Jon Lester Speaks Out About His Dislike For Hanley Ramirez

[Palodios]

Except I don't think he's right about Kelly. He's being challenged at a high level and is adjusting. Apparently those who are watching him still see tons of promise and think he'll be a top of the rotation guy.

 

The problem is that other teams might use his inconsistencies as leverage to get more in a big deal. There's no such thing as a sure-thing with prospects, and if a pitcher is struggling at low levels it raises red flags, and the team may be paranoid that the Sox have a good reason to be trading their top prospect. Either way, the Red Sox will only trade him when his value is on the rise, and unlikely if that.

[RWTP24]

Everyone on the MB would take Hanley in a heartbeat. He is one of the best, if the not best SS in the league right now.

[jacksonianmarch]

Except I don't think he's right about Kelly. He's being challenged at a high level and is adjusting. Apparently those who are watching him still see tons of promise and think he'll be a top of the rotation guy.

 

Not sure if too many people think he's a #1. His stuff doesnt really indicate that. He's more of a #2.

[Will617]

It's too early to project, he hasn't even fully developed his stuff yet (from what I've heard, he now throws two curveballs, one for strikes and one as an out pitch, and one of them is significantly slower than the other).

Also, wasn't Joba at one point considered a #1 guy? That didn't turn out so well - projections are just guesstimates and not much more.

[example1]

Not sure if too many people think he's a #1. His stuff doesnt really indicate that. He's more of a #2.

 

He projects as a guy who could be an ace. He only recently became a starter full time, has great natural command of multiple pitches, and sits consistently in the low 90's with room to grow.

 

Recent Sox pitching prospects have developed very nicely and both Buchholz and Lester sat low 90s at the same age. There's reason to believe he will add velocity. The Sox FO talks glowingly about this kid as a pitcher and as an athlete, and their track record with developing pitching prospects looks pretty good right now. If Kelly is the next in that progression I'm not going to be shocked. This club has developed a lot of high impact pitchers in their tenure and I expect it to continue.