On the Red Sox after the All Star break

Here's the deal as I see it. The Sox need better starting pitching. I say go for a guy like Cueto, even if he is a free agent at the end of the season. If the money is there he can be persuaded to sign long term. Some reports I've read say he's looking for $200 mil on probably a six or seven year deal. That's where the price of a top notch starter is headed and some team will pay it. Why not the Red Sox? Is that a ridiculous salary for anyone? Heck yeah. But just imagine what baseball salaries will be five short years from now, ten years from now. Pitching isn't getting any cheaper. We all know that Lester is having a horrible season for the Cubs, the Sox clearly missed the boat on a guy they knew and knew well.

I know this. Heads are going to roll at 4 Yawkey Way if the Sox brass doesn't do something impactful come July 31. Another last place finish is unacceptable to members of the Nation. The sheen of the miraculous 2013 World Series run is over. Time for the Sox to put their big-boy pants on.