Men’s magazine editors across the good ol’ U.S.A. have jumped on the Red Sox bandwagon by selecting the two most photogenic Boston players and photographing the hell out of them. Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett have been fighting for the worst sunburn related to flash photography since last season’s Series triumph.

(Ellsbury’s World Series bonus went towards a big damned truck, apparently.)

As OUT IN CENTER FIELD notes, Ellsbury’s SI featurette was just the latest salvo in the War on Q Ratings. Beckett was on the cover of MEN’S FITNESS. (No snickering.) Ellsbury was in a spread in MEN’S VOGUE. (Seriously? There’s a men’s version of Vogue now? Can we get Justin Timberlake to cover Madonna?) However, these men’s magazines aren’t really thinking about the big picture.

There were 23 other men on the World Series roster last fall. Most of them are available for photo shoots, television appearances, bat mitzvahs, mall openings, etc. Have any of these magazines considered that?

Obsessive-compulsive Red Sox fans would absolutely have to collect the whole set. Alternate covers of Julio Lugo! Curt Schilling as the guest editor of the National Review! Holographic covers of Jason Varitek leaping up to almost throw a runner out! After all, that strategy worked so well for the comic book industry.

So reconsider that session you have with Beckett on Saturday morning, Annie, and call up another Red Sox player. He’ll appreciate the attention and you’ll appreciate the challenge.