jacksonianmarch

I think its funny how the depth argument has shifted. With Masterson being slated for full time pen duty, the sox MiLB backups are 2 deep, Bowden and Buchholz. Who are the other SPs who have a realistic chance of being big league ready should the rotation fall apart this yr? Tazawa? Maybe, but he's not gonna be ready right away, and who knows how good he truly is. Fact is, the sox second line took a big hit last yr with Johnson being bad and Dustin Richardson being god awful. The next pitcher who has big league potential after Tazawa is Doubront who hasnt thrown a pitch above A ball. This is where the yankees strength is once again. Our depth was tested last yr and eventually failed due to injury, but it got strengthened something fierce this yr. 1. Sabathia 2. Burnett 3. Wang 4. Pettitte 5. Chamberlain to start, with Coke as the LR and spot starter AAA 1. Hughes 2. Kennedy 3. Hacker 4. Kontos 5. Aceves AA 1. Garcia 2. McAllister 3. Nova All of these guys have worked up to at or near a big league IP mark for 2009. And all of them have MLB ceilings. A trade is going to have to happen this yr, because we have a ton of pitching talent, a relatively top heavy offensive farm system without much in the way of middle infield prospects, and are gonna get murdered in Rule V again next yr if we dont play it right

Girardi officially announced that Gardner has won the CF competition. Girardi touted his strong finish to last yr and his solid spring when making the announcement. I did not actually remember how he finished the yr, so here it is. 20-71 8BB 13K 4-2B 2-3B 8SB. That comes out to .281/.354/.422 after his recall in August. I would take that over a season, absolutely 100%.

I would argue that the concern over Wakefield's shoulder is valid. It did force him to miss some time last yr and since it isnt going to get any better with continued repetitive use, you have to think he's a ticking time bomb. I understand that a torn labrum in a guy who maxes out at 75 mph is not what it is to other pitchers, but eventually, it will cause him further injury and discomfort resulting in poor performance or DL time.

I dont put too much stock in a pitcher's performance who isnt fighting for a rotation or pen slot. Lester could go out there and get lit up all day long, so long as he answers the bell April 6th and on, nobody cares.

Would it be the 5th spot now? Penny is topping out at 90 per the NESN gun and is coming off a tired shoulder. Smoltz isnt ready yet. And Wakefield has a torn labrum. Are you saying that a healthy, innings eater like Arroyo wouldnt be welcome on your team right now? That's crap and you know it

I like the direction of the team over the past 18 months or so. Thats all. I think the idea of building the farm, integrating rookies and then filling critical gaps with FAs who are in their prime is the way to go. The years of dealing away top prospects for 5th starters are over. And their drafts have actually been rather good. Even the 2008 draft without Cole has a ton of very young talent taken in the lower rounds. Enough to say that the change in culture is occuring. That's all. I understand that a culture change does not come without its lumps and 08 was our yr to take our lumps. But I think we have put together a team that will be led by solid pitching, solid hitting, and a good pen. I have to think we're the favorites and at a lesser cost while having more talent in the minors. I cannot complain

I am cool with it. One thing we might also need to do is move Robby up to the 7 hole cause if he's hitting 8th, then we'd stack 2 lefties and then have a 3rd lefty after Jeter.

Now you're just making s*** up.

Once he took the reigns in 2007, he's been a good defender with a cannon for an arm. Also, he's hitting well this ST. Like I said before, he's a good player in the right circumstance. Just not here.

Where? His ERA? Yeah, but ERA rarely tells the whole story. His BB/9 and his H/9 were nearly identical as was his 1.49WHIP. I dont know why you love this guy so much. Think about it objectively. If he is a project, then what are they hoping to accomplish? Is he a guy with lights out stuff an no command? No. Guys with lights out stuff typically dont give up nearly 10H/9IP and they would typically K more than 7/9IP in AA. Is he a guy with good command and developing stuff? No, because he walked nearly 4 batters per 9IP in AA. Is he a guy who would benefit from a change in role? Well, according to soxprospects.com, yeah. He is usually ok for the first 2 innings and then falls off the cliff. Okay, second question in that line of questioning, is he a guy who is a possible lefty closer or setup man? Not really. Most closers have lights out stuff, and he doesnt as evidenced by the first question we talked about above. Is he a lefty specialist? No at this point because he doesnt completely dominate them. In short, Johnson is a guy with marginal stuff, poor command and limited endurance. If he wasnt left handed, I would say this guy has no shot at being a big league pitcher at all. That he is a lefty likely limits him to relief work in the future. Hardly a top prospect. I do agree that stats rarely tell the whole story, especially in the minors. But there are things you can look for in pitchers lines that tell you what kind of stuff they have. His numbers are average or bad all around

flimsy evidence? He was a college pitcher, so he should end up being at least useful at the minor league level by the end of his second full season (not to mention the 14 games he pitched in 2006). And his stuff doesnt lie. Low 90s FB at best, weak off speed offerings, no deception and no command. It isnt like this is a DSL signee or a HS signee. This is a college pitcher who should be close to fully developed OR have such amazing stuff that he's worth the wait for his command to come.

I still think Melky can be a starter in the bigs. I just dont think it can be with us. He handled the #9 slot in our order very well for 2 yrs. But once we asked him to hit at the top of the order or up in the 6 or 7 slot, he couldnt handle it. I think a deal to a complete non contender will revamp his image and make him a usefull ballplayer. But right now, he is useless in NY. He needs an attitude adjustment.

It isnt just that Johnson has poor command, he gets hit very hard. All of the pitchers Dojji put up there who had spotty command also had lights out stuff and were hard to hit. This guy has mediocre stuff, poor command and limited endurance. Hell, even the soxprospects blurb on him wasnt upbeat like it on for 99% of the players on their list. Kris Johnson is a middle reliever in the big leagues at best. He doesnt have the endurance or the command to be a starter and he doesnt have the stuff to setup or close. He's not a top prospect at all.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9379176/Notes:-Yanks-appear-open-to-moving-Cabrera?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49 Looks like we have a winner in the CF competition

I am thinking the safety net is a veteran on a short term deal who is easily expendable should the kid outplay him. Like Pettitte. If Pettitte goes in the tank this yr and Hughes lights it up in AAA, we would likely see Hughes take over come the end of the yr.

I agree to a point. Thing is, unless Nunez goes off this yr, I dont see any internal options that would force the FO's hand to move Jeter off SS prior to the culmination of his contract. So Nunez has 2 yrs to show that he has improved upon his poor seasons and that he is more like the player that finished last yr and that had a hot spring. Now, one thing we have seen from Cashman is a willingness to go with the umproven kids. I just think he learned his lesson that completely relying on them with no safety net is bad news (08 anyone). And he is continuing to go with the kids when you look at the CF position. Melky and Gardner with AJax coming along the way. It could have been very easy to find a stop gap, but they backed away from the Cameron deal in favor of giving these kids a shot. I could see us doing the same with the SS position. That being said, if the right guy comes along (Hanley, Reyes) then we absolutely will be in on it. But short of those guys being available, I dont see us settling for a FA quick fix that isnt completely outstanding.

He was in the org at the time, but he wasnt in the FO. Rician, I dont think most people truly understand how badly George f***ed us in the minors. From 1999 through 2001 (when we had 3 first rounders) until Hughes was selected in 2004, we were one of the, if not the cheapest team in terms of draft and INTL FA payouts. Cashman is trying to fix this. Its coming. It will just take some time. Our Tampa team will be completely loaded with offensive talent this yr. You watch. They're only a couple yrs away

I still dont know why no team found him desireable. He mashes everywhere he goes. He hits for solid average. He's patient. It is just interesting that no team thought he could be useful in the bigs. My prediction is that he makes a deep impact and makes things very difficult on the sox decision makers. I am speaking of Carter btw.

I am not writing this kid's ticket to Cooperstown. I am not even considering that he'll make it to the bigs. I am just saying that he may have turned a corner and gotten to a point of him being relative in the prospect world once again. If he bombs out in 09, then we'll know it was just a hot streak in an otherwise disappointing career.

I dont think he's overrated. Look at what he did once he got out of NY. He's gonna be very good. I think we needed to make the deal for our short term needs (power hitting OFer and LH specialist/setup man) but I think the Pirates will make out like bandits in the long term

Wrong as usual. Nunez is far from the gold glove SS you bill him as. He's the 5 tool guy who has yet to put it all together. Pena is the GG defense guy with no offensive projectability.

Like I said before, he fell off the prospect map due to his terrible 2006 and 2007. He started off terrible in 2008 too. But with the way he finished 2008 and with how he is hitting in ST, you cant help but be optimistic. I think of it this way. He's the kind of prospect that everyone watches and goes ga-ga over due to his raw ability. He most certainly isnt backing that up with numbers. But he's at least going in the right direction