One game out & a new back up?

The Sox have had a stellar week... let me repeat... stellar. After losing 6 straight... sorry let me say that again... 6 straight! They've (noticed I'm referring to them as 'they' now, not we- but let's be honest, they'll always be 'we' in my heart-) fallen 2 games back to the dreaded Spankees (sorry, Yankees).
What is our answer to this 6 game streak? We acquire two back-ups to fill an already jammed bench, and jammed positions. Now don't get me wrong... I'm a little excited about one of our transactions.
It seems Boston & St. Louis are trying to help Milk and I along in this blog as Boston traded high priced Shortstop Julio Lugo to St. Louis for Outfielder Chris Duncan. This trade, I believe, brings some pop to the line-up that we sorely lacked in our other trade.
That other trade brought Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh to Boston. The one good thing about the trade is they didn't have to give up much to get him. Grant it, LaRoche seems to be a great infielder, and has some pop for a Pittsburgh team... but for Boston, who already has an All-Star at first base and a backup in Mark Kotsay, who could start for almost any other team... do we really need LaRoche? No.
What we need is some power implanted in the middle of the line-up. Duncan might have some power, but I doubt he is going to play everyday... especially after he struggled in St. Louis this year. In order to play everyday he'll need injuries to starters Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, or JD Drew... and if that happens... well let's not talk about that.
Basically, the Sox need to go out and find a bat either at short or at third. Grant it we have everyday players there right now, we really can't afford to displace any other position. You may make an argument for Catcher, but I'm not going to be the one who asks for V-Teks job. The man is a STUD even if he is moving on in age. So do we ask for aging Mike Lowells spot at third? Again that's tough. He's been faithful to Boston, even taking a paycut to stay with us and he still has some pop in the bat and a great glove. So what? Short? What big bats are at short? Maybe ex-Sox prospect and now star of the Marlins Hanley Ramirez, but that would be a blockbuster that I don't see happening. Arizona is struggling mightily this season, maybe making a move for JD's brother Stephen Drew, but that doesn't improve our power very much. Unless we part with some regulars, I don't see the Sox making any moves in the line-up.

Our rotation however has some room to grow. That is another area we need help in. First we need Lester to step up and pitch like the future number 1 that he is. We also need Dice-K to return to his rookie season form or really return to his Japanese form that Boston has never really seen. Finally, I think they need to make a move for a legit starter. Doc Halladay from Toronto would be great, but you can't send top prospects to a division rival. So we need to look out West and the NL, and I just don't know whose available.

So after a 6 game slide the Sox are looking up at the Yankees. I'll be watching to see how these two trades play out. There too big of a log jam at 1st for nothing else to happen. So we'll see. Does this mean the Sox need to battle for the Wild Card instead of the Division now? Not on your life.

Go Sox!