McAdam: With nothing at stake, Red Sox wrestling with how to handle this week and next

The atmosphere around the Red Sox these days feels, at times, less like the final week of the regular season and more like the last week of spring training.

For one thing, there are excess bodies everywhere, including players who won't be part of the active roster in a week's time. The crowded conditions can make for a cramped clubhouse -- not unlike the final week of March, when equipment backs stack up and preparations are made for the trip North to start the season.

And just like spring training, the games currently taking place aren't terribly meaningful. The Red Sox clinched a playoff spot two weeks ago and last Thursday wrapped up the American League East title. Heading into the first night of the current homestand, the team's magic number to cement the best record -- and with it, home field advantage throughout the postseason -- was one, making a fait accompli with six games remaining.

There are some personal statistics at stake in the final week. The Sox would like shortstop Xander Bogaerts to reach the 100-RBI plateau and for Mookie Betts to add two more stolen bases in order to become just the second player in franchise to enjoy a 30-30 season.

Beyond those goals, the Red Sox find themselves in a bit of suspended animation. They have games still to play, but the results are of little consequence. As such, manager Alex Cora is trying to balance his approach and prepare for his team's first playoff game which remains 11 full days away.

If a consensus about how to treat the final week has been developed in baseball, it's not obvious. Some teams emphasize rest for their regulars, but that, too, has its risks: for division winners who aren't required to take part in the wild-card round, there are four idle days between regular season Game No. 162 and the first game of the Division Series.

Teams that reward their starting position players with a light workload in the final week risk making them rusty when the postseason begins in earnest. Conversely, pushing players down the stretch -- especially after the long, six-month grind -- can result in fatigue, or worse, last-minute injuries.

Meanwhile, some starting pitchers are ramping up after being sidelined with injuries, while others are being given extra days between starts to reflect high-innings totals. That means 90 or so pitches for Chris Sale on Wednesday, while Rick Porcello will get the benefit of five days in between his last start (Saturday in Cleveland) and his final one of the season (Friday against the Yankees).

Ultimately, Cora trusts that whomever he has in the lineup, the Red Sox will play with energy and crispness.

"Sharpness or playing hard with this group -- we don't have that problem,'' said Cora.

Should the Yankees not clinch home field in the wild-card game by the time they arrive at Fenway on Friday, the Sox might approach the final series with a little more sense of purpose. While the Sox don't appear to have a preference in who their first-round opponent is, they might welcome the opportunity to force the Yankees to have to travel to the West Coast for their win-or-go-home game. Under that scenario, whichever teams advances between the A's and Yankees, they'll have to travel to across the country to prior to Game 1.

How to handle next week is another matter. Other than at the All-Star break, teams aren't accustomed to having four consecutive days off.

Cora is undecided on to how to handle next week, when the Red Sox will need to stay busy while their ALDS opponent is being determined. Cleveland manager Terry Francona said Sunday that he plans a to organize an intra-squad game for Oct. 3, to provide some game-like conditions, and, just maybe, break up the boredom that can come during a week in which no official games are played over a period of four days.

Cora indicated he had no plans to organize a game, but he's been canvassing his coaching staff, sounding them out on their thoughts and asking what they've done elsewhere with other organizations.

"We'll sit down and see,'' Cora said. "You're still going to have off-days. There's not too much you can do. If (the hitters) want to see live pitching, we'll do it. I know in '07 and '08, that's what we did here (as a player). You have your workouts and there were guys who had to throw their bullpens, so we made it live BP. We know for sure Monday is going to be off and we'll go from there.''

However the Sox handle things, it will come under the heading of "first-place problems,'' which surely beats the alternative of playing out the string in the season's final week with no postseason play awaiting them.