McAdam On Toucher & Rich: When Do The Experiments Stop?

After a nice win in Kansas City on Monday night to snap a five game losing streak the Red Sox blew the lead in the eighth on Tuesday. Starter Daniel Bard came back out to pitch the eighth and walked the first two batters he faced before being replaced by Matt Albers, who game up a three run homer on his third pitch.

Sean McAdam spoke with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich about the Sox bullpen, Daniel Bard, Bobby Valentine and Will Middlebrooks.

If the Red Sox had a healthy and established bullpen would Bobby Valentine sent Bard out there to pitch the eighth inning?

"Yeah, I think they would have run him out for one more inning."

There's lots of talk after games about Bobby Valentine just wanting to see certain things, but at what point in the season should he know his team and try to win games?

"It's almost as if they're, in a sense, continuing spring training here where they're experimenting and they're trying to figure out who fits where and who is capable of what. I think that does get back to the fact that they're dealing with a roster and a lineup and a pitching staff that they probably didn't expect to have given all the injuries."

Through all this negativity fans have found a ray of hope in Will Middlebrooks, but what will happen once Kevin Youkilis returns from the DL?

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said that Youkilis will be the starter once he comes back and won't lose his job due to injury, but if Middlebrooks keeps producing can you really sit him?

"If it's going to take three weeks or another two weeks for Youkilis to come back and Middlebrooks continues to show that he belongs here then I think it becomes a tougher decision."

Could the Red Sox trade Youkilis if they choose to stay with Middlebrooks? Would any teams even be interested?