Who?

[wyo-sox]

Seems to me if you have a team you believe one of two things about it. One, you can or are very close to winning the World Series. Two, you know you can't seriously contend for a WS so you are "rebuilding".

 

I firmly believe it is to early to tell, but boy oh boy it is looking more and more like the Sox are more like the later. If they are not a team that can seriously contend and you were the GM, who would you start offering to trade for prospect? Clearly some of the big name contracts we have do a team no good that is loosing. In addition what positions would you prioritize in getting prospects?

[d-money]

Its amazing to me that this team is rebuilding when they have a high f***ing payroll!!They have injuries right now but some of these guys arent performing like they should.The pitching has kind of stunk!!!

[User Name]

How are they rebuilding? By all accounts, they're looking to add players, not trade them away.

 

Also, it's April 20th.

[FredLynn]

Its amazing to me that this team is rebuilding when they have a high f***ing payroll!!They have injuries right now but some of these guys arent performing like they should.The pitching has kind of stunk!!!

 

I think that "rebuilding" takes different forms for different teams. Teams like the A's have to unload all their salary and obtain tons of draft picks. This can take years. But if you have as high a payroll as we have rebuilding means that you can still have a winning record but have to get rid of some contracts to really compete for a ring. Having that much money guarantees that you will always have some talent on your team, much more so than teams that have little money.

I think we should obtain pitching pitching pitching. And that will be available at the end of the year. If we can get quality pitching for Youkilis or Beckett I would make that kind of trade.

[User Name]

I'd trade Youk because WMB is knocking on the door, but trading Beckett makes no sense for a team lacking pitching. You don't like him, we get it, but it makes no sense.

[mvp 78]

Trading Beckett now doesn't make sense. In the offseason, you could have used the Beckett $$$ on a FA. Now, you do it only if you're tanking.

[Gringo]

This team is not gonna make the playoffs this year. The pitching is a total shambles, the OF is decimated, the catchers are pathetic, the SS is a mediocre journeyman, the 3B is crumbling before our eyes....there is already a rift in the clubhouse, and we're saddled with idiotic contracts to Lackey and Crawford.

 

What I want to know is if the PRINCIPAL owner didn't want to sign Crawford....why did we?

 

We are the 3rd best team in the division, and we better get used to it.

[jung]

Youk is a definite possibility with WMB actually trying to bash the door in.

 

However with the roster sort of weak as it is currently they need to play smart baseball. If they continue to play stupid baseball with a relatively weak roster against stronger teams they are going to just go on out there and chalk up more lost games. They can play better than this but they must play smart and play as a team.

 

They can't rebuild in the way that some teams just trash the entire roster and build for four or five years to get someplace. On the other hand, if ten games from now, some of the black holes in this lineup are still black holes, guys like Youk and Salty then I think they are going to have to get some of these guys up from Pawtucket.

[FredLynn]

I'd trade Youk because WMB is knocking on the door' date=' but trading Beckett makes no sense for a team lacking pitching. You don't like him, we get it, but it makes no sense.[/quote']

 

If we can get a quality SP, maybe a good #2, then why not trade him? I am not advocating giving him away. Only do it if the trade makes sense.

[Elktonnick]

Youk is a definite possibility with WMB actually trying to bash the door in.

 

However with the roster sort of weak as it is currently they need to play smart baseball. If they continue to play stupid baseball with a relatively weak roster against stronger teams they are going to just go on out there and chalk up more lost games. They can play better than this but they must play smart and play as a team.

 

They can't rebuild in the way that some teams just trash the entire roster and build for four or five years to get someplace. On the other hand, if ten games from now, some of the black holes in this lineup are still black holes, guys like Youk and Salty then I think they are going to have to get some of these guys up from Pawtucket.

 

I agree. Let's face it Salty has been around for more than a few years. He'll never be any better then he is now. I don't think his defense is that much better than Lavarnway's. Last year the Sox obviously thought Lavarnway was an improvement over Salty since they had him play in some key games in September. So why not now. Youklis isn't the player he once was. While he is showing some signs of life in the last few days, his best days are behind him.

[jung]

Even with the injuries and the black holes or maybe because of them, I cannot believe how stupidly this team is playing at the moment in all phases of the game...at the plate particularly where they have been incredibly stupid and selfish. However the plate is not the only place where they have played stupidly and as far as I am concerned Baseball Genius V has not been in the building yet.

[Elktonnick]

Even with the injuries and the black holes or maybe because of them' date=' I cannot believe how stupidly this team is playing at the moment in all phases of the game...at the plate particularly where they have been incredibly stupid and selfish. However the plate is not the only place where they have played stupidly and as far as I am concerned Baseball Genius V has not been in the building yet.[/quote']

 

This is a team which badly needs a unifying event. Several years ago Maddon picked a fight with the Red Sox a brawl ensued and the Rays went on to win the AL title. While I am not suggesting a brawl but hey it worked for Maddon.

[a700hitter]

This is a team which badly needs a unifying event. Several years ago Maddon picked a fight with the Red Sox a brawl ensued and the Rays went on to win the AL title. While I am not suggesting a brawl but hey it worked for Maddon.

They need a bullpen.

[Elktonnick]

They need a bullpen.

 

You mean a bully pen

[jung]

The pen hardly ever gets the game with a lead or even tied. So it is hard for me to spend much time worrying about the pen. These games are in the main lost before the pen gets the ball. Ya' can't play every game from behind.

 

I think if Aceves and Melancon had not blown up in the first couple of games of the season it would be hard to point to the pen as an issue of any kind to this point of the season when you compare it to the way they have performed at the plate, in the rotation and to some extent in the field.

[a700hitter]

The pen hardly ever gets the game with a lead or even tied. So it is hard for me to spend much time worrying about the pen. These games are in the main lost before the pen gets the ball. Ya' can't play every game from behind.

 

I think if Aceves and Melancon had not blown up in the first couple of games of the season it would be hard to point to the pen as an issue of any kind to this point of the season when you compare it to the way they have performed at the plate, in the rotation and to some extent in the field.

Well, this is where we have a difference of opinion. Except for the pen, I think the team will be fine. The starters should be solid, and when Crawford comes back, we can cut that puke Repko.

[jung]

It will be interesting to see how CC responds. This will unfortunately be yet another year where the very first instant he puts a spike onto a field he will be with a great deal of anticipation and under a great deal of scrutiny and pressure. We have already seen how well he responds to that.

[wyo-sox]

I see lots of talk about being willing to trade Youk. What makes us think we could get anything for him? Who would give up anything substantial for him right now? I think Ells would be the guy to move maybe even package someone like Youk to get a little more value for the other player.

 

My thoughts are that first of all there is a good chance Ells does not want to be here. Secondly there is a good chance we can't or won't pay what it takes to keep him next year. Additionally every other team still has Ells last amazing season fresh in their mind and the reality is there is a good chance he may never have a season like that again.

 

Again remember I am proposing this as as a hypothetical. I do not think it is time to jump ship on these guys yet. In my opinion if they are not playing 500 baseball by 20 games I will be nervous. If things have not changed by 40 games I think the Sox leadership should seriously move some of their big name players.

[FredLynn]

Well' date=' this is where we have a difference of opinion. Except for the pen, I think the team will be fine. The starters should be solid, and when Crawford comes back, we can cut that puke Repko.[/quote']

 

Repko is not a "puke".

He would make a fine wall ornament.

[a700hitter]

I see lots of talk about being willing to trade Youk. What makes us think we could get anything for him? Who would give up anything substantial for him right now? I think Ells would be the guy to move maybe even package someone like Youk to get a little more value for the other player.

He'd have to start hitting again.

[jung]

If Youk continues like this, the team will need to get Middlebrooks up here. They are not going to get much for Youk now or later. Does not matter. But they may just need to get Middlebrooks up here one way or the other.

[The Village Idiot]

If Youk turns it around in the next couple of weeks, don't be surprised if the Sox trade Middlebrooks for starting pitching.

 

Middlebrooks is a great athlete, defender, and hits for power and average. But he doesn't get on base at the clip that a team like the Sox would need him to. What else? He's at his peak, value-wise, as a prospect. The Sox could deal him for some promising pitching prospect(s), which they could really use.

 

Another option is trading Lavarnway, another guy whose value on the market is very high now, in relative terms.

 

The Sox won't trade Youk. His slow start means they won't get enough in return. The Sox hold the option for '13 that they won't pick up. Dealing Youk now? Silly.

 

Everyone else is locked up in contracts that are unbreakable.

 

I think people are panicking too early. Look at the standings. The Sox are a couple of games out during a stretch where they're playing the toughest competition in the league. Can we please just deal with it rather than sounding like a bunch of fraidy cat Nancies, already?

 

By the way, great f***ing ceremony this afternoon. The Dentist did very, very well. If you're a lifer Boston fan and didn't hold this afternoon close to your heart, you're made of stone and ice runs through your wiry veins.

[SCM33]

 

We are the 3rd best team in the division, and we better get used to it.

 

Third? Right now we are number 4. I expect them to finish in third place though.

[Station 13]

If Middlebrooks can hit .280+ 25HR and play defense, they got a hell of a 3B. I would not trade him for another prospect. I only move him to get an impact player right away.

 

Youkilis is too damage to bring back in 2013.

[jung]

Middlebrooks is a great athlete, defender, and hits for power and average. But he doesn't get on base at the clip that a team like the Sox would need him to. What else? He's at his peak, value-wise, as a prospect. The Sox could deal him for some promising pitching prospect(s), which they could really use.

 

Another option is trading Lavarnway, another guy whose value on the market is very high now, in relative terms.

 

So you would keep Youk because you will get nothing for him but not pick up his option for next year, which means he would be dead wood by then anyway. However you would trade Middlebrooks instead.

 

But wait....maybe we can trade Lavarnway. The two positions on this team that are performing the worst are Catcher and 3rd and you want to trade away their immediate replacements? For what and for what purpose...for this year? Wow

[SoxSport]

This team has no f**king life right now. And I think the front office is getting off scott free. I think V has done a lousy job with his big mouth, but I also think the front office has sucked--for refusing to inject

some young blood into this team--opting instead for a bunch of lifeless mediocrities to fill out the lineup.

And V has gone along with it--despite his inclinations otherwise in spring training. Another V mistake.

Make that Lucchino's mistake, who is trying to please everybody.

 

Those hi-priced veterans could use a few of those young upstarts in Pawtucket right now to inject some life into this team. Instead, the kids are stuck in AAA to get more "experience." Well, experience is now. Wake up, Ben.

[RedSoxNC84]

If Youk can pull it together, trading him may not be the worst idea. I'd rather hang on to WMB for a few years than trade him for an impact player now, because the Sox are going to need a good 3B. Youkilis is getting older, and he can't even play a full season. I say don't excercise the 2013 option on him, let him sign somewhere else.. Maybe he can hit in the NL.

[SoxSport]

Youks real value is as a first baseman. I think he's too old to play 3B, but still could have some value playing 1B. But they won't get anything for him unless he starts to hit. And if he hits, they need his RHd bat.

[RedSoxNC84]

Youks real value is as a first baseman. I think he's too old to play 3B' date=' but still could have some value playing 1B. But they won't get anything for him unless he starts to hit. And if he hits, they need his RHd bat.[/quote']

 

Even as a 1B he spends plenty of time on the DL

[RedSoxRally]

I really like Kevin Youkilis but over the past couple of years, his temper is getting the best of him way too often. Even when he is not slumpping he argues everything. As much as I love fire in a player his demeanor is beginning to affect his overall play. I'm not sure I see Boston moving him anytime soon. His ability to get hot makes him one of the toughest out in the majors, but the question is when will he snap out of it. In order to get top value for Youkilis, it's been said already, he has to start hitting.