scaffolds

The Rangers would had taken Lester over Gabbard, so Gagne isn't a factor here and if that would had been the case beltre wouldn't had been part of the package.

First of all, i was just asking the question and them I gave my opinion. Too answer you question this is all about Gabbard and Lester Only, if it would had been about Beltre I would had open a thread for, I don't had an issue with expressing my way of thinking. It has been reported how the industry thinks of Beltre as a prospect and I have expressed my views on its own thread so there's not reason to bring it in this one. Gabbard is less than 2 years (not four like Jackson posted) older than Lester, the reason that has been talk about Lester having a higher ceiling is because Lester was the harder thrower of the two on his way to the Ml, however not in 2007 where both has been 87-88 on their fastball with Gabbard having the better command and also the better off speed pitches. There isn't a question that Gabbard has pitched better at the ML level than Lester and more consistent and if the Red Sox where going to make a run at the championship this year Gabbard was the pitcher. One more point i am not saying that Lester can't pitch at the ML level, one day he may or may not, but in 2007 the Red Sox have a better chance of winning with Gabbard than they do with Lester. Jackson, i wasn't taking a shot at Theo, as a matter of fact i believe that in general he has done a good job with the Red Sox and they are in a lot better shape with him than without him.

Lester has pitched well only once after his return from the minors and that was his first game against the Guardians, last night was another example of his struggles, while he was throwing, he couldn't throw two quality pitches in a row, his fastball command was non existant, he was only able to throw 33% for strike the first pitch to each hitter. Lester needs good command on his fastball to have a swing and a miss pitch. Gabbard on the other hand was very consistent pitcher in Boston in 2007 and only had one bad game (in Seatle) and one bad inning against the Guardians. With Gabbard being a ground ball pitcher, compare to Lester being a fly ball the % of avoiding a big inning are more likely than Lester. There was talk at the time of the trade that Gabbard was his trade value peake, however Lester's has only come down. More than likely if the Red Sox would had traded Lester over Gabbard they wouldn't had to include Engel Beltreas part of this package.

Sorry, Ronald Bermudez, that's what happens when I tried to type too fast. LOL.

While the Red Sox chances of going to the play offs unlikely, there are prospects who has had a good DSL season. Venezuelan Outfielder Ronald Bermudez has a very good chance of being the DSL MVP and here its why. The 19 yrs its is leading the DSL in hitting ave with a 363 average, its first in the division and second in the DSL in hits with 65 (the leader has 70 in a lot more AB) Its first in the divison and tied for fourth in DSL in Doubles with 15 (the leaders have 17) its tied for fourth in the Division in RBI with 32, in addition has 3 HR, along 2 triples, the 20 xtra bases leads the team, also has 34 bases on balls (second on the squad) and only 28 strike outs (which leads the team with players with at least 95 AB) in 179 AB (officially) has stolen 11 bases on 16 tries and its the only position player on the DSL squad who hasn't committed an error in 2007. Dominican outfielder Roberto Feliz leads the DSL with 44 RBI, the 19 yrs OF its tied for third in the division with 12 doubles and in hits with 54and its 10th on the division in hitting average with 290 (second on the team) leads the Sox with 5 HR, has struck out 36 and has 18 BB in 186 AB. Dominican second baseman Wilfred Pichardo its tied for the lead of the DSL in runs scored with 47 runs, its tied for the lead of the DSL in tripples with 6, the 17 yrs rookie its second in the division and fifth on the DSL with 25 stoles bases out of 30 tries (leaders has 27) its third on the team with 33 BB and in hiting average with 257 in 210AB which leads the team, has struck out 48 times and its fourth on the team with 15 errors. Second year SS Luis Diaz its tied with Feliz third in the Division in doubles with 12, but the 18 yrs Dominican leads the team with 19 errors in 36 games. Pitching wise Dominican RHP Solmy Pimentel leads the team with 52K and IPs 51 the 17 yrs has a 3.05 ERA, its second on the team with the fewest BB allowed (for pitchers who has pitched 28 Ip or more) Colombian RHP Randy Consuegra leads the team in Wins with 4 and the 17 yrs rookie its second on the team in ERA (for pitchers who has pitched 15 IP or more) with 1.38 ERA, in 39 IP has allowed 26 H (like Pimentel hasn't allowed a HR) with 19 BB and 31K. Dominican LHP Cesar Cabral its second on the team with 48 K and IP 49, the second year 18 yrs its fourth on the team with a 1.84 ERA and has allowed 42 H (0 HR) Venezuelan RHP Yeiper Castillo its third on the team with 1.71 ERA in 42 IP has allowed 27 H (0 HR) and the second year 18 yrs its fourth on the team with 45K along 17 BB. Dominican LHP Manuel Rivera leads the team in ERA with 1.04 in 26 IP and 18 H (0 HR) the 17 yrs rookie its second on the team with 5 SV has 30 K and 14BB. RHP from Curacao dennis Neuman leads the team with 7 SV and games pitched 18, the 17 yrs rookie has pitched 24 IP 16 H ( 0 HR) for a 2.22 ERA 22 k 10 BB. Dominican RHP Charlie Rosario leads the team in allowing the least BB with 10 in 48 IP and 47 K (the IP & Ks are third on the team) the 18 yrs rookie has allowed 43 H (most on the team) (2 HR) and 3.91 ERA. A name that I have left out is Dominican RHP Anataner Batista, but the 18 yrs second year man put very good numbers, like a 2.19 ERA in 24 IP 19 H (0 HR) 8 BB and 32K before he got hurt.

I haven't posted on this thread for a while, with 17 games left on the DSL season the Red Sox entry are 30 wins and 25 loses in fourth place of the division 9 games behind division leaders Giants. As a team the Red Sox has hit for a 228 average, with 81 doubles, 16 tripples and 20 HRs has walk 244 times and struck out 504 times, it has stolen 65 bases and gotten caught 26.Pitching the Sox has as a team an 2.58 Era and 213 batting average against and in 471 IP has allowed 367 hits (only 9 HRs) 218 bases on balls and K 442 batters. As a team the Sox has committed 91 errors in 55 games.

AZBlue my pleasure, Actually Jose Jose spend a couple of days at end of Spring training at the Red Sox minor league complex working out and I was able to see first hand. He has about the same size as of Beltre and even their hitting approach its very similar, with a slight upper cut.

I agree that Capellon its having a nice season and has outpitched Doubront, but the reports that i have seen his fastball needs some improvements.

Azblue, I was surprised and dissapointed to see Beltre getting traded, he has a very high upside, with a very quick bat and +, + power potential, haven't talk to anyone who wasn't high in Beltre. I haven't been able to get a final word if the Sox signed Jose Jose, because his tools package its very similar to Beltre and if signed it may have led the Sox to trade Beltre, while its very early the 2008 draft its pitching heavy, but lack hitters.

LOL, you love affair with Youkilis isn't only out of control but is getting to the point that's not healthy, LOL, so now I shouldn't post, my man get a life. Oh by the way i didn't know that you have seen all the hitters in AAA, you need help.

Thank you guys, appreciate your support and I will be around from time to time. I don't want or need others posters to agree with me as long as their open minded and don't have crushes on players like Robzambie and other posters do.

There's some Red Sox fans who might think that Youkilis and his carreer best first half (of the season) stats should be named the Sox MVP for the first half of the season, on the other hand there are Sox that can't wait to kick Julio Lugo out of town for his carreer worst first half of the season, but are Youkilis stats over Lugo the difference maker, NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND, In general Youkilis has better stats Lugo, but the difference its a lot smaller than anyone might think, Lets look at the main stats. Youkilis has 50 runs scored to Lugo's 36, Youkilis has 45 RBI to Lugo's 40 Youkilis has 42 bases on balls to Lugo's 31 and Youkilis has stike out 40 times to Lugos 43. Taking in consideration the position each play and a carreer best to carreer worst Youkilis isn't the Sox MVP.

For those who are interested in the Sox signing of International prospects, its nice to see the Sox signing some of those Latin prospects, but it won't much if the Sox don't sign some coaches who can comunicate with them and help them to develop.

There's an old say in baseball that bases on balls will kill you, well for Sox RHP prospect Javier Jimenez it wasn't base on balls Thursday but hit batters, as he hit 3 in 1 2/3 IP as the Sox lost to the Dodgers 6-1 and are now in third place of Boca Chica North division 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and half a game behind second place Giants. On Friday the Sox plays the Giants. Outfielder Wilfi Santana had 2 hits in 3 AB and first baseman Eddie Lora had 2 base hits in 4 AB where the only hitters of note. Jimenez was the Sox starter and lost the game 1 2/3 IP 1 H 5 R 4 ER 2 BB 1 K, followed by Yeiper Castillo 5 Ip 3 H 1 r 1 ER 1 BB 4 K and finished by Manuel Rivera 2 IP 1 H 0 R 0 BB 4 K.

That great prospect, well, at least in the dark eyes of "ABEFROMEN" Josh Papelbon had a great night with Greenville Thursday night. 1/3 IP 5 H (1 HR) 1 BB 6 ER, OH by the way he is ERA is now 4.47

Like I talked about ealier in the thread, Capellan is a LHP to keep an eye on, The Sox also have a 18 yrs Venezuelan in the GCL (Jose Alvarez) with an low 90 fastball that its very well regarded and a 18 yrs Dominican (Cesar Cabral) who has pitched very well in the DSL.

Well, the word is that the Sox paid 3M to Almanzar.

Some Pitching scouting reports on Red Sox pitching prospects in the GCL. Pedro Perez is a string bean 6-4 170 RHP, the 19 yrs Dominica fastball is 88-90 that tops at 92 but has very good command. Scott Blue The Red Sox fifth round pick in 2005 has a very good arm, but not command at all and when he throws strikes are normally in the heart of the plate and gets hits hard. Argenis Paulino playing in his second year in the GCL the 21 yrs 6-6 205 Dominican doesn't throw as hard as someone of his size should, his fastball sits at 88 and touches 90 mainly because of lack of arm speed, but has good command. Mauricio Mendez also its playing in his second year in the GCL and its the best prospect out of this group and could have a future as a reliever with a fastball in the 91-92 range from a 3/4 arm slott with good movement. Mendez is a 6-6 200 is a 21 yrs Dominican.

Ronald Bermudez who isn't only the team top hitter for average on the squad but on the division and has been the Sox CF for most of the season, but he isn't even the squad top center fielder, that would be Dominican Miguel Meregildo. Meregildo a 6-0 164 18 yrs is playing in his second year in DSL and its the team faster runner, however the right handed hitter doesn't know how to use his speed at the plate and its only hitting for a 132 average.

Anytime an organization sign a 16 yrs there's risks, but the 6-5 185 right hander hitter is the top hitter for this signing period. Jackson, Almanzar signed a 2008 contract and he should start his carreer in the GCL.

Potentially Cox should be ranked ahead of Hansack, but there's too many questions on Lowrie or Masterson to be ranked ahead of Hansack.

RHP Wang-Yi Lin Had T/J surgery. The Red Sox GCL under the direction of hitting coach Ul Washington isn't very impresive, it will be wise for the Sox player development to make some changes this offseason. In addition the Sox defense particular second baseman Kenneth Roque and catcher Mattew Cooney are below average.

Jackson, As a former Gator like Horne and one who knows him well, Horne is a good, not a great prospect, in my opinion Kennedy falls in the same category, however i do believe that the list has flaws when it has a player like Lowrie ahead of Moss and Anderson.

First of all when i make a post or a list like the one above I make based on based on my experience and having talk to other people in the industry. A list like the top prospects on the system isn't based just on the production of the player, but on tools, ceiling, projection, age and production, based on this neither does Lowrie nor Masterson ranked higher than Place or Chiang. This list was made at the end of the first half of the minor league season if the list would had been made today both players would had been ranked a bit higher. The question that was asked, was asked by someone with personal interest in some particular players and ofcourse had some bias in it, but I did answer the question, but since you brought the subject again, what player or players that have performed so well have i dissed out like you have called? The Red Sox player development haven't handle well the development of Latin players in different matters and have been very impatient with them and in most cases haven't given them a fair opportunity. Those players that you are talking about all of them has had more talent that some of the players that has been kept at the same position, except that they haven't been work on them. A couple examples of what I am talking about, right now there isn't any communication with the Latin hitters in the GCL squad there isn't a coach on the hitting side that can speak the same language that those latin players speak and aren't fluent in English, in the pitching side isn't as bad as the pitching coach can speak Spanish fairly well. Another Example is a Luis Soto, A player who had never had played the outfield until the Sox switched him a couple years ago, I don't believe that the Sox have worked hard enough in his development as an outfielder and because of it he has his short comings in the outfield which has translated to his hitting and them there's the Miguel Socolovich example and a lot other ones.

If you go to the lowell roster you will know Mike Jones is.