Do the Red Sox need a jolt? I think so, but I am not as sure as I was two days ago. Their recent batting woes (.225 in 8 games) underscore an important fact. Only through strong and timely hitting have they been able to stay near the top of the division. Since the departure of Clay Buchholz through injury and midseason decline of Jon Lester, their bats have largely made the difference.
We must realize, however, that there is a good chance that the Daniel Navas, Jose Iglesiases, Mike Carps and perhaps even David Ortizes have been overachieving at the plate. Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes have contributed many big hits, but they are streaky and fall into slumps. Facing hard throwers like Matt Moore, David Price and Chris Tillman, the holes in the lineup become more obvious. For example, should Stephen Drew, with a .230 mark and only occasional power, be in there every day? Does Will Middlebrooks deserve another chance?
It will probably be difficult to add a hitter before the trade deadline. The talk about Michael Young seems to have faded. But with the recent problems of John Lackey, the staff needs a stopper. Lester looked like one Sunday, but he has been streaky all year. Buchholz return date is unknown, and even when he comes back, will he be the pitcher that started off 9-0?
The team should definitely go after Jake Peavy. He is not the pitcher he was in 07 in San Diego, when he went 19-6, led the league in strikeouts, and captured the Cy Young. Peavy does seem, however, to have bounced back from some injury-plagued years in Chicago. Last season, for example, he hurled over 200 innings with a fine ERA of 3.37. Peavy would give the Sox rotation lots of credibility, especially if Lester continues to come around and Buchholz eventually returns.
The sudden resurgence of the Rays and the Orioles' constistency has put a lot of pressure on the Bosox. I don't think they can stay pat and expect to slip into the postseason. Their strong first half was great to see, but many teams fade after 100 games for a number of reasons. A Peavy might prove the difference in September, and I'd much rather see him in there against the Tigers or Rangers than Brandon Workman. The asking price may be high, perhaps too high for Ben Cherington. But I have no doubt that Peavy would be a strong acquistiton.
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