracy is more interested in bringing Story, Anthony and (maybe even) IKF up to speed. And also in not burning up his staff.
The chances of passing the Yankees are almost nil. The chances of either Cleveland or Chicago passing Boston are pretty slim (although Cleveland, with 3 games left vs Boston, has the significantly better shot), and really, not exactly disastrous. And the chances of the Sox falling completely out of the postseason are extremely low as well. So what exactly are they playing for?