Boston Red Sox: Longing For More Bullpen

It’s painfully clear the Red Sox pose a weakness heading into another postseason run—middle relief.

While Papelbon is lights out as always, the once untouchable Okajima is showing a tendency to leave pitches up in the zone and hitters are figuring him out like a two-piece jigsaw puzzle (thanks Dan).

Delcarmen in the last month has a 1.38 ERA and Hansen 3.65, but the reliability of these two golden arms in tight, eighth inning situations can be debated. Then there’s Lopez, Timlin and Aardsma…not really who you want to see toeing the rubber with the season on the line.

Last year, Theo Epstein felt the bullpen lacked a power right-handed pitcher in middle relief that could spell Okajima and form a two-headed monster.

Eric Gagne proved he couldn’t handle a non-closers' role and couldn’t handle pitching in the big leagues anymore. Now he’s destroying the Brewers. Due to the unequivocal disaster that he proved to be, Epstein may be hesitant about surrendering prospects for a bullpen arm that comes with risk.

Epstein clearly should not be hesitant. The bullpen needs another big-time arm. Rather than flirt with C.C. Sabathia, the Red Sox should pay less for a position they have much greater need for.

Who are some arms they may be targeting this July?

Huston Street—Oakland A’s: If Oakland continues to fall out of the race in the next month or so (and I fully expect they will), Street and other A’s may become expendable. Two caveats with Street: 1) you know with Beane, a large bounty of prospects will have to be paid, and 2) he’s team controlled until 2010, so this may be a difficult maneuver for Epstein.

If the Sox can somehow acquire Street, he’d be one of the best right-handed eighth inning options in the majors. Street’s thrown 29.3 innings this year, giving up 20 hits, walking seven and striking out 34 for a 0.92 WHIP and a 3.38 ERA. If Beane demands Masterson or Bowden, hang up the phone.

Jon Rauch—Washington Nationals: Rauch is one of the more underrated relievers in the game. In the last three seasons, he’s totaled ERA’s of 3.35, 3.61, and now 2.67. Rauch has been able to rack up 14 saves in the absence of Chad Cordero with a strong 1.04 WHIP and just 5 BB in 34.2 IP.

This may be more realistic than Street—he’s signed through 2010 at a cheap price and I’d rather be negotiating with a meathead like Jim Bowden over Billy Beane. Rauch could be the right-handed power arm we desperately need for the eighth inning. It’s all about depth, folks.

Brian Fuentes—Colorado Rockies: Last year, I wrote a piece in June about the Red Sox targeting Fuentes when the Rockies dropped out of the race like I confidently predicted would occur. Of course, they made the World Series and Fuentes lost the closers job to Manny Corpas.

A three-time All-Star for the Rockies, Fuentes is patching together another outstanding first half: 26.2 IP, 22 H, 8 BB, 24 K, 2.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP. Fuentes will cost less than Street and Rauch because he’s a free agent at the end of the year, but the Red Sox could be targeting a RHP instead.

George Sherrill—Baltimore Orioles: This one is extremely unlikely because of the mind-boggling rule that general managers never trade in their own division, which makes absolutely zero sense if said team offers the best package.

The new head honcho Andy MacPhail may run a different ship in Baltimore and could be looking to deal Sherrill to anyone, division/rival or not, this deadline. Sherrill emerged in 2007 with the Mariners and is putting together another strong campaign as an Orioles closer: 29.2 IP, 16 H, 15 BB, 28 K, 2.73 ERA. Sherrill is a lefty and is under team control until 2010.

Any of these four names excite our readers as possible trade candidates?