RED SOX 101

In another acknowledgement of the trade season coming under way, I am installing a weekly list of Red Sox players that are in danger of being let go. The trade season, Boston’s rampant outfield injuries and recent poor play make this an intriguing few weeks for the back end of the roster. Here are a few candidates that are in danger of being roster casualties in the near future.

1. Darnell MacDonald: It’s amazing how long this guy has hung on. The 33 year-old has been in Boston since 2010, although he has pretty much bounced between Pawtucket and Boston when the outfield has been healthy. That time is nearing again. With Ryan Kalish probably not far away and Cody Ross probably back within a week, McDonald might be running out of time in Boston. The only thing saving him is the fact that he hits right-handed, as opposed to Kalish, Ryan Sweeney, Scott Podsednik, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford.

2. Scott Podsednik: Podsednik is in a no-win situation here. His 17 hits in 42 at-bats and .409 on-base percentage have been a big help. However, with the aforementioned left-handed hitting outfielders coming back for Boston, Podsednik is merely a temporary fill-in, no matter how well he plays.

3. Mike Aviles: The Red Sox shortstop has been very serviceable for Boston this year. He has 8 home runs and has only made five errors in 58 starts at shortstop this season. Heck, his 36 RBI are more than either Adrian Gonzalez or Dustin Pedroia. However, his .280 on-base percentage is exactly the type of OBP that the Red Sox have been averse to in recent years. If you look further, after a hot start Aviles has cooled off as the season has gone along. His batting average (.291, .246, .229), OBP (.330, .254, .243) and slugging percentage (.535, .385, .257) have all gone down each month this season. With Aviles struggling and heir apparent Jose Iglesias waiting in Pawtucket, don't be surprised if you see the young defensive wizard at Fenway very soon.

Tags: Baseball, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Darnell McDonald, Jose Iglesias, Mike Aviles, MLB, Ryan Kalish, Scott Podsednik

Related Videos

Returning Soon!!!!

No related posts.