Fire Bloom .

[Bellhorn04]

Sure - that said Whitlock was a triumph of pro scouting!

 

By Bob Hamelin.

[moonslav59]

I’d say it’s extremely unlikely Walter becomes an ace, but not impossible. Both Corey Kluber and John Means were extremely unimpressive through age 26. And there are probably others…

 

Walter has never gone over 90 IP, so maybe he'll end up a nice pen piece. When he does pitch, he has some eye-opening stats:

 

3.09 minor league ERA (2.88 in AA, including 68 K and 3 BB in 50 IP)

 

Minor league career:

246 K

35 BB

180 IP

The 7:1 K:BB is awesome (12.3 K/9)

 

Maybe I wrote him off, too early.

[mvp 78]

Walter has always been old for his league. I want to see him at least perform at AAA before I even consider him for MLB.

[moonslav59]

Walter has always been old for his league. I want to see him at least perform at AAA before I even consider him for MLB.

 

Indeed.

[MADSTORK]

It won’t be long boys, bye bye Orlando

[Bellhorn04]

It won’t be long boys, bye bye Orlando

 

You're an asshat.

[mvp 78]

You're an asshat.

 

But he provides such great insight!

[notin]

But he provides such great insight!

 

Not even sure where that taunt was going. For 3 years, he’s been picking on Bloom and now he’s taunting us that the Sox are going to fire him? From his perspective, that’s like laughing at us because our flu is getting cured…

[mvp 78]

@MattGelb

Noah Song, who is arriving at the Phillies complex today, must be added to the 40-man roster by Opening Day. He can remain on the military list until then. He faces a tall task trying to make a big-league team after three years without pitching. But it’s real interesting.

[moonslav59]

@MattGelb

Noah Song, who is arriving at the Phillies complex today, must be added to the 40-man roster by Opening Day. He can remain on the military list until then. He faces a tall task trying to make a big-league team after three years without pitching. But it’s real interesting.

 

Is it just me who thinks this whole situation with Song sucks?

 

We were strung along for years and years, and when he finally is ready to play, he's Rule 5 and gobbled up.

[mvp 78]

Is it just me who thinks this whole situation with Song sucks?

 

We were strung along for years and years, and when he finally is ready to play, he's Rule 5 and gobbled up.

 

We weren't strung along by Song. It was out of his hands. DD knew when to swoop in.

[notin]

Is it just me who thinks this whole situation with Song sucks?

 

We were strung along for years and years, and when he finally is ready to play, he's Rule 5 and gobbled up.

 

The Phillies will swing a deal for Song. No way they keep a pitcher whose only professional experience is 17 innings of low A ball 4 years ago on their MLB roster all year while trying to defend the NL pennant.

 

If no deal can be reached, expect Song to be returned…

[mvp 78]

The Phillies will swing a deal for Song. No way they keep a pitcher whose only professional experience is 17 innings of low A ball 4 years ago on their MLB roster all year while trying to defend the NL pennant.

 

If no deal can be reached, expect Song to be returned…

 

Most likely dealt. Who knows what he even looks like after 3 years without pitching competitively.

 

See if they'll take Brasier for him.

[Bellhorn04]

Most likely dealt. Who knows what he even looks like after 3 years without pitching competitively.

 

See if they'll take Brasier for him.

 

Brasier is an untouchable, you know that.

[moonslav59]

We weren't strung along by Song. It was out of his hands. DD knew when to swoop in.

 

I didn't say we were strung along by Song. We were strung along by the military's decisions that had the exact wrong timing, for us.

 

I wanted to see what this kid has. I think we had room on the 40.

 

Did the Sox know he was to be available back when they decided to leave him unprotected, of was the military decision made afterwards?

 

If we knew, this hurts me more than TWard.

[moonslav59]

Brasier is an untouchable, you know that.

 

He's unDFA-able. Maybe not untradeable.

[mvp 78]

Brasier is an untouchable, you know that.

 

DD loves his guys though. We don't have much left from that era to deal!

[mvp 78]

I didn't say we were strung along by Song. We were strung along by the military's decisions that had the exact wrong timing, for us.

 

I wanted to see what this kid has. I think we had room on the 40.

 

Did the Sox know he was to be available back when they decided to leave him unprotected, of was the military decision made afterwards?

 

If we knew, this hurts me more than TWard.

 

There are several issues at play.

 

1. We don't know how Song got out of the Navy or when the decision was made.

2. We don't know what his arm is going to look like or how much he has thrown.

3. We have never seen him throw in a level higher than rookie ball. Many prospects flame out after succeeding at that level.

4. If the Sox put him on the 40 man and put him onto the Military List, he'd still lose option years.

 

If I had to call it, Ward will be a better pitcher this year than Song.

[mvp 78]

Like I said, this has all the makings of a really weird year for the Sox.

[mvp 78]

@MattGelb

For what it's worth, the Phillies do not appear to benefit much from this happening right now. Had Song not been discharged until after 2023 season, he would have only had to spend 90 days on active MLB roster in 2024 to satisfy Rule 5 requirements. Now, it has to be all of '23.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I didn't say we were strung along by Song. We were strung along by the military's decisions that had the exact wrong timing, for us.

 

I wanted to see what this kid has. I think we had room on the 40.

 

Did the Sox know he was to be available back when they decided to leave him unprotected, of was the military decision made afterwards?

 

If we knew, this hurts me more than TWard.

 

If either Ward or Song sticks with a big league team this year, it should be considered an utter failure by the Red Sox front office.

 

Boston was coming off a last place finish with a crappy pitching staff -- and with an oft-stated goal of developing young, affordable players from the farm system as the core of sustainable contenders.

 

To lose any legitimate young MLB arms while instead keeping recycled roster fillers simply to field a team is unacceptable.

[mvp 78]

Phillies projected pen:

Dominguez

Alvarado

Kimbrel

Soto

Bellatti

Strahm

Brogdon

Nelson/Song

 

If you are the Phillies, do you want the guy who put up 1 fWAR last year or Noah Song?

 

Nelson:

96 MPH FB

Slider

Change (worst pitch)

88th percentile Hard Hit

85th xSLG

96th Barrel %

 

He has options so you can just stash him if Song looks ugly. Not sure I'd expect Song to look that good this year though. If you're drafting him it's for 2024, 2025, 2026....

[moonslav59]

If either Ward or Song sticks with a big league team this year, it should be considered an utter failure by the Red Sox front office.

 

Boston was coming off a last place finish with a crappy pitching staff -- and with an oft-stated goal of developing young, affordable players from the farm system as the core of sustainable contenders.

 

To lose any legitimate young MLB arms while instead keeping recycled roster fillers simply to field a team is unacceptable.

 

Agreed.

 

The two situations are a bit different. They had a good enough look at TWard to get a decent read on his chances. If they get him wrong, it's a failure of their evaluation methodology. Song was pure promise and speculation.

 

For some reason, I feel worse about losing Song. I trust they knew enough on Ward to make the right call.

[mvp 78]

@MattGelb

Last note on Noah Song for today: The Phillies have clarified to say Song was not discharged. He was transferred from active duty to selective reserves and is still serving while being permitted to play professional baseball.

 

This was a call by the Navy. Song had requested a waiver over and over but it had not been approved. It was finally approved.

[notin]

If either Ward or Song sticks with a big league team this year, it should be considered an utter failure by the Red Sox front office.

 

Boston was coming off a last place finish with a crappy pitching staff -- and with an oft-stated goal of developing young, affordable players from the farm system as the core of sustainable contenders.

 

To lose any legitimate young MLB arms while instead keeping recycled roster fillers simply to field a team is unacceptable.

 

Song’s entire professional career consists of 17 innings in Lowell in 2019. Its a bit of a stretch to think of him as a “young MLB arm”.

 

And while his 3.80 K/BB that year was impressive, it was less than the 3.94 of Aldo Ramirez (in 61 IP!!). You know, the nobody we dealt for Schwarber who peaked in A ball and didn’t even pitch last year…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Agreed.

 

The two situations are a bit different. They had a good enough look at TWard to get a decent read on his chances. If they get him wrong, it's a failure of their evaluation methodology. Song was pure promise and speculation.

 

For some reason, I feel worse about losing Song. I trust they knew enough on Ward to make the right call.

 

If a defending pennant winner keeps a guy all year while trying to win in October, he must be good.

 

If another last-place club -- with the worst record in the majors -- keeps a guy all year, after taking him with the first overall pick... it makes my head explode more. Especially because his new team -- also obviously rebuilding like Boston -- won a championship more recently with a presumably sharp front office.

[notin]

If a defending pennant winner keeps a guy all year while trying to win in October, he must be good.

 

If another last-place club -- with the worst record in the majors -- keeps a guy all year, after taking him with the first overall pick... it makes my head explode more. Especially because his new team -- also obviously rebuilding like Boston -- won a championship more recently with a presumably sharp front office.

 

Probably worth noting that hasn’t happened yet.

 

And Song stands a good chance to be more of an obstacle than an aid in defending that pennant.

 

I seriously doubt Dombrowski is going to risk his season after shelling out several hundred million on hoping Song isn’t too rocky at the back of the bullpen.

 

What you’re missing is that if Dombrowski keeps Song, it’s a bad move. Like an idiot move. Unless he completes a trade so Song can be optioned…

[Bellhorn04]

(For most fans) Rule 5 is confusing enough, but when you combine it with the intricacies of Song's situation, it's ridiculous.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Probably worth noting that hasn’t happened yet.

 

And Song stands a good chance to be more of an obstacle than an aid in defending that pennant.

 

I seriously doubt Dombrowski is going to risk his season after shelling out several hundred million on hoping Song isn’t too rocky at the back of the bullpen.

 

What you’re missing is that if Dombrowski keeps Song, it’s a bad move. Like an idiot move. Unless he completes a trade so Song can be optioned…

 

That hasn't happened yet, either. But you and I have already been through the Song songs. He was the best pitcher on Team USA a few years back, on a staff with several other hopefuls who have since developed into MLB-ready or close to it. But I agree, it doesn't make sense for a club going all-in to win a ring to keep a guy on the roster unless he's definitely part of the solution.

[Bellhorn04]

So what happens if the Phillies do put Song on the team, but at some point he really starts to struggle and they decide that's enough? Do they just return him to the Red Sox, no harm, no foul?