The Boston Red Sox have yet to be officially eliminated from postseason contention, but the remainder of the season looks rather bleak. That, however, does not mean that you should refrain from watching as there are still several exciting storylines that have long-term effects on this Boston club.

In a few days, Boston’s current 25-man roster will expand to 40, and the names on the jerseys will become even more unknown than ever before. Adrian Gonzalez is gone. Carl Crawford is gone. Josh Beckett is gone. Boston is in a partial rebuilding state as it attempts to get younger and build from within, not buy its way to wins as that clearly doesn’t always work.

This course of action might not be the most popular decision, but it is the best decision for this team. Some players will be playing for new contracts and some will be playing for their jobs. The younger players will do their best to prove that they deserve a spot on Boston’s 2013 roster and that minor league baseball is a part of their past.

These games may not seem important, but they are and here are some reasons why.

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