What Would You Do?

I’m going to play along with you for a minute. I don’t agree with you, but let’s pretend a change needs to be made with the Red Sox. Right now, to save the season.

What would you do?

Actually, the better question might be, what would you do next?

I see lots of opinions out there. Blow the team up! Hanley needs to go. They need a bat. All of those flood twitter…usually right after the team leaves a few men on base.

So, let’s pretend that one of those is your plan. What do you do next?

After you “blow the team up” or trade your clean-up hitter. What’s your plan to actually improve the team from there? And don’t give me “that’s not my job, it’s up to Ben.” If you’re telling him how to do half his job, you need to finish it.

Well?

Which player on the offense do you move? Personally, I’ve been begging them to trade Pedroia for years. But, whenever I suggest it, I’m attacked like I’m suggesting pulling the eyelashes off kittens. So, I’ll assume that he’s still off limits. Is Swihart killing the team? He’s certainly underperforming. But, he’s so young. You’re certainly not going to trade him. But…you could bench him certainly. He wasn’t supposed to be with the team yet anyway. You could drop Leon, move Swihart to the back-up and get an offensive catcher to play most of the time. Someone like…umm…yeah…him. Guess that’s not going to work.

OK…first base. Yes. You could trade Napolil. That might even make sense since he’s in the last year of his contract. Fine. Who are you trading him for? Or, more to the point, who are you replacing him with? One of your extra outfielders that weren’t good enough to play for you in the outfield? That doesn’t seem like a good plan. Are you replacing him with a minor league first baseman? Don’t think the Sox have any of those ready to go. So, you’re going to need a first baseman from outside the organization. This first baseman needs to be both available, and better than what you hope to get from Napoli.

Who’s on your list?

Oh, sure Napoli’s not hitting well at the moment. But, do you expect that to change? Then you need to trade for something better than what you think he might be. Or, do you think he’s going to hit .202 the rest of the year? In that case, what are you replacing him with? Someone hitting .210? .260? Is that worth it to you? Are you so sure Napoli won’t hit that you’re dumping him for an average player?

Have that same discussion about the rest of the team. Who are you so eager to get rid of? Who are you getting in their place?

Different isn’t always better. If you’re plan is to just be “different,” that’s not a plan.

If you have “better” ideas, let’s hear them.