Poll: How should Red Sox approach the MLB Trade Deadline?

As only these Red Sox can do, just when you think things are turning for the better, just when they're winners of 11-of-13 and own MLB's best record since mid-June, with the team talking about buying at the deadline and being in playoff contention, they go out and drop 2-of-3 to one of the worst teams in the history of the game.

It's an unfortunate reminder of what this season has been for Boston. The Sox began the year by going 21-14 in their first 35 games. They then followed it up with a 12-21 mark over the next 33. Since then, they've won 6-straight, lost 7-of-8, won 11-of-13 and now lost 2-of-3.

As we sit here today less than two weeks out from the MLB trade deadline, there's no true indication of what this squad can is, other than wildly inconsistent.

Now, I don't have telepathic powers, but I'd be willing to guess the totality of the first 97 games this year have failed to convince Chaim Bloom to deviate from his multi-year plan and go all-in at the deadline, just because the boys rattled off a good two weeks.

He's even said as much recently, as did Sox President Sam Kennedy this morning on WEEI, stating that what's most important is getting their own players back and allowing the young players to continue to develop.

But forget what the bosses think. If you were running the show, how would you approach this year's deadline for the Sox?