a700hitter

By impact I mean someone who will hold down a starting position and contribute above average offensively. I am not talking about making the roster. I have been pretty clear about this, but somehow because you take my observations as an affront to the FO you are arguing with me even though you agree with my main premise- no one will be coming up from the minors in the next couple of years who will be a starter with an above average bat. Could there be surprises? Yes. Iglesias might hit better than expected. Kalish might blossom. However, the FO isn't clearing a position for anyone, so I am not expecting much help from the minors in 2011 or 2012. Are you? I'm not sure that Theo would disagree with my assessment. I read before last season that Theo believed that they wouldn't be able to field a good "young" team (like 2007) before 2012. He made that statement before Westmoreland got sick. I think losing the #1 prospect in the organization might have caused the timetable to be pushed back a year. Finally, I am not denying that there are any impact bats in the organization. I am saying that we have none that will make an impact before 2013. Do you disagree?

But not before 2013.

and you agree with me that none of them are in the Sox organization. It will be interesting to see where our minor league system gets ranked.

Getting a spot? The point is that none of our prospects will have an impact to improve the team in the next couple of years. You are really stuck on the whole "buzz" thing. So predictable.

I don't care where they get the players. They just are not going to have any impact guys coming up from the farm before 2013 at the earliest. People say that the organization is bottom heavy Because we don't have any MLB ready blue chip prospects. It's going to be interesting to see where the minor league organization gets ranked. Maybe there is enough depth of good young arms to overome the lack of developed position players.

I'm not telling the FO to do anything. I am just noting that our farm system will bear no fruit over the next couple of years. When I talk about improving, I am talking about improving over last year's team. I am not saying that they will not make the necessary moves. I expect that they will do what it takes to get it done. I am just observing that it will not come from within the organization. You don't seem to disagree, so what is it that you are debating? As for the continuing reference that you are making to the term "buzz", you should note that in my initial post on this topic today that I did not use the term at all. I only used the term in subsequent posts after there was little reaction to my initial post. I figured that the term would create plenty of "buzz" in the thread. I think it did.

You and ORS are arguing the meaning of an expression, but you are both missing the point. The point of my argument isn't "buzz." I'm looking at the rosters and reading the reports, and IMO, no one is going to make any impact for the Sox before 2013. If all we have to look forward to in 2012 is Lavarnway as a backup and Iglesias as a light-hitting SS, then it is pretty obvious that the FO will have to go outside the organization if it wants to improve in 2011 and 2012. That's the point that i am making.

What can you tell from watching the gamzz?

You know what I am talking about. In the late 60's and early to mid-70's we had phenomenal talents hitting the Bigs almost every season. Rice and Lynn taking the league by storm in 1975 was unprecedented before or since. When O'Connell left, we never saw that kind of talent infusion from within the organization ever again.

All of them are years away. My point was that we will not have impact position players hitting Fenway in 2011 and 2012. If the FO wants to improve the 2011 and 2012 teams, it will have to come from outside the organization. None of these guys will make an impact at Fenway before you are done with your Masters Degree. Iglesias might be the starting SS in 2012, but his bat has not created any buzz-- at least not yet.

I like good players. I don't care where they come from, but there is no crop to anticipate from this farm system... not yet. Maybe some prospects will emerge in a year or two, e.g. Rizzo.

Got the latest issue of Diehard yesterday. There were stories recapping the highlights of the Sox minor league franchises. After reading it, I realized that for all the hype about the rebuilding of the minor league system their is not a single stud (non-pitcher) in the entire system. The Pawtucket manager was quick and decisive as he named Daniel Nava as he story of the year. That is really pathetic. His major league ability is marginal at best. That's when it dawned on me that the system is devoid of big talent. Kalish is a nice player, but he is no blue-chipper. If the Sox want to be competitive over the next 2-3 seasons, they had better get some big time FA's.

Ellsbury's value is low right now, so they will probably keep him for 2011. If they could get value for him, e.g. Greinke, he's gone.

The problem is that Borass usually plays things out until the 11th hour. That's not good for the Sox if all of their other moves will flow from the outcome on Beltre. They can't afford to let the other pieces sign elsewhere while waiting for a decision from Beltre.

The Sox don't need another big slow-footed left-handed power hitter.

Spud, the first time we call one of our kids by the wrong name they will be looking for the cheapest nursing home they can find. One thing that I really liked about Sparky was how he wasn't the least bit reluctant to puit down Fat Ass Thurmon Munson after the '76 Series. They asked him to compare Bench and Munson, and Sparky answered that it would be unfair to anyone to compare them to Bench. That was the truth too. I loved Pudge, but Bench was on the top shelf all by himself.

I'd like to see Beltran come to play LF in return for Dice K, Crawford to play CF, and trade Ellsbury for Greinke.

$12.5 is a sweet deal for Ortiz. If he has another year like 2010, he'll end up way ahead financially than if he went FA and signed a 2 year deal. If he regresses, he'll still get $5 mil from someone for 2012. It's a no lose situation for him unless he falls off a cliff. Now, I'd be happy if they get a Beltran deal done quickly so they can concentrate on pursuing Crawford and retooling the pen.

Just bring back Ortiz. There are no pitchers that like facing him. He's a scary dude with a bat in his hands. Edited: For Drunk posting grammatical errors.

He looked old in the '70's and he was only in his 30's. He had that prematurely white hair. 76 isn't that old (at least not to me and Spud), but he must have had the dementia for some time. That's a shame. Dementia is an end that robs you of your dignity. RIP Sparky.