The Best Laid Plans.

I think that at the time few people were disturbed by the idea of trading Red and prospects to Oakland for Ryan Sweeney and the pieces of shoulder that once deigned to call themselves Andrew Bailey. And it wasn't a bad deal.

Most people assumed that Adrian Gonzalez was not going to continue to be the dud that he was in the second half of last year. That combined with another year of Ellsbury playing impressively and Crawford contributing (because it really didn't seem like he could contribute less) negates the need for Red's offense. And Sweeney, in theory, provided something that Red did not: Sweeney would take a walk.

Now none of that worked out. Adrian Gonzalez continues to be a giant pit of uselessness. Ellsbury got sat on and Crawford never even got going. And then Red went and blossomed.

I think that it's safe to say, though, that the prize in the whole thing; the piece that Cherington really seemed to want, was Bailey. Judging by his performance so far it seems like a fair statement to say that Cherington's baseball turn on is relief pitching. Can't get enough of it. Bailey was a risk but too tantalizing to pass up.

Unsurprisingly, Bailey hasn't worked out either. Fragile people don't generally wake up and suddenly figure out how to not be fragile. Should he, however, recover from the injury to his elbow or thumb or whichever body part happens to be bothering him today, Andrew Bailey is very very good at pitching.

And really, other than annoyance that the deal has been extremely one-sided so far, they haven't needed Red. They've been a very good offensive team this year. But you live and learn and then go get more relief pitchers (or failing that scrappy utility guys.)