Red Sox Need Beckett To Keep Fans Away From the Panic Button

Smoltz's collapse last night was reason for concern among Red Sox Nation, as is the offense at this point. Drew is not hitting, Bay is in a slump, Tek has cooled off, and as Rob Bradford points out the team has the lowest batting average in the A.L. for July. Oh yeah, the Yankees have also caught Boston in the division. All of these things might send fans scurrying for the panic button but Josh Beckett has a way of settling things down. Another great night on the mound for the Red Sox ace will put fans at ease for the time being.

The Red Sox have so many chips that they can trade for an upgrade at almost any position but do they really need to? The biggest problem right now is the rotation; Smoltz and Penny don't look like guys that you can depend on down the stretch. Dice-K, Buchholz, and Bowden can all contribute to that problem. As for the offense, mulitple players slumping at the same time is something that will work itself out. Bay will start hitting again and if Drew does not then the Sox can go with Baldelli or Kotsay.

Things may not look as rosy as they did at the break, but the Red Sox have the depth and experience to overcome this hurdle.

In Theo we trust.