BOSTON -- So the Red Sox have decided to stand pat.

What does that mean, really?

Is that the same as standing still? Which is the same as going nowhere.

The Sox are standing pat.

Does that mean they're running in place? Does it mean they will remain in first place? Or does it mean they are about to fall behind in their bid to unseat the Bronx Bombers as perennial A.L. East champions?

If you're looking for cheap symbolism, the Yankees, barely 24 hours after the trading deadline, beat Toronto last night in the Bronx while the Sox were losing badly to the Indians at Fenway, creating a deadlock at the top of the division.

But the fact is that there is no short-term answer.

Whether the Yankees made the right moves or the Sox did the right thing by making no moves, the definitive answer won't come until we see the final standings.

As Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said: "The games will prove whether everything we've done is for the better."

There is no question that the Yankees are a better team now than they were before the trading deadline because of the deals -- you also could say steals -- done by Cashman, who obtained right-fielder Bobby Abreu and starting pitcher Cory Lidle from the Phillies, as well as power-hitting first baseman Craig Wilson from the Pirates, for four minor-league prospects -- none of them remotely of the caliber of, say, Hanley Ramirez -- and pitcher Shawn Chacon.

You will recall that Chacon was one of the keys to the Yankees' late-season resurgence last year, when New York, which was still under .500 in mid-June, overcame a 5 1/2-game deficit in the second week of August and went to win an eighth straight division title.

Another key was Aaron Small, who, with the Yanks' starting rotation in tatters, came up from Triple-A Columbus on July 17 and went 10-0.

If you're scoring at home, that's a combined 17-3 for Small and Chacon.

It also was a near-miracle, a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence -- as shown this year, when both pitchers came back down to earth. Small has an 0-3 record, and, although Chacon will take a 5-3 mark to Pittsburgh, he also has an earned-run average of 7.00.

Did the Yankees get lucky with those two? You'd better believe they did. But you can't get lucky if you don't roll the dice.

Cashman has done it again this year, bringing in the talented Abreu, the lefty-swinging Wilson, and Lidle, who'll move right into the rotation, likely starting tomorrow afternoon against Toronto.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have done nothing.

No Nomar-like deal, like in 2004 -- a daring move that paid off in Boston's first World Series victory in 86 years. Instead, there were no deals, just like last year, when the stand-pat Sox allowed the Yanks to rally from deep in the doldrums.

They were close to some big deals, general manager Theo Epstein hinted. The Sox almost got Houston's ace, Roy Oswalt. Of course, the Mets thought they were close to landing Oswalt, too.

Other deals -- big deals -- reportedly were in the works in Boston. But, in the end, none of them worked out.

It's a situation reminiscent of some college basketball teams that always seem to be "this close" to landing a top recruit, but never seem to sign him, instead winding up as the second or third choice, while the player suits up for somebody else.

Which is not to say that Epstein should have parted with talented young pitching prospects such as Jon Lester, Manny Delcarmen or Craig Hansen. David Wells finally is off the disabled list, and it's reasonable to think Wakefield will return for the September stretch run. But it's not as if Cashman gave up good players to pull off his deals.

The point is, the Yankees, who have remained in contention despite injuries that have sidelined outfielders Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield for most of the year, and starting pitcher Carl Pavano the entire year, now have added Abreu to a lineup that already includes Johnny Damon (remember him?), Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams.

A year ago, Sheffield and Matsui combined for 57 homers and 239 RBI. This season, they've combined for just 9 homers and 38 RBI. Yet the Yankees have overcome that drastic dropoff in run production.

They've now added more punch with Abreu and Wilson, and are hoping Matsui will be back in the lineup in September.

Meanwhile, injuries are hurting the Sox, who yesterday added Jason Varitek to the disabled list, where he joins Trot Nixon, Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement.

Last night, Jason Johnson was brought up from Pawtucket to pitch against his old club, the Indians. He wound up taking the loss, dropping his record to 3-11 this season.

The Sox decided to stand pat.

Is that the same as sinking fast?

jdonalds@projo.com / (401) 277-7340