Bait Cutting Time?

Every year, around this time, the same discussions begin to erupt.  Who can the Sox acquire before the trade deadline to give them that final push towards the post-season.  They, along with the Yankees, are always the big buyers. The goal is to lure veteran talent from struggling squads looking to shed salary in exchange for some young prospects.

This year seems to be different.  65 games into the 2012 season, the Sox sit at the bottom of the AL East, and have struggled to stay healthy, cohesive, or consistent.  They are burdened by terrible contracts who are not producing, or even seeing the field... this year, the Sox may be selling, instead of buying.

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The 2012 edition of the Red Sox is overburdened by bad salaries, clashing egos, and unlikable personalities. They have such a log-jam in the corner infield positions that it has forced Adrian Gonzalez into the outfield, a position for which he is not suited.  The starting rotation has been wildly inconsistent, and their brightest pitching prospect, Daniel Bard, has been optioned back to Pawtucket, evidently because he forgot how to throw a baseball. 

Their most productive players have been the young prospects, and the bargain basement veterans.  Will Middlebrooks has shown that he is ready and able to play everyday, and has proven to be a far more reliable option than Kevin Youkilis at third.  Ryan Sweeney, Daniel Nava, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and even Scott Podsednik have significantly outperformed their expectations.

At this point, the Red Sox' best option may be to blow it up, acquire some new prospects, and give their existing prospects a chance to play every day.  Wouldn't you rather see Jose Iglesias, Ryan Kalish and Ryan Lavarnway eagerly playing .500 baseball rather than Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett, and Daisuke struggle to acheive the same result?

- Kevin Aherne

2012 Sox Salary Production

* $21.9 Million- A. Gonzalez:  .261, 5 HR, 35 RBI
* $19.5 Million- C. Crawford: DL, 0 AB in 2012
* $17.0 Million- J. Beckett: DL, 4-7, 4.14 ERA
* $15.9 Million- J. Lackey: DL, 0 IP in 2012
* $12.3 Million- K. Youkilis: .211, 4 HR, 13 RBI
* $10.4 Million- D. Matsuzaka: 0-2, 11 IP in 2012
* $8.3 Million- D. Pedroia: .265, 5 HR, 25 RBI 
* $8.1 Million- J. Ellsbury: DL, 7 GP in 2012
* $7.6 Million- J. Lester: 4-4, 4.53 ERA