As I've said elsewhere, I like this club's chances if they can hang in there until everyone is healthy and stays healthy. It has a roster with notable talents. ( Joe keeps talking about all the "all-stars." That a designation for honors over time. But ask Terry about those all-stars last September. They cost him his job. All stars are players who perform like all stars, not ones who have the honor on their resume. Baseball is about now. ) It has started to click. It is being well managed, by and large. It has many attractive personalities and a few intriguing ones. Maybe some people are playing over their heads -- like, say, Nava and Scutaro -- but that is part of what makes the club likable. Salty is coming into his own and, as BV has said, is taking on more of a leadership role. Catchers need to do that. The big exception so far is Gonzalez. He is playing under his head. ( He made funny remarks about being only a "two tool" player: he can catch and throw. ) But he's very much on the team. He'll play cheerfully where he's put. He supports his teammates. One keeps thinking, "This can't go on." The big stick will show up any day now. One pulls hard for him. When he heats up, this club could really be dangerous. All in all, IMO, the developments this season have been fascinating and generally encouraging.  Whatever the outcome, this team is doing its best to blow away the bad odor from last year. You can't ask anything more from a team.   Good post, ex.  I do think the return of Ellsbury, Ross, Bailey, CC, and others will give this scrappy team a big boost, however, I still think we are a big arm away from being serious contenders for the ring. I know that making the playoffs gives everyone a chance, but we'd need a lot of things to go right to win with our top starting 4 pitchers come playoff time. We have an abundance of good bench players even with all these guys out hurt. When they return, it should be time for 1 or 2 trades involving 3 for 1 or 2 for 1 upgrades, hopefully not including top prospects.
Posted by moonslav59

Ex, I too support Salty and hope for continuing improvement and agree that young players like Middlebrooks and Lava offer a lot of potential.  But I wouldn't object to any of these guys being thrown into Moon's trade scenarios as all reports seem to indicate that catchers and third baseman on the farm will soon be ready with just as much talent.
Posted by Critter23

Yes, from June 26th to July 9th and then on to Salvador, Brazil for 3 weeks. Posted by moonslav59

Ex and Moon, I agree with the "bird in hand" which is what we have, knowing that Salty is doing an adequate job.  But I wake up this morning just feeling that our starting needs a boost as you've been promoting Moon, but if we wait until the deadline, will that be too late?  The pitchers coming back are relievers except for Dice-K; my feelings about that are RS nation should not expect much if anything from him coming back from an injury, and just when will he be back?  The point is our relief corps might be improved but I'm not hopeful our starting can be from within. It may be unrealistic to get a starter now, but I'm posing if getting one at the deadline is soon enough?  Which takes me back to Salty.  I would trade him thinking that a solid starter might be more valuable than a catcher, and a catcher easier to replace.
Posted by Critter23