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By Matt Pepin, Boston.com Staff
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said this morning that general manager Ben Cherington is 'empowered' to make a big deal to improve the team before the July 31 trading deadline.Lucchino, in an interview on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan Show, was asked if it was possible the team would make a "bold move" following the news on Wednesday that the Miami Marlins had inquired about outfielder Carl Crawford.
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"Yes, I do, I think that Ben feels empowered to do it, I think he's got the capacity to do it," Lucchino said. "We have talked frequently about boldness, that you've got to know when to be bold and know when to be somewhat more conservative and methodical, but this is a club that's been built on bold moves over the years, going way back to the Nomar Garciaparra trade as but one example."There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Ben Cherington and the entire baseball operations department and the extent that [owners] John [Henry], Tom [Werner], and I are involved in it, are all pointed toward working hard for July 31."
However, Lucchino cautioned that the team's approach does not necessarily mean a major trade will definitely happen.
"Just look at our track record. For years, we've tried to do things at the deadline if we are in the hunt and we certainly feel we are in the hunt," Lucchino said. "We'll do what we can, but that doesn't guarantee ... again, it's not a supermarket you can walk into and say I'll take one of these and one of these, you've got to find a willing partner to work with, it's got to be a fit, but are we exploring that avenue? Absolutely."
Among other topics Lucchino discussed: