Purge

A few weeks ago, I heard a local sports broadcaster wail and whine on topics related to the Red Sox.  After what seemed like a series of losses, the announcer opined that what the Red Sox needed was a mass team enema.

Interesting image that.  Purge the system of waste and start with a cleansed system.

Well, it seems as if the Red Sox brass thought similarly.  Yesterday, the Red Sox traded the pitcher they thought would be the ace of the staff--Josh Beckett- the hitter they thought would be a sure fire booster to the offense--Adrian Gonzalez--and an outfielder who the former general manager believed would steal bases and make catches appropriate for a speedster--Carl Crawford.  None of these three players had played to expectations. In addition. several insiders commented that Beckett and Gonzalez were problems in the clubhouse.

This is about as close to a team enema as one could imagine. These three players all were earning mega dollars and now they are gone.  Two other players of similar stature have been put on waivers, which means that they too may be departing the team.

Will the Red Sox be better, in the short term, with substitutes playing.  The stars were not delivering--pitching, hitting, or defending--as expected. They were not leading the team on or off the field.  It will be interesting to see how the players remaining react. Last night the team, sans stars, won 4-3.