Idealist fans with Neo-Realist Philosophies

The fans out there who say that the Sox should not trade Jacoby Ellsbury, even if it means getting one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball and a 2-time Cy Young Award winner, are idealist in nature. They see, at sometime in the near future, all the Sox prospects playing on the same field together. This is not the case.

The Red Sox want to be a competitive team year in and year out and the only way to do so is to build up a farm system of good, young players. These players can be used on the field or as a trade bait to get the Pedro Martinez's, Josh Beckett's and Johan Santana's of the league.

Having a good farm system is a double edged sword for the Sox, having the prospects they have leave trades difficult to make. Other teams, such as the Twins, also know how good the Sox system and will up the price for their veteran talent (i.e. the Twins wanting Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, etc. for Johan Santana). It is what Sox fans have to deal with. Not all prospects will wind up in a Sox uniform.

The majority of realistic Red Sox fans understand the benefits of a good farm system give you a leg up in being competitive every year by being able to acquire the present day top players. These fans would trade Ellsbury and his future potential for Santana. Acquiring Santana will put the Red Sox in the same position of MLB in 2008, that the Patriots are in during this year's NFL season. That position being: dominating the rest of the league and possibly another championship.