Jon Lester

[kreinbihl34]

If it only takes Lester and maybe some low level spects I give it a green light, I can imagine a rotation of...

Schill

Beckett

Clemens

Willis

Clement/Wake

 

There has never been any equal in my mind in baseball in recent history.

[ksushi]

But that isn't what its going to take. Trading away our farm system doesn't make sense.

[a700hitter]

But that isn't what its going to take. Trading away our farm system doesn't make sense.

I'd give them Lester and Pedroia if that's what it took. Trading away your farm system is exactly one of its major functions. Lester is not going to help the ML club this year. They are still teaching him the basics. And he may not be ready by next year. This Red Sox team is ready for Prime Time, and Willis could step right in to solidify the rotation. He's cheap and young and really good. He would be Red Sox' present and future.

[jsinger121]

I'd give them Lester and Pedroia if that's what it took. Trading away your farm system is exactly one of its major functions. Lester is not going to help the ML club this year. They are still teaching him the basics. And he may not be ready by next year. This Red Sox team is ready for Prime Time, and Willis could step right in to solidify the rotation. He's cheap and young and really good. He would be Red Sox' present and future.

 

Trouble is it won't take just Lester and Pedroia and thats why Theo would never do that. He didn't come back to the Sox in order to rip his farm system apart.

[ksushi]

I'd give them Lester and Pedroia if that's what it took. Trading away your farm system is exactly one of its major functions. Lester is not going to help the ML club this year. They are still teaching him the basics. And he may not be ready by next year. This Red Sox team is ready for Prime Time, and Willis could step right in to solidify the rotation. He's cheap and young and really good. He would be Red Sox' present and future.

 

This year isn't what the Sox are building for.

 

Let me ask you this, would you trade Lester Hansen and Pedroia?

[example1]

This year isn't what the Sox are building for.

 

Let me ask you this, would you trade Lester Hansen and Pedroia?

 

God no. Let's NOT trade the farm for Willis. Geez.

 

And talk of a

Schilling

Beckett

Clemens

Willis

Wake/Clement

 

rotation looks really good, until you look at next year:

 

Schilling (in the last year of his career)

Beckett (if we can resign him)

---------

Willis

-------/Clement

 

and in two years:

 

--------

Willis

Beckett

--------

Clement

 

I don't like that plan very much.

[ksushi]

Well, you have to include Papelbon in the rotation plans for the future, but I do agree with you. But the Sox have Beckett for the next three years. He is only elligible for arbitration.

[a700hitter]

This year isn't what the Sox are building for.

 

Let me ask you this, would you trade Lester Hansen and Pedroia?

No, but I would substitute MDC for Hansen. The Sox are an elite team. Of course, yo make moves to win now. By time Lester is ready for prime time, Manny, Schilling, Trot, Lowell, Foulke, and Loretta are likely to all be gone. That's a lot of star power to replace. If the FO doesn't make every effort to win with these guys, why have a $130+ million payroll. Also, getting Willis is not just building for this year. He's only 24. We will be lucky if Lester cracks the rotation by age 24, never mind being the All Star that Willis is.

[ksushi]

When Manny Schilling Trot Lowell and Foulke are gone we have Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon, Hansen, Delcarmen and Wily Mo to look forward too. Just because guys will get old and move on doesn't justify moving a prospect. As a matter of fact, thats the reason for keeping a prospect. Not sure what your logic is there. Why are you desparate to win right now? Why do you think what we have in our system won't carry us down the road? It doesn't make sense to me that you always want to sell the farm for right now this second. Honestly, this is always your opinion and it drives me nuts because I can't figure it out. A rotation of Lester, Papelbon, Beckett and Bowden will be scary a couple years from now. Yes, I am including Bowden. I'm not one of those crazy fans who buys into every prospect but I am in love with Michael Bowden. He has crazy stuff and nice mound presence. This team has a lot of potential down the road. Granted, Dontrelle is a young guy, I just don't see him as an ace. I would rather sign a Clemens and keep my prospects.

 

You're skewing the facts right now to try to make your point. Right now, Lester is on pace to crack the rotation next year. Willis is a good pitcher, and I understand he is 24, but I question his durability. I'd like to see this guy get another ace-like season in under his belt before I sell the farm for him. He has had terrible second halves two years in a row before last year. Unfortunetly we don't have time to wait around. I would vote no on this based on what I have seen of Dontrelle in the past. You on the other hand are itching to deal away young talent all the time, so I see why you would like this. To me Lester and Pedroia would be way too much.

 

Think about it in terms you can grasp, if you had Pettitte and Eckstien, would you trade them along with a Manny Delcarmen for Dontrelle? When you put it like that, you're getting raped. Lester and Pedroia have that kind of potential. I'm not in any rush to send them anywhere for anybody.

 

I'd like to have Willis in my rotation and you're right, he helps now and later but I think Lester has the potential to help more later than Dontrelle will. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be crying if this happened because he is a good pitcher, but I think we would need something else before we part with these prospects. If Hansen is involved I would absolutely hang up the phone. Lester is gettable considering that Dontrelle is coming back the other way, but I'm very leery about trading Pedroia.

[a700hitter]

When Manny Schilling Trot Lowell and Foulke are gone we have Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon, Hansen, Delcarmen and Wily Mo to look forward too. Just because guys will get old and move on doesn't justify moving a prospect. As a matter of fact, thats the reason for keeping a prospect.

The guys you are mentioning may never make it other than Papelbon. The guys I mentioned are bona fide major league stars. This team is stacked with talent. You make moves to win now when there is a realistic opportunity to go all the way. The farm is just as important for trading, maybe more important, than for restocking your ML roster. In three years, I would doubt there are more than 3 guys on the ML roster from the current farm crop.

[ksushi]

You have you approach, I have mine. Difference of opinion. I see where you are coming from, but I think its a little bit closed minded. Oh well, you win some you lose some. Whats more important is what the hell is Roger Clemens doing right now and how can we sign him.

[a700hitter]

You have you approach, I have mine. Difference of opinion. I see where you are coming from, but I think its a little bit closed minded. Oh well, you win some you lose some. Whats more important is what the hell is Roger Clemens doing right now and how can we sign him.

This should be a news-making week on the Clemens-front. i think he'll announce something before the week is over.

[ksushi]

I certainly hope so. To be honest, I am getting nervous, if he doesn't pitch or he goes NL, so be it, but he can't go to New York. This, to me, is the season.

[jsinger121]

Lester 5ip 3h 2r 2er 2bb 4k 1hra

 

each time out Lester gets better

[ksushi]

Trade him for Victor Zambrano. God.

[a700hitter]

Time to make the Willis deal.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Lester 5ip 3h 2r 2er 2bb 4k 1hra

 

each time out Lester gets better

 

My understanding is they haven't let him go out and just pitch. He is being told to use his secondary pitches more...he is also on a strict pitch count. Same thing with Craig Hansen...usually that means the team has plans for them in the season. I don't think its that far fetched to see Lester and Hansen making there mark on the team. So here is a question:

 

If both Lester and Hansen were ready to come to the bigs what would you do with them and Papelbon??

 

If Lester is effective I would consider allowing him to take the #5 rotation spot with Papelbon staying in as the closer and Hansen taking a setup spot.

[jsinger121]

My understanding is they haven't let him go out and just pitch. He is being told to use his secondary pitches more...he is also on a strict pitch count. Same thing with Craig Hansen...usually that means the team has plans for them in the season. I don't think its that far fetched to see Lester and Hansen making there mark on the team. So here is a question:

 

If both Lester and Hansen were ready to come to the bigs what would you do with them and Papelbon??

 

If Lester is effective I would consider allowing him to take the #5 rotation spot with Papelbon staying in as the closer and Hansen taking a setup spot.

 

 

Yesterday's start for Lester was the first time the Sox organization kind of took the rope off of him. As the weather gets warmer his pitch count will go up. Smart move by the FO to limit him early as last year he really worked hard in Portland and started to get tired by the end of the year.

[a700hitter]

If Lester is effective I would consider allowing him to take the #5 rotation spot with Papelbon staying in as the closer and Hansen taking a setup spot.

Lester is a fair bit away from being promoted to the big club. He has to demonstrate consistency before he can be considered to the ML staff.

[ksushi]

God, 700, stop talking. You might be embarrassing yourself right now except for the fact that you have no idea how far off the stuff your saying is. Its wonderful.

[a700hitter]

God, 700, stop talking. You might be embarrassing yourself right now except for the fact that you have no idea how far off the stuff your saying is. Its wonderful.

I don't think that I am far off. I'll make you a bet. I think he doesn't get promoted before mid-July, and he makes only 1 or 2 starts before he is optioned out. That is the most we will see him in a ML uniform this year. I think he stays on the farm for the entire year. Make your prediction, and we wil see who is closer.

[ksushi]

I don't think that I am far off. I'll make you a bet. I think he doesn't get promoted before mid-July, and he makes only 1 or 2 starts before he is optioned out. That is the most we will see him in a ML uniform this year. I think he stays on the farm for the entire year. Make your prediction, and we wil see who is closer.

 

My prediction is about the same... maybe without the to ML appearances. The sox are handling him with kid gloves and aren't promoting him anywhere. If I am not mistaken he hasn't pitched more than 4 or 5 innings yet this season. I'm not saying he is coming up this year, but this year really is not that important. We have a good ML team that can compete and a great farm for the future. No need to fire all our bullets this season. I think he stays down all year and gets the call next season.

[jsinger121]

the most he has pitched in a start is 5 innings and he did that in his last start

[jsinger121]

Solid night for Lester - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 R, 0 ER - 69 Pitches, 45 for strikes, Groundball/Flyball 5/6

[MC Hammer]

Solid night for Lester - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 R, 0 ER - 69 Pitches, 45 for strikes, Groundball/Flyball 5/6

Maybe the Hansen talk lit a fire under him.

[TheRivernator]

After his rough start, I think the sox brass and the media stopped billing him as a midseason savior and considered him what he is, a prospect with potential. He'll be good, he just should not be rushed....

[a700hitter]

Maybe the Hansen talk lit a fire under him.

The scouting is pretty uniform that this kid has a lot of talent. That being said, he was bound to start getting some good outings under his belt.

[MC Hammer]

The scouting is pretty uniform that this kid has a lot of talent. That being said, he was bound to start getting some good outings under his belt.

I understand that. Some players just get a little kick in the ass from somethings and feel like they have something to prove, and play to potential. It was more of a joke than a truth.

[jsinger121]

After his rough start, I think the sox brass and the media stopped billing him as a midseason savior and considered him what he is, a prospect with potential. He'll be good, he just should not be rushed....

 

I think you are dead wrong. The Sox feel very strong that Lester could contribute in the second half of the season and after the heavy workload last year wanted to keep his innings down in the early part of the season.

[TheRivernator]

I think you are dead wrong. The Sox feel very strong that Lester could contribute in the second half of the season and after the heavy workload last year wanted to keep his innings down in the early part of the season.

 

I was just reading a Gammons article, ie the state of the red sox on espn, and his speculation on why Hansen is being stretched out is because the sox dont thinkLester is ready this yr. That's all. Our best pitching prospect isnt ready this yr either....