The Backseat GM's Guide To Postseason Success: Pt 2

Today's edition of The Backseat GM marks a slight departure from last week's pilot episode; while my last post focused on a young pitcher who will hopefully offer some much-needed bullpen relief in coming months, the way Boston has been handled by the ChiSox this weekend convinced me that pitching is not the only thing the team needs.

Boston was outscored 17-3 in the first two games of the Chicago series this weekend. That kind of offensive ineptitude just shouldn't happen against a team like the White Sox, who have somehow found a way to lose 69 games despite having the second-best ERA in the American League. Hell, we didn't even face Mark Buerhle this series; how do we only score three runs off of Freddy Garcia and Gavin Floyd?

GM Theo Epstein has put together an offensive lineup that has the potential to be the best in the Majors. Unfortunately for us, some of the pieces in that lineup--namely David Ortiz and Mike Lowell--have struggled with inconsistency, age, and injury this season. Even reigning MVP Dustin Pedroia has struggled at times this year. The Chicago series only proves that we won't be a realistic threat in the playoffs until we put together a more consistent offense. Manager Terry Francona needs players he can bring off the bench without sacrificing firepower; he needs...

2. Lars Anderson
Anderson has to be one of the unluckiest guys in professional baseball. The 21-year-old from Oakland possesses sublime offensive abilities and is a solid defensive first baseman with some experience in left field. He batted .303 in his first two years in the Minors, was listed as the 25th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, and has been compared to Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado.

Of course, none of this makes him sound anything but blessed. The only problem is that he plays in the Red Sox organization; his path to the Majors is therefore blocked by the depth of the big club at his defensive positions. How is he going to play first base if Kevin Youkilis and Victor Martinez--both of whom play better defense than Anderson--are locked into the position for the foreseeable future? Anderson hasn't played left field since high school, so how would he break into an outfield patrolled by Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, and J.D. Drew?

None of these problems matter much when you look at Anderson's offensive scouting reports, however. He's a left-handed opposite-field slugger, meaning that his swing could not have been tailored any better for Fenway Park's Green Monstah in left field. He has a sweet power stroke but is not overanxious at the plate. His compact swing and knowledge of the strike zone are unusual tools for a batter his size (6 feet 4 inches, 210 pounds).

Anderson may not permanently make the Red Sox roster for a few years, but there is no reason why Theo should not call him up for the postseason. He can pinch-hit for Jason Varitek late in games, serving as an offensive upgrade off the bench similar to Jim Thome's new role for the Dodgers. If Ortiz continues to struggle to hit for average, Anderson can take over as designated hitter (because you can't really be a DH if you can't, you know, hit). This kid has almost unlimited potential at the plate; we need to use him instead of keeping him locked away in the Minors.