Bosoxwest

Thanks for answering my questions Scaff. Just to clarify - I was thinking it would be good for the Sox to try to make Pawtucket a playoff-caliber team, so the true prospects would have some experience in a pennant race. I don't think any of guys listed has a chance with the Sox to get put on the 40-man - but I think they're good AAA-AAAA players who would help accomplish that goal. But, from what you've said about MLFAs, I would guess they would not want to sign in the Boston organization since they'd be such longshots. Do all AAAA players look to catch on in the Kansas City, Washington and Florida organizations? (I'm somewhat kidding, but it also makes some sense)

He's not an MLFA ORS. List is here.

Thanks SBF, appreciate it. I can't argue with you about Gonzalez's offense with RISP. It was brutal. Loretta hit almost 100 points higher. THT has Agon's clutch rating at -6.1 to Loretta's -1.1: it's a grain of salt stat but still. Weirdly, AGon's RC/G was 4.09 to Loretta's 4.52, so the argue could be entered into that they weren't that far apart in the grand scheme of things, but it will take someone with more gumption than I have right now. Plus, it looks like a foregone conclusion that the FO is going to spend on Lugo.

I was being facetious Scaff. It's funny to me that he got an award.

Article on Mitch Dening here. Dening was recently named "worlds best defensive player" at the completion of the under 19 AAA World Championships in Cuba. Grain of salt there, but nice. If I found everything correctly Mitch also went 8/26 with a 2B, 3B, HR and 7 RBIs. At this point he doesn't project for power, from what I gather. Also, article on power-hitting hopeful Aussie Michael Lennox who may or may not hit the GCL for the Sox (he is signed however) this year here. High but at this point meaningless praise from Shipley and Deeble - makes for fun reading.

I have searched high and low but have not found any mention of injury, fatigue, or manager disgruntlement. It's odd.

Scaff, maybe MLFAs deserve another thread, but I have some questions on who will fill these holes. What is the competition for MLFAs? Is it first-come first-served or is there more negotiation team vs. team? Is Vic Buttler worth signing? Between he and Ellsbury that would make for a speedy OF. Finish it off with Tydus Meadows or Restovich perhaps, if available. What about Enrique Cruz for short - he's only 25, can he improve defensively? And is Gary Burnham the new Morgan Burkhart? Sorry, lot of questions for one post.

Did not see anything on the league here. Quick recap of what's gone on thus far: The Sox sent LHP Ryan Phillips, OF Jeff Corsaletti, and C/1B/DH John Otness to play for the West Oahu Canefires, managed by Todd Claus (Portland). Upon arrival, Corsaletti lost the ability to hit. Otness has performed pretty much in line with his year in the Sox ML organization, and Phillips has not really been used (4 IP). Current (well, mostly current) stats are here, highlights below: Corsaletti: 5H/41AB .122 | 12K/4BB | OBP .196 SLG .171 OPS .366 Otness: 11H/38AB .289 | 5K/3BB | OBP .370 SLG .395 OPS .764 Phillips: 4IP | 0 RA | .211 BAA | 7K/2BB Latest box score (4-2 win) and PBP below: http://www.hawaiiwinterbaseball.com/scores/canefires_beachboys_11-1.html

Sorry to skip over this idea Schill. It has some merit, but I don't think it would fly for a couple of reasons. The first is stamina - as you say, Wake has it. The Sox desperately need 200 or so IP from a league-average or better starter, and Wake typically provides that. That is probably his best usage to benefit the club. The second is the control issues with the knuckler. It often takes him a couple innings to get in the groove, and sometimes he never does. Consistency is paramount in a closer - you want th other team to think the game is 99.999% done when he steps on the mound (like Paps!). That said, would I go to Vegas and throw down money that due to freak injuries or whatnot he never closes a game in 2007? Probably not; not after this year!

Good article on Farrell for those who haven't seen it: http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_290064533

Short-term I think Cox is the guy to watch. After making the arm slot adjustment last year he has been just very damn impressive. The question mark is whether the adjustment is permanent. but if it is, by all accounts we could see him in the Boston bullpen next year, with nasty stuff.

Yikes, Portland.....with the exception of Cox and Buchholz that lineup features a lot of tweeners and longshots, at this point. I'd think it's do or die time for Bladergroen and Pinckney, wouldn't you say? Neither of them lit it up last year in Wilmington. For myself, I'm hope to be pleasantly surprised by the middle IF, and to continue to be surprised by Jay Johnson. He really came strong last year - I wonder if he's a guy with sneaky late power. Seems to have an advanced approach.

Haha! It begins. So, stipulating his value is as high now as it's likely to be, does Papelbon the Younger get dealt?

In reviewing Wake's performance last year, an interesing facet jumps out. When Wake sucks, he usually has balls get away, regardless of catcher. Here is a rough game log for games he took an L or started an L. L 10-4 3 PB 0 UR (Bard) L 3-0 2 PB 1 UR (Bard) L 5-1 1 PB 1 UR (UR due to Loretta/Gonz errors - Bard C) L 7-1 4 PB 2 UR (Bard) L 4-3 0 PB 0 UR 1 WP (Belli) L 7-5 3 PB 1 UR (Belli) L 6-3 1 PB 0 UR (Belli) L 5-3 2 PB 1 UR 1 WP (Belli) L 4-0 0 PB 1 UR (Belli throwing E) L 7-3 0 PB 0 UR 1 WP (Belli) - 3 IP L 5-0 0 PB 0 UR 2 HBP (Belli) There's no question that Belli had more success with Wake (although it's interesting that Wake threw zero wild pitches with Bard, and three with Belli, isn't it), as he should have with so many more games under his belt. But at least one facet of the situation is that when Wake has no idea where the knuckler is going (this also results in a ton of HR as these games also show) it sure seems like anybody is going to have a problem. There is a "comfort" factor here, in that Wake and Belli have been a battery for a number of games, but Wake's a professional and Belli is just too awful at the plate to warrant signing him as a Binky. If the goal is to give Tek a day off every five, I say find an athletic catcher who hits at least a little and let him take his lumps until he and Wake find a rapport. When Wake throws strikes there doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

This is beautiful. Now let the Josh Papelbon debates begin! I love it.

Mark Loretta RF: 14th in MLB Mark Loretta ZR: 17th in MLB Loretta is a good guy, good teammate, decent contact hitter (although that's about it), but if they wanted to dedicate a statue to Mark Loretta in front of Fenway Park, they could just use Mark Loretta.

I'm against signing him now. What team in their right minds would snatch him up? He ranks 75th in the bigs in OPS. He cannot call a game to save his life. He catches the knuckler; that's all he does. There is not a whole heck of a lot of clamoring for that skill outside of Boston. I'm willing to risk signing a decent well-rounded backup, bringing a few guys to ST, and taking my chances bringing him to ST and letting him play his way in. Last year he was just a year removed from a career year at the plate and had some value, and SD owned him, so we had to make that incredibly ill-fated deal to bring him back. This year he has minimal (if any) value to anyone but Wakefield, and by extension the Sox. I think if we become certain we need him we'll be able to get him pretty cheaply. If you hadn't noticed, I have a low opinion of Doug Mirabelli, the player.

That is an absolutely terrifying lineup on paper. Scaff, I really like Khoury's makeup. Is he settling into "Utility or Bust" territory already, or he just behind Negron in the pecking order?

I don't see any way Soriano's eventual contract brings back value in the AL East. His career season last year had all the earmarks of being generated by the lower quality NL pitching. More walks, way more Ks, and an absurdly high jump in SecA (nearly 100 points) screams "I'm still a free swinger, I'm just seeing a lot more mistakes". Plus, the career low Steal % indicates the speed is declining (as you'd assume it would) and a lot of his $$ value will be tied into that at the negotiating table. It's not that he isn't a good player, I just think he'll get a terrible contract.

Youks was kind of surprise, actually. His 2006 ZiPS projections (projected out for his actual ABs) had him at 42 2Bs, 13 HRs and 70 RBIs, exactly as he produced. Pretty amazing accuracy, BTW. However, they also had him at 111 BBs and 98 Ks. His actual line of 91 BBs and 120Ks showed a surprising dropoff in his plate discipline, which was his expected bread and butter. Youks is a good value proposition at his current cost for most teams in the league, but not really a high-rev team like the Sox: not as a starting corner IF. I think his IsoD will improve next year, but in terms of power he is as good as he'll get IMO. He doesn't kill this team by any means, but as we have a lot of big holes to fill, now is probably the time to get something back for him.

Scaff, I think you're referring to a younger Mark Loretta? Pedroia's range appears visually, and via RF and ZR, to be far superior to Loretta's. Also, Loretta had zero power this year, but showed some in the past. I think if DP turns out to be Loretta circa 2003/4 (at the plate), everybody turns cartwheels. But we would expect better from DP than Loretta's 2006, easily as soon as 2008.

Loretta is past his prime. End of story. He has the range of a mailbox, and doesn't get it done with the bat. He hits for average, and makes contact - he is adequate, but that's it. He has the lowest SLG (and SecAvg) of any starting 2B in the AL, AND the lowest GB/FB ratio (he does have a higher LD% than many 2B, but not higher enough). His RC/G dropped for the third consecutive year in 2006 despite coming to a better offensive team in a better hitter's park. The package just isn't there. Even ignoring the stats, I don't understand how to defend him. He is a professional, no question, but watching him play is agony. If the team doesn't trade Manny they can carry Gonzalez's bat no problem. They did not have an issue scoring runs this year when healthy. Gonzalez comes about $4Mil a year cheaper than Lugo, who is not equal to that value in terms of an upgrade, on paper, and who has yet to be tested in Fenway Park, which AGon has. Perhaps the FO feels they can throw that money around. Personally I'd prefer to see it spent on pitching.