Right is wrong for the Red Sox

There is very little good to be written about the right field situation for the Red Sox this season. In fact, the best thing is to start looking at alternatives as written by Nick Cafardo in today's Boston Globe. Nick points out that the days seem to be numbered for the Darnell McDonald and Mike Cameron combo as a right-handed bat alternative platoon to J.D. Drew.

Nick writes, "The Sox will probably do what they never wanted to do — trade a prospect for an established righthanded hitter." The only trouble is that, according to Peter Gammons of MLB Network (on Twitter), the Red Sox cannot add payroll this season.

Here's why the Sox are in this conflicting situation:

J.D. Drew versus lefties 2011

Drew is hitting .200 this season against lefties and has two extra base hits, a triple and a homer resulting in a slugging pct. of .343.

J.D. Drew versus lefties 2011 on the outer portion of the plate

Lefties have thrown Drew 77 pitches on the outer portion of the plateWhen lefties pitch Drew outside, Drew has gone 1-for-15 (a single) with one walk and seven strikeouts.

So what are the alternatives?

Mike Cameron versus lefties 2011

Cameron is hitting .143 against lefties with one double and three homers among his nine hits

Darnell McDonald versus lefties 2011

McDonald is hitting .129 against lefties with one double and one homer among his four hits

But did it need to come to this?

Here is a frame of reference

David Ortiz versus lefties 2011

Big Papi is hitting .346 against lefties this season and slugging .556 with eight doubles and three homers

Here's why Ortiz has been successful against lefties

When pitched to the outer portion of the plate, Ortiz is hitting .343 with 12 hits, 10 of which have gone to left fieldOrtiz has a 1.003 OPS against lefties this season and when they pitch him outside, his OPS rises to 1.037.

In his contract year, Big Papi has made adjustments to save his job, the same adjustments that neither Drew, Cameron, and McDonald have made and that may cost all them their jobs.