Dojji

So how's Cliff Lee working out for you then?

As long as he can hit it over the third baseman's head, he's exactly the kind of player that can get away without having a ton of power.

Reactionary much? I mean we are talking about a 22 year old who already has MLB gold glove level defensive ability. He can reach the majors on that alone, especially if he can string together a decent OBP against big league pitching. He's getting it done in the high minors at a very young age, so this *is* a possibility. Very high caliber speed on the basepaths too, especially once he gets it refined. Could easily be a 30-40 SB guy just based on what we've seen out of him in the minors already. For reference, his SB rates are about the same as Jacoby Ellsbury's were at the same level and age. Actually strike that, he's been progressing through the system one year younger than Ellsbury, but still, close enough. IF he can learn to shoot the gaps you're looking at a very good ballplayer here. Personally I see him cameo'ing here over the next couple years, then being traded to some team that needs a franchise caliber defensive CF and leadoff man (which is, like, almost every team) but I guess YMMV.

What I see in Lin is a possible OBP bat with wheels and elite all around defense. Seems destined for a So Taguchi kind of career at the moment, depending on whether his on base ability translates to the bigs. He's also one of the few RHH outfielders we have above A ball who can play all 3 positions and are also prospects. So I'm kinda curious, where we're just so lefthanded in the outfield right now, whether that might start sounding attractive to people if Cameron goes down and the alternative is either calling up Nava or having 4 LHH OF's. He's got a year of AA under his belt so developmentally speaking he may be "in range," and as a defensive 5th OF could probably serve immediately, depending on what you needed and whether a D-first player with an OBP + speed offensive build and No Power Whatsoever could provide it. Please don't respond as if I'm calling this guy a potential starter next year. I just want to know whether people here think he's in range to help if we need a defensive bench guy or a righthanded speed hitter. Secondary question: what do you expect from this guy as a big leaguer, and does he have enough offensively to possibly break out of the "future bench player" mold he's kinda in right now?

31 and LES IS MORE.

That's why no one will ever get that right lol.

THat's "Fighter," not "Ham Fighter." Nippon Ham is the sponsor of the team.

It did for Bartolo Colon, but David Wells lasted a bit longer, so who knows.

It is nowhere near time to write a postmortem on Josh Reddick.

THat's why it's a ceiling.

You're only just now realizing that?

Not reallyh out of nowhere. He was a starter in college and no one can argue that his stuff is good enough. He's going to need to improve his control and pick up a better third pitch though.

I have to think that even if he's a bench dude, as long as his bat plays up Lowrie will be more instrumental to our winning games than most of the middle relievers, unless we have someone break out and really do something. I like Kalish too, if I could have ranked him on my own list though, I'd rank him only about 18-20 this year, not because he'd be a bad player but simply because he's not likely to get the opportunities in the bigs to really get higher than that.

Again, you're really underestimating Reddick. His power potential is very high. Where he struggles is in every area where Youkilis thrives -- patience, pitch recognition, etc. He's got good bat speed but he doesn't seem to be able to use it to give him that extra split second to see the pitch coming the way Youks does. I dunno if he's ever going to get his pitch recognition up to the point where he can see the ball well enough to hit it out 40 times, but in terms of raw tools, sure it's there and it's easy to see.

Can't agree with that. Youkilis has paced him as a hitter for average over the last couple years and Youk has mower power. Pedroia's advantage is that he hits very well in an up the middle position, and he plays a position in second base where there aren't a lot of really great hitters, so I'm not saying he's bad, but I definitely rate Youkilis well ahead of Pedroia as an overall hitter, even if you count baserunning into the equation.

1 Lester 2 Buchholz 3 Youkilis* 4 Gonzalez 5 Crawford 6 Daisuke 7 Lackey 8 Pedroia 9 Bard 10 Papi 11 Ellsbury 12 Beckett 13 Papelbon 14 Drew 15 Lowrie/Scutaro 16 Scutaro/Lowrie 17 Jenks 18 Cameron 19 Okajima 20 Wheeler 21 Doubront 22Atchison ** 23 McDonald** 24 Varitek** 25 Saltalamacchia** *Youkilis ahead of Gonzo mostly because he's also an elite hitter and will be playing third base ** I am not convinced by any means that these players have any great chance of finishing the season for Boston and I suspect they will be replaced by trade or callup this season..

I think it's not realistic to presume that a guy with that kind of skillset and that age will not produce more within the next 2 years than he has in the last 2. If he doesn't, fine, I'm not gonna waste a lot of tears over it, but if he does, he better recieve the credit and recognition he deserves, even if that just means him getting dealt for a reasonable estimation of his value. Kalish is winning the head to head competition between the two right now, granted, you'd have to be blind not to see it. There is a large material difference between "is winning" and "has won."

You are seriously jumping to conclusions here. You're assuming I'm coning here with answers when all I'm trying to do is pose questions. BTW I have no problem with a possible trade of Reddick, provided we get fair value. But for now he's still with the team and he's got enough talent to be taken seriously as a future Boston outfielder. I like Kalish too, but let's be realistic, we have 2 solid young outfielders at the moment, and Reddick has every chance to take that job if he puts it together.

See? What'd I tell ya about this guy!

Health.

I didn't say it depended on whether CF is in play because I wanted to sound intelligent. I'm aware of the handedness issue.

I have never been to Fenway Park. And probably will never go. The reason is fairly simple. I've heard horror stories about the width of their seats, and that's from ordinary men. I'm built like a yeti, huge in every possible dimension. I don't mind watching a game, and I'd love to watch the Sox, but I'd like to be able to walk out of the stadium under my own power when it's over, and I have my doubts that would happen if I went to Fenway. A 6'6" 400LB guy getting wheeled out of the park because he destroyed his knees and hips in too-narrow seating would be a tragic way to end my ambulatory career. Not would it be polite or comfortable for me to stand for an entire 3+ hour game. So it's pretty much not happening.

I also like the idea of Oki in middle innings, Felix as a long guy. If we have him and Aceves on the roster, that's 2 long innings guys and we can safely jettison Wakefield Paps Jenks Bard Weeler Oki Aceves Doubront Not. Bad.

You guys aren't giving Josh Reddick nearly enough credit. Yeah his cameos haven't been great in the bigs so far, but he's the one of the two who has the tools to crank 40, while Kalish looks very much like a young Johnny Damon with a right fielder's arm. Both are still good prospects at the moment. And despite the fact that it seems like he's been in AAA forever, Reddick's only 23 -- he's still got time. Kalish is much more polished, I'll give you that, and if we had an opening this year it would definitely be Kalish that filled it. but either one could make a good RF or CF if they get their crap together.