TedWilliams101

Speaking of the Rays, here's how their team came to be: P: Matt Garza - traded from Min James Shields - 16th round of 2000 draft David Price - 1st overall pick of the 2007 draft Wade Davis - 3rd round of 2004 draft Jeff Niemann - 4th overall pick of the 2004 draft Rafael Soriano - traded from Seattle Lance Cormier - traded from Arizona Grand Ballfour - traded from Milwaukee Dan Wheeler - 34 round of 1996 draft Randy Choate - FA signing Position players: Dioner Navarro - traded from LAD Carlos Pena - traded from Bos Sean Rodriguez - traded from LAA Jason Bartlett - traded from Min Carl Crawford - 2nd round of 1999 draft B.J. Upton - 2nd overall pick of 2002 draft Evan Longoria - 3rd overall pick of 2006 draft Ben Zobrist - traded from Hou Willy Aybar - traded from Altanta Pat Burrell - FA signing Reid Brignac - 2nd round of 2004 draft Gabe Kapler - FA signing Kelly Shoppach - traded from Cleveland John Jaso - 12 round of 2003 draft Notice something here? Their top players are almost all top 5 draft picks or were top 10 draft picks they traded for. They got lucky on several players (Pena, Zobrist, etc) and that has really helped. How did they assemble this team? Rebuilding mode. They knew they were bad, so they traded their best players for top prospects. After a few years, they were able to put together all those prospects they acquired and the high (top 5) draft picks they used to form this current team. Since they were successful last year, they were able to trade Kazmir and sign a couple free agents. This approach will ONLY work if you have complete retooling years. It means have several bad seasons. This is the approach you take ONLY if you can't compete or the core of your team is about to be gone and you can't slowly rebuild each year and stay competitive. The Red Sox have the luxury of never having to go through rebuilding years. They can spend money to replace players and even out the effects of drafting in the late rounds. The difference between our teams is that the Rays have to trade away their best players when they get the highest return while we can keep them and just buy another player later down the road. The real point of this though is to show that the Rays team is NOT just built up of their amazing draft picks. Their roster looks very normal, their best homegrown players are top 5 type draftees, their good to serviceable homegrown players are early to late round draftees, and their other players were acquired by trading away their top veteran players. They aren't loaded with amazing round 3+ draft picks like some people claim.

How about we compare the Twins drafts to the Red Sox draft since 2000: 2000: Twins (31) - Aaron Heilman, didn't sign and compensation pick Twins (342) - Jason Kubel Red Sox (62) - Manny Delcarmen Red Sox (332) - Freddie Sanchez Red Sox (872) - Kason Gabbard 2001: Twins: (1) - Joe Mauer (77) - Jose Morales (377) - Kevin Cameron (857) - Nick Blackburn Red Sox: (48) - Kelly Shoppach (note, Boston didn't have a 1st round pick - Ramirez) (243) - Kevin Youkilis 2002: Twins: (20) - Denard Span (61) - Jesse Crain (152) - Clete Thomas (182) - Pat Nesheck (242) - Adam Lind (332) - Evan Meek Red Sox (57) - Jon Lester (Didn't have a 1st round pick - Damon) (238) - Brandon Moss (1342) - Brian Banister 2003: Twins: (58) Scott Baker Red Sox: (17) - David Murphy (32) - Matt Murton (supplement pick) (114) - Papelbon 2004: Twins: (22) Glen Perkins (481) Matt Tolbert Note - Twins had 4 comp/supp picks in the 1st round. 5 first round picks, not a single real hit. Red Sox: (65) Dustin Pedroia (No first round pick - Foulke) (185) Cla Meredith 2005: Twins: (25) Matt Garza (73) Kevin Slowey (84) Brian Duensing Red Sox: (23) Jacoby Ellsbury (42) Clay Buchholz (45) Jed Lowrie (47) Michael Bowden Note: 4 comp/supp picks in the 1st round. 5 picks, 2 hits, 2 prospects, 1 tbd 2006: Red Sox: (28) Daniel Bard (71) Justin Masterson (83) Aaron Bates 2010 Top MLB prospects: Twins: 18 - Aron Hicks, OF 49 - Kyle Gibson, RHP 61 - Ben Revere, OF 62 - Miguel Sano, SS 94 - Wilson Ramos, C 174 - Deolis Guerra, RHP 183 - Danny Valencia, 3B 190 - Carlos Gutierrez, RHP Red Sox: 20 - Casey Kelly, RHP 50 - Ryan Westmoreland, OF 53 - Michael Bowden, RHP 63 - Lars Anderson, 1B 69 - Josh Reddick, OF 101 - Ryan Kalish, OF 110 - Jose Iglesias, SS 150 - Reymond Fuentes, OF 153 - Anthony Rizzo, 1B 186 - Oscar Tejada, SS 195 - Junichi Tazawa, RHP I'd say the Red Sox have done at least as good as the Twins, I'd argue they did better considering their far later draft positions and less picks.

When its going bad, it's not as bad as it looks; just like when it's going great, it's not as good as it looks. You can't judge this team on 12 games to start the season. Save your judgments for at least another 2+ weeks.

Some people just don't understand that draft position can play a big part. Lets take a look at the current Phillies homegrowns compared to Boston. Pitching: Hamels, Happ, Kendrick, Madison Position players: Ruiz, Howard, Utley, Rollins For Boston: Pitching: Lester, Buchholz, Papelbon, Bard Position Players: Youk, Pedroia, Ellbury Those are pretty good players on both teams, I'd say the Sox have drafted better pitching while the Phillies drafted better position players, but look at what the teams have accomplished while drafting/developing these players (and draft position): The Red Sox have won 90+ games 9 out of 11 seasons since 1998, making the playoffs in 8 of them and winning 2 WS. The Phillies have only won 90+ games twice since 1998, only making the playoffs the last 3 years and winning 1 WS. It's hard to keep a strong farm system when you are constantly drafting near the end of rounds and use your prospects as trade bait. The Sox have done a GREAT job of balancing this.

Lowell was a FA? Really? I thought he came with Beckett.... He earned his extension. Smoltz was a big contract? Really?.... You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Hanley Ramirez. You forget that the big market teams tend to trade their prospects for key elite players. If we stockpiled our talent, we could have put together an amazing team by now, but we might have struggled for a few "rebuilding" years. That's the difference between teams like the Red Sox and Rays. The Red Sox are built to compete year in year out, the Rays aren't.

What are you smoking? Jon Lester is obvious, but Buchholz has a TON of talent, he may become an Ace one day. Since when did Bowden "fizzle out". Masterson is a serviceable pitcher and still has upside. You also shouldn't count out the pen arms. Bard looks really really good. Papelbon was supposed to be a starter, but when he performed so well as a closer (a DIRE need of the team), there was no reason to have him start. Theo has drafted and developed a TON of talent, what do you expect, 5 Aces to come from the minors every year?

Some of you guys don't want to give Theo any credit for the farm system or any credit for his moves that worked. Fact is, his decision to go "defense" in '04 in the Nomar trade ended up winning them a World Series. There is good reason to build around pitching and defense, just because the team is playing like s*** right now doesn't mean Theo's wrong... it means they are playing like s***.

I get out of work, turn on the TV and THIS is what I have to look at? Weak, again. They better turn it around soon before they throw away this entire homestand.

Winning over loyalty.... Are you following the same team I am? Jeez. It's been 11 games. 11. Ortiz was the hottest hitter in baseball from July on last year. We have to give him a chance to get it together by May. This isn't a matter of Loyalty, it's a matter of trying to get production from someone and not walking away too early.

You would prefer to have Buchholz in the pen and Wake starting? What? I love Wakefield, but Buchholz has the potential to have a very good year and is the future of this rotation (unless he gets traded). I would move Wake to the pen and give Dicek the 5 spot in the rotation. If we don't have a spot for him in the pen, well, to bad I guess. I only want Wakefield in the rotation over DiceK/Buchholz if they are really struggling.

I'm glad you aren't the one making decisions.

I might just grab my guitar and work on a chord-solo for "Days of Wine and Roses". I've had that tune stuck in my head for a while.

lol, 4 runs on 1 hit. Great guys, great.

So, according to the rules, Buchholz can give up as many runs as he wants right now and none of them will be earned? A BIG if that's the case.

Thanks Cameron, 4-0 TB. As I thought, it's a nightmare right out of the gate.

So far it's all backwards, we have great run prevention on our offense and are a great scoring defense. April fools is over guys, time to get it straightened out. O/U on Burrell hitting a slam here?

When it rains it pours, literally. I do think this defense will be good over the course of the season, but DAMN, they look bad right now.

Yeah, it's WAY to early. However, they need to start giving Ortiz more games off and drop him in the lineup when he plays. If he hasn't gotten it going by the end of the month, send him to the minors and explore trading options. I think a big bat may very well be necessary.

WTF? That's all I have to say.