BOSTON -- Here is the question Boston Red Sox fans should be asking themselves:

Would you trade Marco Scutaro straight up for Roy Oswalt?

Roy Oswalt struck out 93 with 33 walks in 139 innings for the Phillies in 2011. AP Photo/Tom Gannam

My guess is that many of you would say yes. I'm inclined to join you, and soon -- perhaps within days -- it will be clear that Ben Cherington agrees with you.

That was what Saturday night's trade of Scutaro to the Colorado Rockies was all about. Just a couple of days ago, Cherington mentioned that he considered exercising Scutaro's $6 million option for the 2012 season a "significant acquisition," likening the late-October decision to signing a free agent.

Now, a couple of months later, Cherington has decided that money will be better spent elsewhere. He shipped off the 36-year-old Scutaro to a team, the Colorado Rockies, that needed a second baseman, in exchange adding another arm, sinkerballer Clay Mortensen, to the team's inventory of worth-taking-a-flier-on pitchers.

The money saved on Scutaro will now be directed to a full-court press of Oswalt, whose price has dropped substantially since the start of the buying season, when his agent said he was looking for a three-year deal.

The Sox, with Carl Crawford undergoing wrist surgery, also need another outfielder, and free agent Cody Ross would be an ideal fit, especially since he hits lefties, and with power (.349/.563/.912 career line).

But at this stage, the priority is Oswalt, whose ongoing back issues dissuaded teams from making a long-term commitment to him, but who would be worth the risk on a one-year deal, which he has said he would be willing to accept.

In a perfect world, the Sox would add both Oswalt and Ross, and perhaps Cherington has another move left in him to create the financial maneuverability that would make that possible and still not broach the luxury-tax threshold. At one time, there was some hope that David Ortiz would take a multiyear deal that would free up a few million, but judging by Ortiz's comments Thursday at the baseball writers' dinner, that's not going to happen.