Don’t Look Back, Something Might Be Gaining On You!
Through 49 plate appearances in Pawtucket Roberto Petagine has a 1.074 OPS while John Olerud smacked a home run in his first game back last night for the PawSox. Between Kevin Millar’s potential for improvement (remember his 2004 start), Petagine’s fantastic track record in Japan and Olerud’s proven steadiness (ok I’m reaching here), there is plenty of evidence to suggest the Red Sox ought to have a viable option for first base come summer time. I would like to see them exhaust all in-house options before caving and deciding they need to give up some of the future for, say, a Mike Sweeney type. Many around here just assume that come deadline time a first baseman will be the target. I don’t see it. Don’t ask me who of the three it will be but come July 1, the Red Sox will have a good starting first baseman.
Bring up Petagine, trade Olerud or Millar (whichever nets you more), DFA Myers, keep
Youkilis and implement a super-rotation of Youks-Mueller-Bellhorn…which will give Mueller’s
knees some needed rest and Youkilis’s bat some needed cuts.
I don’t think you are gonna get much value with Olerud, considering teams could have had him for free a few weeks ago.
The problem then is having Petagine and Olerud on the roster together if Millar is traded. Two first baseman, both left handed, and neither can play another position. I’m starting to think that we’re going into the latter part of the year with Millar and Olerud, with Petagine in Pawtucket as Olerud insurance.
Which is of course, the wrong thing to do, which is just another exhibit in my “weak around the margins” case vs. the Red Sox operational management.
Of course there might be a financial windfall for Pawtucket if Olerud is down there for a few more weeks. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be there on “John Olerud Helmet Night”.
Who’s good around the margins?
Basically what Mullet said…
For instance, building a good bullpen would be something good that Theo/Tito hasn’t really done yet. And I’m not talking about Foulke, I’m talking about lucking out that Leskanic’s arm held out until November for surgery.
The Sox created a logjam at first, and will probably mismanage it, that’s weak around the margins…I’ll bet you dinner that Youkilis and Petagine are the odd men out, while Millar and Olerud take turns at first. It will not be a team killer, but it’s amazingly frustrating to watch.
I guess since we’re writing about a zero-sum game here, I was just asking who’s better. I agree they ain’t
perfect. But who is really good “around the margins”? New York? Minnesota (I’m looking at you, Juan Castro)?
LAA?
Well, the Yankees are fairly terrible as well…
I think Anaheim is solid…the Braves (save Bobby Cox having 3 catchers in the playoffs). St Louis. Oakland. Minnesota will make a great move, like playing Michael Cuddyer at 2nd when Rivas gets hurt, but then will make a stupid move, like keeping Justin Morneau in the minors for a year too long.
No team is perfect sweating the small stuff, obviously. Boston has a financial advantage, and enough talent to overcome any shortcomings on that front. Same as the Yankees, only they are worse than the Sox at the little things, like actually having a second baseman that can hit or field at least. And they have a bigger financial advantage.