The next 10 days will make or break the Boston Red Sox as they are known today. Entering play on Monday, Boston is 7.5 games back in the AL East. They are tied for last place. Big Pappi and Dustin Pedroia are mired in an awful slump. All signs point to sell after coming off of last year's World Series Championship team.
The fate of the 2014 Red Sox actually lies in their own hands. With the trading deadline 10 games away, all are interdivision play. A seven game road trip versus second place Toronto and then the Tampa Bay Rays, in who they are tied with, coupled with division leading Baltimore on a brutal road trip themselves, means the front office will most likely wait to see how these games play out. The last wild card spot, seven slots away, is not a likely possibility. So, it's an all or nothing approach for the divisional crown. If they stay in it, there are a few areas that can be upgraded.
Big-Game James Shields is a likely option. Shields, now a Kansas City Royal, has plenty of experience in the post season from his time as the ace for Tampa Bay. K.C. is in the thick of the wild card race as well, but as a small market team, they know they have little chance of re-signing him in the offseason.
With the unlikely hood of Tampa Bay dealing away starter David Price and utility man Ben Zobrist, there are a few other options for the boys in bean town. Cliff Lee is definitely up for grabs and has a great playoff pedigree. The arch-rival New York Yankees will also be targeting the 35 year old lefty with over 27 million dollars left on his contract. Other pitchers Boston has their eye on are Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa, the Met's Bartolo Colon, Oakland's Tommy Milone, and an outside chance of grabbing San Diego's Andrew Cashner. The pitching has been pretty good so far, but a Lee or Shields is the type of adrenaline rush that a team can ride for the rest of the way.
On offense it's simple, the Sox need some wherever they can get it. Most likely the targets would not be earth-shattering kind of talent. Matt Kemp and Troy Tulowitski have been rumored, but there hasn't been a realistic proposal that makes sense for Boston's long term plans. Daniel Murphy from the Mets would be a nice piece that can play multiple positions, but New York's asking price has been too high as he is a fan favorite. A most likely scenario would be for Boston to add an outfielder like Texas's Alex Rios, Philadelphia's Marlon Byrd, or San Diego's Seth Smith. They will keep an eye out for corner help as well. The Padres' Chase Headley is the most coveted, but Miami Marlins' Casey McGehee is a cheap answer. The Marlins wouldn't ask for much and his 1.1 million dollar price tag is enticing.
If things go south for Boston by next Thursday's deadline, there are a handful of players that will likely be sent packing. LHP Andrew Miller is a reliever that is gaining a lot of attention. Miller could bring in a second level prospect from teams like Atlanta, Detroit, and Seattle. Shortstop Stephen Drew is a defensive specialist that will bring light interest because of his struggles at the plate in 2014. First baseman/catcher Mike Napoli is in his last year as well and Jon Lester, who has yet to re-sign and likely will not until the winter, could be long shot trade bargins. Jake Peavy is most likely to be traded if the Red Sox falter, on the tail end of his contract, Boston has shown no interest in bringing him back.
Stay tuned over the next week and a half as chips will start to fall. Traditionally, Boston is a buyer and will probably continue that trend. The real magic numbers are 10 and 5. Boston falling out of first place in the AL East by 10 games would have the front office bailing out like the Titanic. If the Red Sox are with in five games of first place on July 31st, the temptation to go for another October run will be too great for the storied franchise and their fan base.