ORS

BIG turnover.

And, there off.....game on.

What do you propose if this doesn't happen? Ortiz, Wakefield, and Papelbon for Reed and Ibanez? Welcome to the site, and I have one thing to say to you, I'm glad you are a fan and not in the FO.

LT sacks Theismann EDIT: Sucks for Carson. He was starting to look really good. Hopefully he can make a recovery.

TheBaseballCube.com Click that link, it's a great resource. MLB and MiLB numbers for just about every player.

I seriously doubt KFK has problems batting at Camden. That average is from only 91 AB taken at random over the last 3 years. He'll probably go .270/.350/.450, which isn't bad by itself (about league average), but it sucks for a 1B/COF with no glove.

I love this attitude. Whatever it takes to contibute.

I hope you don't mean to suggest that every top-10 is destined for failure. Manny, Jeter, ARod, and truckload of other elite MLB players were once listed as top-10 prospects. I do think part of what you say is correct. The higher the ranking, the bigger the bust, IF they do indeed bust. But this shouldn't be surprising, because the higher the player is ranked, the more hype there is about the player.

Thanks for 2004, KFK. You'll never pay for a drink in my presence. Now, please continue the slide into suckitude that you started last year. EDIT: Perhaps that was a bit harsh. Kevin, may you play like '05 against the Sox and '03/'04 against everyone else.

Batting Average on Balls In Play BABIP is usually right around .300 (it was .298 for the AL this year). Here's how you calculate it: (H - HR) / (AB - HR - SO) This tells you how successful the hitter was at getting a hit when the fielders had a chance to field the ball. EDIT: Below average is considered unlucky, and above average is considered lucky. This is because studies have shown that pitchers have very little control over where the ball ends up after being hit, and the pitcher's BABIP can fluctuate pretty drastically from year to year. Here's how you determine pitcher's BABIP: (H - HR) / (TBF - BB - HBP - SO - HR)

Baseball Analysts is releasing its top-75 prospects this week. They started with an Honorable Mention list on Monday, then 75-51 on Tuesday, 50-26 on Wednesday, 25-11 today, and the top-10 will be released on Friday. Here's are the lists and where the Sox youngsters ended up: Honorable Mention 75-51 50-26 25-11 I would imagine Marte is in the top-10. I love the part about Papelbon/Lester being the best 1/2 prospect combo.

Phils need pitching. We need a CF more than we need a 2nd Abe Alvarez.

Michaels played 75 games in CF last year and had a Rate/Rate2 of 113/114, so I'd hardly call him average defensively. Forget including him as part of a package for Ramirez, because I don't think Manny accepts a trade to Philly (and I really don't like any of the deals I've heard proposed). They should focus on just getting Michaels. He would be a great addition IMO. He's patient at the plate ( IsoOB% - .089). He's got some pop (SLG - .442 and IsoSLG - .151). It's probably warning-track power since he doesn't hit a lot of taters, but his career AB/HR rate (38.5) is better than Damon's (47.5). Plus, he's got two years of arbitration left, meaning they'd have him for low $$ and enough time to let the farm hands develop some more. I think they should put an attractive offer together. Phils need pitching so start with a DiNardo + Meredith/Delcarmen package, and up the ante to as high as Clement + $$ to get the deal done.

Date & Time..............Favorite...........NFL Spread............Underdog 1/14 4:30 ET............... At Seattle............ -9.5................... Washington 1/14 8:00 ET............... At Denver............ -3.5................... New England 1/15 1:00 ET............... At Indianapolis..... -9.5................... Pittsburgh 1/15 4:30 ET............... At Chicago........... -3.5....................Carolina The weekend of the 'dog is upon us. "Release the Hounds!"

No offense, but you and your brethren haven't done much to help us differentiate which Chicago fanbase is more idiotic.

I'd rather have a bigger stick in RF, no matter how big RF is at Fenway. Unless he develops some power, Ellsbury is a CF option only, IMO. If the team is set in CF when Jacoby is ready, then they should trade him to fill whatever holes they have at the time.

Manny, according to those close to him, said he wanted to be traded or he would not report. Then, Manny, talking to someone he didn't know was a reporter, said he expected to be back in Boston and was fine with that. Then, his agent says that Manny claims to have never said that to a reporter. Basically, the only thing "Manny" has been quoted as saying is, "I am willing to accept playing in Boston". Everything else is from either people close to him, or his agent, who appears to fishing for a payday since there have been reports of Manny being more inclined to dropping his 10-5 rights if his 2009 and 2010 options are picked up. I don't care if he has been wanting a trade for years. Since being in Boston, while wanting to be traded, he has posted a 1.020 OPS in 5 years. That is the stuff of legends. Only 10 players with more than 3000 PA in the history of the game have a career OPS higher than 1.000. Manny is one of them. Here are his contemporaries: Babe Ruth (1.164), Ted Williams (1.116), Lou Gehrig (1.080), Barry Bonds (1.053), Todd Helton (1.040), Jimmie Foxx (1.038), Albert Pujols (1.037), Hank Greenberg (1.017), Rogers Hornsby (1.010), and Manny comes in 10th with a 1.008. Would you honestly trade Aaron Rowand and Jimmy Rollins, two players that wouldn't crack the top-100 of all-time for their positions, for anyone on that list?

Did you watch Carlos Beltran this year? What a player does over a 162 game season speaks volumes more than what they do for 4 weeks in October.

Most reports have him starting the year there, but he will compete for a SP job at ST. I have no doubts about his FB, but a MLB pitcher can't live on that alone. If he still hasn't mastered a 2nd pitch, then he'll need more time to hone it before he will be effective as a SP.

Yeah, I forgot Foulke. My point wasn't arguing against the value of depth. It was hoping that his contract is reasonable enough that if he does suck, then when he's waived, there is a possibilty that someone with BP trouble takes a flyer on him, so the Sox don't eat the salary. That is all.

Ok, as long as the $$ and time aren't big. One of these pitchers (Mota, Saenz, Tavarez) are likely to suck, one of these pitchers (Hansen, Delcarmen, Meredith) are likely to be pitching well enough for a call up. As long as the flexibility to place on waivers remains, then this is not a bad pick up.

How do you propose they get Reed after that deal? Arroyo? Then they are down to 5 SP, 4 if they trade Wells (or he retires), and that's with Papelbon in the rotation. I think they want to start him off in the 'pen. I seriously doubt that the FO makes any moves with either Clement or Arroyo that doesn't bring a CF back in the deal. It is the only big hole left in the field and it needs to be filled.

I'd rather keep Shoppach than either of Delcarmen or Meredith. He's got the tools defensively, good power, and is patient at the plate (his IsoOB% last year was .099). The only thing he struggles with is consistent contact. I'd much rather him backing V-Tek up than either of the completely horrible Flaherty and Huckaby. I don't think a DiNardo + Delcarmen/Meredith package is too much. In fact, I'd be giddy if it got the deal done. Michaels has a career .380 OB% in 383 ABs. I'd rather it be with Meredith in the deal, but it would be even less likely to happen.

I've wondered about Michaels too. The Phils need some help in the rotation, and Cole Hamels' slower than expected climb through the minors has got to be frustrating them. Arroyo probably won't interest them since his GB/FB would suck in that bandbox. Maybe they'd be interested in taking DiNardo back with a little Delcarmen on the side? I like Manny-D, but it's sounding like Edgar Martinez give the Sox what he can, and middle of the field position prospects are much more valuable than RP prospects.

Minaya reminds me of the Duke a lot. He signs FAs on the downhill side of their peak just like Duke. He vastly overpays for FA talent still yet to hit peak year. And, he uses good prospects for 1 to 2 year answers in the roster. Jacobs is just as likely to be as good, or better than, Delgado is in two years (this is with Jacobs improving and Delgado declining, which is the most likely thing to occur). I think it is only a matter of time before he starts trying to strong arm draftees into contracts.