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1. He's likely to be used as a low leverage reliever in the future 2. He's not Weiland I don't think that the track record of some other player in any way predicts what happens with Wilson. All prospects are different.

Alcantera was highly regarded by many. He's just another example of the fact that the Sox system isn't s***, like many would want to believe. It is loaded with players that other teams would want, they just don't get the recognition because they are a few years away. The Sox aren't in a position where they either have to trade their top prospects like Middlebrooks or Kalish, or go without. Some teams may demand those guys but I think many moves can be made by moving pieces that most posters here have never heard of.

More essential than having a system that produces centerpieces (i.e., $20m+ value players) or key trading piees for the 20m value players? I think MLB depth is the 3rd most important function of the system, honestly. As for the centerpieces being 2-3 years away, I'm not sure I agree. Kalish and Lavarnway could both be all-star caliber players and both should get key time in 2012. Middlebrooks could be ready by 2013 and although I don't think he's at the centerpiece level, I could be wrong. He is supposed to be a very balanced offense-defense player. First, I think most fans of most teams bite their nails with all rookies. That's the nature of unproven talent. Second, the live arms I admire from Tampa are guys like Matt Moore. He's a diamond in the rough. Drafted in 2007, he wasn't available in 2008, 2009 or 2010 for Tampa, they had to wait on him too. All teams have to wait on talent. The Sox do have some arms who can help next year. I'm still pretty high on Doubront and Wilson and both can help next year. Wilson is a closer in waiting, which usually works pretty well as a 7th inning guy. Doubront has looked good in the past, but was lazy and out of shape last year. We can hope he can come back. He's good enough to be a back end starter when he's throwing well. Same with Tazawa.

I'm reversing the order of the posts because I think ORS answered the question before a700 brought it to light... There are very few systems that have the MLB ready impact players a700 is talking about AND the talent to land players like Victor Martinz, Adrian Gonzalez and mid-season pickups. Generally, the systems that have both (say, Kansas City) come with a s***** Major League club. Secondly, I don't put much weight into the number of MLB ready prospects when evaluating a system. If the Red Sox have, say, a future Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia in their system, they shouldn't be dinged for not having the Reed Johnson's and Carlos Silvas at AAA, particularly when they have traded those guys away. Navarro, Hagadone, Price, Rizzo, etc., were all moved for MLB talent. Is it worse to have a number of yearly all-star caliber players at lower levels than to have a number of role players at the top levels with few/none who possess extreme talent? We have seen the types of elite prospects who come out of the system formed by Theo: Pedroia, Lester, Ellsbury, Papelbon, Bard, Kalish, etc., are all superstar caliber talents. Why is it worse to have a number of those guys in waiting than to have a few guys who are MLB role players waiting to come in now? I don't get it. All those young guys at single A are not just average "good" prospects coming through the system. They are the product of two consecutive seasons where the Sox have stockpiled draft picks in the high rounds and spent loads of money to sign the guys they want. That's not insignificant. And the fact that there are not 3-4 of those prospects but more like 10-15 says that in a few years the Sox should have a very rih payout indeed. The farm system is not merely a place to provide backup/depth talent. If used correctly, it should produce centerpieces for the future of the franchise. We have seen them do that already, and I have no reason to think it can't happen again. In my opinion, even a guy as highly regarded as Will Middlebrooks represents the low end of the talent that should be coming out of the system in the next 3-5 years. Roughly half of the Sox currently 40 man roster is home grown talent. That's pretty good and is what we should expect moving forward.

I agree that Garza isn't worth breaking the bank for like a Felix or Lincecum. But he is what the Sox could really use right now. He has thrown about 200 IP in 3 of the past 4 seasons and started 30 plus games in all 4. In just about every category he is a worse version of Jon Lester. Slightly worse K9, WHIP, ERA, IP, K/BB, etc., though they are the same age and both still very much in their primes. Garza is durable, healthy, experienced in the ALE, and he has pretty good stuff. I could see him playing the role that Derek Lowe played in Boston as the guy who could dependably take the ball every 5th day and eat innings at a considerably better than average rate. I can also envision the relatively good choice a manager may have between Garza or Bard as fourth SP in a playoff situation. I really like Bard out of the pen in long relief in a playoff series like Ogando did so effectively for TEX this season.

That is correct sir. He has played CF in the past.

Also they won't move Kalish, or shouldn't anyway. He's their potential next RF and only legit depth in case Ellsbury goes down.

I think you are both wrong. Theo will allow the GM to trade with either team because he's with the cubs now and it would be stupid to tie a hand behind his back needlessly. That could only hurt the cubs.

Did you read the fangraphs list I linked earlier? It was a much better (more accurate) ranking. You should check it out. It looks pretty different.

Next task: go get Garza. I suspect the rebuilding Cubs would take a deal that includes the Sox younger high level prospects like Cecchini, Coyle, Jacobs, maybe Raunado. At this point the sox should hold onto their higher end depth prospects like Middlebrooks, Kalish, Lavarnway, Doubront, and Wilson. They can and should open the taps on their younger guys for established (not old) talent.

I wouldn't read too much into the A's moving Bailey. He was a closer and Beane likes to maxamize that position.

I like the idea of Harden. Haven't heard much at all about him this season. I'm also all for the Sox remaning in on Madson if his price falls enough. That would be a tremendous bullpen.

Possibly a salary dump by Oakland. Reddick is a better cheaper version. Miles Head is a good prospect but was far off and blocked. The pitcher the Sox threw in has lots of upside nut is very young. Fine deal for "Ben the boob".

Weaver was never available. He has never been a free agent. His contract should be compared to Lesters, not Becketts. Mow, Jung, you have mentioned a few times that the Sox should stop trading away their prospects who could otherwise be providing organizational depth; however I haven't seen you actually name those prospects or trades. There are a few I can think of but I wouldn't say it is a huge number. The trade I would most want back was the Victor Martinez trade, because Justin Masterson is the exact kind of pitcher they could use right now. Hagadone would also be nice for depth. Otherwise who are you talking about? I also think if they hadn't acquired VMart they would have been much less successful for a couple seasons, so that wasn't a catastrophic trade. When Theo was here he initially talked about 3 year cycles. The team can make runs of about three years in length before needing to retool. He openly acknowledged that they couldn't be a WS contender every year. In 2010 he mentioned a bridge year, the fanbase freaked our, they had some huge injury problems, ratings dropped, fans got mad, ownership promised some excitement, they traded for Gonzalez and signed Crawford and fans and experts alike thought they were a great team. You know the rest. I guess I would just say that 2011 was one of the years where the Sox were going for it all. Like 2004 and 2007 they made big offseason moves to improve significantly. In 04 it was Schilling and Foulke, in 07 it was Matsuzaka, in 11 it was Gonzalez and Crawford. Basically I think the philosophy is a multi year approach with heavy runs at a super team roughly every 3 years, and merely very good teams the other seasons. Throughout that time they strive for depth with prospects at different levels based on where in the cycle they are. This offseason confirms that for me. No huge trades (yet) and not breaking the bank for expensive FA. If they were in the making the run mode this year they would have spliced with wilson or Darvish.

Youk is in his early thirties, Scutaro is in his mid-late thirties, maybe a reliever or two (?), but otherwise you are right. The team is mostly in their prime years.

The Sox aren't really a team built solely around the production of highly paid stars. They have 3 very good SPs and two of them are in the midst of team friendly contracts. They had 3 players in the MVP balloting last year, and two of them played for reasonable contracts. They're perhaps a bit top-heavy, but that's why teams have to value their farm system--and the Sox do.

Where's that list from? As in, who the hell had Lars Anderson as the 5th best prospect in the system?

Well, it means that no team in history has had a September like that after having such a sizeable lead for the playoffs. It is not likely to repeat itself in that way. I could write a lot more about it, but want to keep the response as simple as I can. I have a lot more faith that this team is closer to the team that led baseball in offense, put up a pythag record of 94-68, and is loaded with well-respected talent, than that they are the miserable failures so many here say they are. I don't think they should be rebuilt, I don't think they should be blown up. I think they are a mid-90s win team with the possibility to win 100 games without much of a shift in performance, luck or timing. You may think differently.

Just out of curiosity, what pitcher(s) would you have signed instead of Beckett before the 2010 season, when he still had the 2010 season optioned at 12m. And, to start you off, Cliff Lee wasn't coming to Boston.