So as people watch this year's team toil through its first 37 games while hovering around .500, it's hard not to think that something is missing.
That perception, combined with the fact that the team can't seem to leapfrog Toronto and get out of fourth place in the AL East, has everyone wondering if it's time for Theo Epstein to make an early move.
Of course, that's not to say that the Red Sox have been a complete team, with Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury on extended DL trips and Josh Beckett experiencing — at least to some degree — a minor injury early on. Still, given the dominance that the Yankees and Rays have displayed thus far, it looks more and more likely that an early-season slump could doom the entire year.
The man on most fans' lists for trade targets this offseason was Adrian Gonzalez. There's just one problem: the Padres are in first place in the NL West, and Gonzalez leads the team in home runs (7) and RBIs (18). If you thought it would be hard to get Gonzalez via trade over the winter and spring, it'll be that much harder now.
So who else is out there? Well, there are a handful of quality arms, but Epstein and the Red Sox are likely comfortable with the starting rotation and the back end of the bullpen as is, so any addition there would not be all that major a move.
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo touched on a number of possibilities on Sunday. One rumor said that the Red Sox were interested in acquiring catcher Chris Ianetta, though the Rhode Island native probably wouldn't be a major boost to this team. Cafardo also says the Cubs wouldn't be opposed to moving Derrek Lee, who is in the final year of a five-year deal worth $65 million. There are a number of reasons why the Red Sox and other teams will stay away, including the fact that he has two fewer homers and one fewer RBI than David Ortiz. Add that he's hitting .230 and has a no-trade clause, and it hardly seems worth the hassle.
That leaves the question of what exactly is the Red Sox' biggest area of need? They're sixth in the majors in runs scored, ninth in batting average and second in home runs. They're 26th in the league in team ERA, largely due to a 5.00 ERA from the rotation. There's enough historical data to make one believe that Beckett's ERA won't stay above 7.00 for much longer and that John Lackey's should end up a lot lower than its current mark of 4.86.
So, with these Red Sox, is it a matter of standing pat and waiting for the ship to right itself, or is it time to make a move?
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