Inside Baseball: Red Sox Focus At Deadline Should Be 2016 And Beyond
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox came stumbling out of the All-Star break, resulting in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
That should put to rest any playoff hopes for the team, who now sit at 42-51 on the season and nine games back of the New York Yankees in the American League East.
So now it's time to turn your focus to the future. Big picture, both Dan Roche and Tony Massarotti agree that if the Red Sox pull off any moves at the trade deadline, it should be for 2016 and beyond.
"Given the gap has increased, realistically you have to look at this and say you can't make any moves for 2015. It just makes zero sense," Mazz said on Monday night's edition of Inside Baseball. "To me it becomes about 2016 and beyond. If that means going out and getting a veteran pitcher signed to a long contract, because you feel he can fit in at the front of your rotation, you can still make that move."
Mazz would also like to see Boston jettison themselves from anyone who is in the way of younger players making the current roster.
"Any loose furniture on this team that you think you're disposing of at the end of the year -- Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Justin Masterson -- those guys, whatever you can get," said Mazz. "None of them are central figures anyways."
While Rochie would also like to see young players get a taste of the Majors this season, he'd also like to see the team try to win every night.
"What I'd like to see them do is keep an eye on 2015 from a winning perspective," said Roche. "Try to win every game to get you into that groove for 2016. We've had enough of these last place finishes the last few years. Now the focus is winning, getting better and getting ready for Day 1 of 2016."
"The young guys will try, but whether they can win is a different matter," said Mazz. "But they're not winning now with veteran guys, so why not go with young guys and try to win with them?"
Mazz doesn't want an all-out fire sale on Yawkey Way, listing Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Blake Swihart, Brian Johnson and Eduardo Rodriguez as the team's "untouchables." Though he doesn't want to see Dustin Pedroia go, if a team were to make the Red Sox an offer they couldn't refuse, he says they should consider taking it.
"Anyone on the big league roster is fair game based on how the offer is," said Mazz. "If someone makes you a wild and crazy offer for Dustin Pedroia, who continues to have injury problems and has five years left on a big contract, sure.
"I'm not looking to dump Pedroia. I want him on the team, I'm keeping him. But if someone makes you a ridiculously good offer, I don't think you say no," said Mazz. "I think you move on from him, partly because of the contract and partly because of the age and injury history. I'd say the same about David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, but you're not getting rid of those guys because no one is taking those contracts.
"There is a difference between dumping guys and being open to moving them."
Also, should the Red Sox offer to pay some of Hanley Ramirez's contract if that means dealing the slugger? Or does Mazz have a better outlook on Hanley in the near future? Watch the full edition of Inside Baseball above, and tune in every Monday night on the WBZ-TV News at 10 on myTV38!