2014 Prospect Mega Thread

[mvp 78]

Dustin is 30 and signed for a long time. He's gonna be retired in about 8-10 yrs. You don't have a guy play out of position past their arbitration years on a presumed big time contract while you wait. Betts doesn't have the arm for 3b nor the range for SS. He's a 2b and hence, he's redundant in this system

 

Any good corporation has a little redundancy just in case the unforseen happens. It's not like Pedey has a Gherig/Ripkin health streak going.

[jacksonianmarch]

Any good corporation has a little redundancy just in case the unforseen happens. It's not like Pedey has a Gherig/Ripkin health streak going.

 

Pedey did hit over .300 with a torn thumb ligament that is required for hand integrity.

[Station 13]

55 games now Betts have reach safely (counting playoff). He's hitting around .380 since last May too.

[win red sox]

Betts is ridiculous, 3/4 tonight with a bomb.

[Station 13]

Mookie is going to rock Fenway.

[a700hitter]

I wonder if they call him up if Bogaerts leg is injured.

[Station 13]

We've got 3 top infielders still in the system. We need the pitching to steps up more than ever.

[Spudboy]

Isn't this Bett's first year above high A ball?

 

It's nice to get excited about any kid raking in the system, I know.

 

But it's way too early to proclaim that he will "rock Fenway".

[Spudboy]

Of course it is interesting to keep an eye on the kid!

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140430&content_id=73720602&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

[rjortiz]

Betts is going to fetch something useful when we decide to trade him. Edited May 1, 2014 by rjortiz

[Spudboy]

Betts is going to fetch something useful when we decide to trade him.

 

Possibly. Who knows what the future will bring the Sox? Maybe Pedroia sustains a serious injury and Betts comes up? Maybe Betts fizzles or get injured? All types of things could happen or develop.

[rjortiz]

Possibly. Who knows what the future will bring the Sox? Maybe Pedroia sustains a serious injury and Betts comes up? Maybe Betts fizzles or get injured? All types of things could happen or develop.

 

My prediction is that he isn't in the organization on Opening Day 2015.

[jacksonianmarch]

I agree rj. You have a guy who won an MVP at 2b on a lengthy contract who is in the middle of his prime. He isn't going anywhere. You have an All-World prospect in Bogaerts who they're going to give a long leash to. Your 3b is Middlebrooks for the forseeable future, and his power from that position is more prototypical than the speedy guy Betts is, even though he is showing power early on as well. He's blocked. So either he gets dealt or Bogaerts/Pedroia/Middlebrooks are dealt. And I don't see that happening.

[User Name]

There's also Cecchini behind WMB in the depth chart, and he's the better prospect regardless of what Betts is currently doing.

[mvp 78]

I wouldn't trade Betts due to Pedroia's injury history unless they were getting a stud SP in return.

[jacksonianmarch]

Pedroia's injury history? He missed 87 games in 2010 due to a foot fracture. Since then, he's had a multitude of little injuries and one big one that he played 160 games through and put up a 6.5WAR. The last 3 seasons, he has played 460 games, or an average of 153 games per season. His "injury" history is practically null and void compared to most everyone else. Also, keeping someone as insurance for a pretty durable player is a good way to diminish the value of the prospect. Betts is a starting 2b quality prospect. Teams will be lining up for him.

[Station 13]

Mookie reach base 4 times last night, 2H, 2BB, 3 runs scored, 1SB. This was the 61st straight he has reach safely.

 

He's also lighting up LHP .515/.590/.758

 

FWIW EEI said Mookie is shagging flyballs in the OF.

[rjortiz]

Hearing a lot of Ben Zobrist comparisons.

[rjortiz]

Betts with another HR. Top 20 prospect in MLB. Our farm system is still the envy of the world even with the graduation of Bogaerts and Bradley.

[User Name]

So what happens when Garin Cecchini inevitably explodes as well? Both of 'em to shag balls in the OF?

[rjortiz]

So what happens when Garin Cecchini inevitably explodes as well? Both of 'em to shag balls in the OF?

 

Good problem to have, isn't it? I wonder if we had the Yankees farm system, would we be touting Brock Holt as star in the making 3B like Jacko did with Solarte?

 

Personally, I'd use Betts as the centerpiece for an impact player. Cecchini should keep taking grounders at 3B for the inevitable Middlebrooks faceplant.

[Station 13]

Owens pitch 7.2IP before surrendering a hit. But his walks annoying.

[Palodios]

Workman went 7 innings with 4 hits yesterday... but those 4 were home runs. It makes me wonder if he might be more valuable in the bullpen for this team, with 4 well regarded starters in AAA next to him.

[Station 13]

Workman went 7 innings with 4 hits yesterday... but those 4 were home runs. It makes me wonder if he might be more valuable in the bullpen for this team, with 4 well regarded starters in AAA next to him.

 

No. Starters have much more values. He has the best control of any of our AAA starters (4K/BB). They sent him down to be a starter and bullpen only if he fails at the major level.

[Palodios]

No. Starters have much more values. He has the best control of any of our AAA starters (4K/BB). They sent him down to be a starter and bullpen only if he fails at the major level.

 

Let's see how he develops in the minors, and go from there, but if there are better options I would prefer using them.

 

Plenty of talented arms just couldn't cut it as starters, but have shown to be significantly better as relievers, ie Andrew Miller, Joba Chamberlain, Daniel Bard, Luke Hochevar.

[Station 13]

Barnes 7IP 5H 3K/1BB, he has done extremely well for a guy that got no spring training.

 

Betts 2/4 2BB (lost track of his OB streak, but it's closing in on 70th)

[SoxFanForsyth]

Barnes 7IP 5H 3K/1BB, he has done extremely well for a guy that got no spring training.

 

Betts 2/4 2BB (lost track of his OB streak, but it's closing in on 70th)

 

I believe Betts streak is at 62 without the 2013 playoffs, 67 with.

 

I just went to bbref and looked at Betts 162 game average based on his season so far. It made me laugh.

 

.396/.458/.597, 26 HR, 102 RBI, 205 Runs, 76 SB.

 

A recent Alex Speier article mentioned that his stock as risen to "untouchable" status on the Sox. Just to be clear, he's on the same timeline as Xander was, and in all honesty, is absolutely crapping all over Xanders numbers, as a middle infielder as well.

 

I can definitely see a scenario where Mookie goes back to SS, Xander slides to 3B, and Middlebrooks/Cecchini plays 1B and one gets traded.

 

Then again, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep all 4 in the case that someone gets hurt.

[Palodios]

I believe Betts streak is at 62 without the 2013 playoffs, 67 with.

 

I just went to bbref and looked at Betts 162 game average based on his season so far. It made me laugh.

 

.396/.458/.597, 26 HR, 102 RBI, 205 Runs, 76 SB.

 

A recent Alex Speier article mentioned that his stock as risen to "untouchable" status on the Sox. Just to be clear, he's on the same timeline as Xander was, and in all honesty, is absolutely crapping all over Xanders numbers, as a middle infielder as well.

 

I can definitely see a scenario where Mookie goes back to SS, Xander slides to 3B, and Middlebrooks/Cecchini plays 1B and one gets traded.

 

Then again, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep all 4 in the case that someone gets hurt.

 

Is Mookie untouchable though? He's a high talent player who plays a position that is about as blocked as possible. If he can be traded to pull in an ace or hammer for another World Series run, would it be worth it? Clearly it would need to be an impact player -- or multiple impact players coming back.

 

Otherwise, we might need to start sending some of these guys into the outfield.

[User Name]

Hasn't Betts been shagging balls in the OF already?

[SoxFanForsyth]

Is Mookie untouchable though? He's a high talent player who plays a position that is about as blocked as possible. If he can be traded to pull in an ace or hammer for another World Series run, would it be worth it? Clearly it would need to be an impact player -- or multiple impact players coming back.

 

Otherwise, we might need to start sending some of these guys into the outfield.

 

Why the Mookie Betts Position Question is Really an Answer

 

To go onto what UN said, "I make it a point, always in the third group [of batting practice], I go to center field," said Betts, who has played second base exclusively for most of the last three years after opening his career as a shortstop. "I pretty much take it like a game situation, take all the line drives, flyballs, anything, and sometimes I take some groundballs and throw them to the bag just to see what it's like out there."

 

Also, "But those notions are getting a bit ahead of Betts' current circumstance. If the 21-year-old continues to rocket through the Red Sox system at this pace, it likely will be in Triple-A Pawtucket -- perhaps later this year -- that he will start gaining exposure to positions other than second base in games, at a time when he can work with one coaching staff on making any necessary transitions, with the relevant coordinator or coordinators (infield instructor Andy Fox or outfield instructor George Lombard, depending on the Sox' needs) linking up with Pawtucket as needed to round out Betts' education at a different spot.

 

That's how the Sox proceeded with Xander Bogaerts a year ago: He took some grounders at third base in Portland, but it wasn't until he arrived in Pawtucket -- after he'd shown that he needed to be challenged by a higher level of pitching -- that he began his more formal training at the position where he'd eventually prove a pivotal postseason performer."

 

Don't think for a minute that the Sox wouldn't absolutely love a Ben Zobrist-type player if they could get that from Betts. If he can play 2B, SS, CF, LF, and 3B, and produce offensively like he's shown, he's going nowhere.

 

And that's coming from someone who would trade him in a deal for Stanton in a heartbeat, but that's not the way the Sox will go, IMO.