Bench worries

You look at this team and it's hard to find a real issue with it. The starting rotation looks great, the lineup is very good, and the bullpen has been the best in baseball so far. The one problem i can find is the bench. What looked like could be a strength in April has been a disappointment almost four month's into the season. The only player that has put up acceptable numbers is Cora.

Alex Cora - .267/.303/.430
Wily Mo Pena - .197/.269/.341
Eric Hinske - .211/.310/.431
Dough Mirabelli - .182/.258/.307


I think it should be a top priority of Theo to improve the bench at the deadline and in the off-season. I think Pena should be traded for either prospects or bullpen help. The long rumored Bobby Kielty rumor would not be bad at all. He can play all three defensive positions, which is the key. If that doesn't happen we have many in house options. Brandon Moss, David Murphy, and Jacoby Ellsbury could all be really good 4th outfielder come September.

While Pena looks like the only person that can be replaced this season, Mirabelli needs to go this offseason. If that means we have to get rid of Wakefield, so be it. An awful backup catcher is not worth keeping around because a league average pitcher likes him as his catcher. One of Theo's biggest mistakes was trading away Bard and Shoppach. Both would be great backups for us this season and going forward. Teh FA class for catchers is very small, but maybe a trade for Jarrod Saltalamacchia might be in order? The Braves have no where to play him and need a center fielder. The Red Sox need to get rid of a center fielder, Crisp or Ellsbury, and get a backup catcher/catcher for the future. It makes a lot of sense, we will have to wait and see how it turns out.