Sox Could Look Very Different Before Long

One gets a sense this Red Sox team may look very different come August 1 - the day after the trading deadline. Or, perhaps, big moves will happen before the All-Star break in mid-July.

Certainly, it's hard to imagine the Red Sox leaving David Ortiz in his role as designated hitter much longer - especially if he does not improve in June. In fact, I think it he keeps struggling this month, either he'll be put on the disabled list (DL) or the team and Ortiz will somehow come up with some response that allows him to practice his hitting or weigh his future.

If Ortiz himself feels he's healthy, but, unable to make progress by July, I would not be shocked if he retired from baseball. I doubt this will happen right away and I hope, obviously, he starts hitting again. I think he'd go on the DL for a while to give himself a last opportunity before he quit, but, if that didn't work, what could he do? I think Ortiz, unlike other players, has so much pride that he'd choose to take himself out earlier rather than later. Who knows?

The shortstop position remains a source of uncertaintly. Will Jed Lowrie be strong enough and good enough - coming back after his injury - to stay there until the end of the year? Will Lugo and Green keep platooning - and performing in mediocre fashion - until Lowrie's return or will Theo Epstein go get another shortstop, perhaps to play temporarily? I think they can survive until Lowrie returns without a move.

Meanwhile, the overall hole on the team, in my view, is in its hitting. When they face a half-decent pitcher, their hitting can become spotty and erratic very quickly. Youkilis and Pedroia are likely to be steady, but I think Bay and Lowell are likely to have a few ups and downs. Varitek is unlikely to belt as many home runs. Drew is having a poor year so are, and, seems generally over-rated -- as many claimed when he arrived in Boston. Ellsbury has been good, but is still developing his ability to hit breaking stuff - He's better-suited -- at least facing some pitchers - for the bottom of the line-up, where Francona just moved him.

My point here is the Red Sox need more hitting - more contact hitting and more power. It'd be great to get a guy like Mark Texeira who can do both. They can't beat the Yankees, with their All-Star lineup of hitters without Ortiz being himself - and without Manny. Think about it: The Sox, who used to split with the Yankees when they had Ortiz and Ramirez in the #3 & #4 spots, now have, in effect, neither - due to Ortiz's slump.

I just sense that they're about to make not one - but three or four moves before Aug. 1st. I think Brad Penny will be traded. Some juggling of the pitching rotation will be done to get Smoltz and/or Buchholz in there. I HOPE they make some moves because, so far, they've survived the first two months in the most unlikely, strange way. Their record seems better than the team has looked. As Michael Silverman wrote in today's Boston Herald, it's "somewhat of a minor miracle" that the Sox are now 29 - 22 and in 2nd place behind the New York Yankees.

If this team does NOT make a few changes, it's not hard to imagine the wheels coming off and the Sox losing ground more significantly to the Yankees.