A Realistic View at 2017 Part I

[a700hitter]

If SFF was still here, he could just ask LL directly.

That's right. He was his Uber Driver.

[Spudboy]

Lol.

[moonslav59]

Steve Selsky (1B/LF/RF)

Bats: R

.838 OPS in 6 season on the farm (limited power with just 51 HRs in 2075 PAs)

.810 in MLB with just 54 PAs with Cincy last year.

 

Minor league splits:

2016 AAA: .937 v L/ .750 v R

 

He's on the 40 man roster and has 2 options remaining.

[Fisk]

Steve Selsky (1B/LF/RF)

Bats: R

.838 OPS in 6 season on the farm (limited power with just 51 HRs in 2075 PAs)

.810 in MLB with just 54 PAs with Cincy last year.

 

Minor league splits:

2016 AAA: .937 v L/ .750 v R

 

He's on the 40 man roster and has 2 options remaining.

 

Out of all the outfielders we picked up he gives me the most hope.

[moonslav59]

Out of all the outfielders we picked up he gives me the most hope.

 

Bye bye Brentz.

[Fisk]

I think you might have an irrational hatred of Brentz.

[Spudboy]

I think you might have an irrational hatred of Brentz.

 

Maybe so. But I would substitute the word unjustified for irrational.

[Fisk]

Maybe so. But I would substitute the word unjustified for irrational.

 

Works either way

[moonslav59]

I think you might have an irrational hatred of Brentz.

 

It's not hate.

 

He's just not good enough to play MLB.

[moonslav59]

Maybe so. But I would substitute the word unjustified for irrational.

 

What has he done or showed to justify wanting him on the ML roster?

 

He's out of options. He's not making the 25 man roster. Even if we have an OF injury, I'd rather bring up someone else.

 

[Eddy Ballgame]

What has he done or showed to justify wanting him on the ML roster?

 

He's out of options. He's not making the 25 man roster. Even if we have an OF injury, I'd rather bring up someone else.

 

 

You definitely seem to be one stubborn bastard if you don't like a move (Ryan Dempster) or a player (Brentz), but I admire your passion. Haven't heard any inside scoop on why Brentz is still around, other than he has plus power and he's a guy who doesn't fear much. He's definitely not a guy with power like Middlebrooks who put little or no effort into anything.

[Spudboy]

What has he done or showed to justify wanting him on the ML roster?

 

He's out of options. He's not making the 25 man roster. Even if we have an OF injury, I'd rather bring up someone else.

 

 

While I don't disagree with what you just said I do not understand why you feel so strongly about him. He is probably a AAAA player. So what? At least he is not on a $70+ mil contract.

[moonslav59]

You definitely seem to be one stubborn bastard if you don't like a move (Ryan Dempster) or a player (Brentz), but I admire your passion. Haven't heard any inside scoop on why Brentz is still around, other than he has plus power and he's a guy who doesn't fear much. He's definitely not a guy with power like Middlebrooks who put little or no effort into anything.

 

I've always been against spending significant money trying to upgrade the middle or bottom of the rotation, so it really was nothing personal against Dempster. At least I never called him one of the worst pitchers in the league, like I did Masterson.

 

I get why they signed Dempster, and I get what he brought to the clubhouse, but I was against the deal when it happened, and then his production on the field was much worse than his previous seasons before coming to Boston. I guess that soured me even more.

 

It wasn't just Dempster and Masterson, it was Penny, Smoltz, Colon, Wade Miller, Paul Byrd, Jake Peavy, Erik Bedard and Aaron Cook. At least I've been consistent.

 

I realize some of these guys were in season acquisitions needed to fill a gap during a playoff run. Sometimes, there wasn't many other options, so I couldn't and didn't blame the GM for getting some, but I just hate the idea of building a staff from anywhere other than the top (or at least a solid 3 type).

 

I always viewed Brentz as Middy-light. I must have suggested hundreds of Middy trades--back when he had value. 25% K rate and unsustainable/diminishing power. I never rooted against Brentz or any Sox player, but I just never had any high hopes for the guy.

[moonslav59]

While I don't disagree with what you just said I do not understand why you feel so strongly about him. He is probably a AAAA player. So what? At least he is not on a $70+ mil contract.

 

For several of the last DFA's, I thought it should have been Brentz, but it's not like any of the other guys we cut went on to do anything useful, so I can see why people wonder why I keep suggesting he's the "next to go".

 

This time, since he's out of options, I really think it is his time.

 

I wish him well, but I just don't see it happening here.

[moonslav59]

Baseball America's Top 100 is out...

 

1. Benintendi

2. Moncada

18. Devers

21. Espinoza

24. Margot

32. Kopech

43. Groome

 

Wow! 5 Red Sox products in the top 24. That's 1 out of every 5!

 

7 in the top 43. That's just about 1/6th!

 

The Yankees:

5. G Torres

39. C Frazier

45. B Rutherford

85. J Mateo

87. J Kaprielian

90. A Judge

91. J Sheffield

 

The Cubs:

14: Eloy Jimenez

64. A Almonte

97. D Cease

[Fisk]

Baseball America's Top 100 is out...

 

1. Benintendi

2. Moncada

18. Devers

21. Espinoza

24. Margot

32. Kopech

43. Groome

 

Wow! 5 Red Sox products in the top 24. That's 1 out of every 5!

 

7 in the top 43. That's just about 1/6th!

 

The Yankees:

5. G Torres

39. C Frazier

45. B Rutherford

85. J Mateo

87. J Kaprielian

90. A Judge

91. J Sheffield

 

The Cubs:

14: Eloy Jimenez

64. A Almonte

97. D Cease

 

Keith Law, MLB Pipeline, and Baseball America all have Benny as the #1 prospect in baseball, that is impressive. The sox never had that before, Boegarts was highly rated but never the consensus #1.

[Fisk]

After all the trades still have 3 top 50 prospects, shows how deep our system was. To bad we don't have much after the top 3.

[moonslav59]

After all the trades still have 3 top 50 prospects, shows how deep our system was. To bad we don't have much after the top 3.

 

Even though we are not deep after our top 3, we have Travis and non-prospect Swihart at ML ready status.

[Fisk]

Agree very high hopes for both but after that a bunch of relievers and wild cards. Two prospects that do intrigue me are Raudes and Dalbec they both can jump in the ratings next year.

[S5Dewey]

Could it be that all the hand-wringing was for naught?

[moonslav59]

Agree very high hopes for both but after that a bunch of relievers and wild cards. Two prospects that do intrigue me are Raudes and Dalbec they both can jump in the ratings next year.

 

Ockimey and Chatham could surprise. Both are scaled at 3-6 on soxprospects.com- the same as Dalbec. (Raudes is 2-5.)

[moonslav59]

Could it be that all the hand-wringing was for naught?

 

I think there'll always be some hand wringing when 4 of the top 32 ranked prospects are traded away.

 

Did I happen to say I'm so FREAKING HAPPY WE HAVE CHRIS SALE!

 

CHRIS FREAKIN SALE!

[Fisk]

Ockimey and Chatham could surprise. Both are scaled at 3-6 on soxprospects.com- the same as Dalbec. (Raudes is 2-5.)

 

Not a big fan of Ockimey really had a bad second half last year, Chatham I have hope for. The thing with Raudes is he doesn't have great stuff, but has great command these type of pitchers usually are underrated. No matter what he is a wildcard, curious to see his results this year at hi A at 19 years old.

[moonslav59]

Not a big fan of Ockimey really had a bad second half last year...

 

Yeah, he did, but he can maybe make some adjustments. He's 21, but he's still raw.

 

16 HRs and 38 XBHs in just 334 ABs vs righties is something to write home about.

[a700hitter]

I think there'll always be some hand wringing when 4 of the top 32 ranked prospects are traded away.

 

Did I happen to say I'm so FREAKING HAPPY WE HAVE CHRIS SALE!

 

CHRIS FREAKIN SALE!

Sale denier.

[Kimmi]

Could it be that all the hand-wringing was for naught?

 

It is quite possible that after our '3 year window', our team and our farm system will be in pretty good shape. However, I think it's a very fair concern for those of us who are concerned about the long term state of the team. I do not approve of the large number of prospects that Dombrowski traded away. I especially don't approve of it because I don't think it was necessary. I especially, especially don't approve of it because he wasn't the one who put in the hard work to build such a strong farm to begin with.

[Fisk]

It is quite possible that after our '3 year window', our team and our farm system will be in pretty good shape. However, I think it's a very fair concern for those of us who are concerned about the long term state of the team. I do not approve of the large number of prospects that Dombrowski traded away. I especially don't approve of it because I don't think it was necessary. I especially, especially don't approve of it because he wasn't the one who put in the hard work to build such a strong farm to begin with.

 

I love prospects I follow the minor league boxes every day during the season, but I have to disagree with you. This was the right time to cash in, we have our young core in place, but our pitching was not good enough to win, by the time Kopech, Espinoza and Groome are ready our young guys will be in the later years of arbitration and starting to hit free agency. Our problem has not being able to develop pitchers, and its far from a guarantee that our young pitchers will reach there ceiling

[moonslav59]

It is quite possible that after our '3 year window', our team and our farm system will be in pretty good shape. However, I think it's a very fair concern for those of us who are concerned about the long term state of the team. I do not approve of the large number of prospects that Dombrowski traded away. I especially don't approve of it because I don't think it was necessary. I especially, especially don't approve of it because he wasn't the one who put in the hard work to build such a strong farm to begin with.

 

I don't understand how some posters can't at least just understand the concept that having less great prospects diminishes the chances that we will have enough low-cost quality players to off set the larger contracts down the road.

 

Those of us with concerns understand the "win now" theory and argument.

 

Also, there are many in the middle who feel some "win now" type deals were called for but maybe not so many or all. It's a valid position to hold.

[Fisk]

If you look at the Cubs they also have developed a great positional core , but the difference is either through great scouting, analytics or coaching they have Arietta and Hendricks who have exceeded all expectations. But even they needed to hurt their farm in the trade for Chapman ( which I believe is worse then any of the DD trades ) in order to win the series.

[a700hitter]

I don't understand how some posters can't at least just understand the concept that having less great prospects diminishes the chances that we will have enough low-cost quality players to off set the larger contracts down the road.

 

Those of us with concerns understand the "win now" theory and argument.

 

Also, there are many in the middle who feel some "win now" type deals were called for but maybe not so many or all. It's a valid position to hold.

Speaking for myself, we understand that we have less prospects in the pipeline, but I am not going to wring my hands over what MIGHT happen in 2020. I chose to enjoy the awesome talent that will be fielded over the next 3 years. During the next 3 years, DD might rebuild the farm. That is a possibility, so why would I get my underwear in a knot. What I don't understand is the obsessives hand wringing over something that might or might not happen in 2020-21, in the face of watching and enjoying the best Red Sox starting rotation since the 1910's.