Spitball

Kimmi, I agree, but I love watching gifted defensive players. Brooks Robinson, Ozzie Smith, Fred Lynn...Jackie Bradley, Jr. The very truly gifted are not really that common. JBJ is gifted. I hope he can provide enough offense to have a long career in Boston providing us with exciting web gems.

That is interesting as Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, and John Smoltz are inducted into the Hall of Fame. All three were traded as unproven young pitchers by teams that obviously undervalued their potential. That said, how do you know Eduardo Rodriguez is not the guy to build a rotation around? Would you prefer the Sox throw long term mega bucks at a proven top of the rotation guy like Johan Santana, Justin Verlander, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, or CC Sabathia? Do they gamble on the next level like Ubaldo Jimenez, C.J.Wilson, Ricky Nolasco, Josh Beckett, Ian Kennedy, or R.A. Dickey? In my opinion, it is not wise to pay big dollars, long term for past performance. The best way is probably to try to draft a young ace like Keuchel, deGrom, or Garret Cole. Or trade for a young unproven Archer, Kluber, Arrieta, Shelby Miller...or Eduardo Rodriguez.

That is what I said. There are more jobs available for mediocre left handed pitchers because the pool of right handers is much larger. A lefty throwing at 86 MPH has fewer competitors for his job.

I think there is very little to the theory that lefties throw a bit slower. I think a mediocre lefty can win a job over a mediocre righty because they are less prevalent and different. Arnoldis Chapman, Randy Johnson, Steve Dalkowski, Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Sam McDowell, and Billy Wagner were probably among the 20 hardest throwers ever. My story doesn't prove anything, but I remember seeing Sam McDowell at Fenway in about 1965. In those days, you could easily get great seats. My mom would get them somewhere (Sears?) at the North Shore Shopping Center in Peabody. We were sitting right behind the Red Sox dugout on the first base side. I can't remember who the Red Sox pitcher was, but it might have been Darrel Brandon. McDowell was pitching for Cleveland. I remember the Red Sox pitcher's pitches quietly hitting the catcher's mitt with a "pifft" sound. McDowell's pitches crackled. I could hear the seams whistle as they rocketed towards the plate. The ball would hit the catcher's mitt with a resounding "whomp." I could see dust or dirt or whatever come from the catcher's mitt with each pitch. McDowell may have walked a bunch, but it was a memorable experience.

I watched Hamel's and Cueto's performances on the "Recent Games" option on MLB.com. Hamels was wild in the zone and was getting hammered. I haven't seen him pitch real often so I couldn't tell much. Cueto is one of my favorites because of his Tiant style, and I have watched him often. He was definitely opening up too soon on a lot of deliveries which had his control off. He almost always has excellent control but walked six in four innings. His fastball was sitting about 91-92 and only reached as high as 94 twice that I observed. I believe he is usually in the mid-90s. The announcers kept questioning why he was going to his change up so often. He was getting hit very hard. I know he threw 122 pitches in a complete game, 11 strikeout, shutout victory over Scherzer on July 7. Since that outing he hasn't been the same. He lasted five against Miami on July 12 giving up five runs. In his last 9 innings he has walked seven and struck out four. I think the guy is hurting.

I think the Red Sox are going to gamble on the "develop an ace" or at least "competent rotation" route. It will involve successes and failures, but the failures will not be expensive. Bellhorn says Cueto looked like something was wrong with him today. Ace pitchers are always an injury away from losing their edge. Btw, if Cueto is hurt, the Reds screwed themselves by not trading him after his shutout two weeks ago.

I don't think anyone is arguing the Red Sox need a top-of-the-rotation starter. Doing it in a wise and effective manor is just easier said than done. Times are changing for the Red Sox and Yankees. Success can't always be purchased by throwing money at the problem. The Yankees stood their ground back in 2013 when Sabathia went down. Many expected them to go out and buy another big arm,but if memory serves me, they went with Freddie Garcia, David Phelps, and maybe Chase Whitley. At the end of the season, Cashman goes out and splurges by acquiring Tanaka for seven years for $154,000,000. Wow! That is that is the way to go as long as he doesn't get hurt...Time will tell how he will perform over the course of the contract, but he has missed about 18 starts over the first year and a half of it. This year they are employing retreads like Nathan Eovaldi and Adam Warren, and an over-the-hill Sabathia (who isn't earning his $23,000,000) despite the fact there were several top starters and far better options available this winter. The Yankees are not building their rotation a whole lot differently than the Red Sox, they are just doing a better job of it. As for Leake, he is a ground ball pitcher who would come cheaply because he won't be offered a qualifying offer by the Reds. He also would be the second or third best pitcher on the staff going forward. The Sox could get a first-hand chance to see if he is viable option for a reasonable signing. I am not advocating for the guy but making the suggestion that he is a guy on which to take a flier. I look at the Sabathia and Tanaka signings (as well as Cliff Lee and Justin Verlander) and question the logic to signing Cueto, Price, or any other dominant ace to a long term contract. I believe the Red Sox would like to go forward with future rotations fortified by youthful, controllable pitchers like Eduardo Rodriguez, Henry Owens, and Brian Johnson. Hopefully their future aces will come from their own system. I believe they will avoid trying to pay older pitchers for their past successes.

Haha! It must be true! : )

Kimmi, well said. I either missed your post or was posting while you were responding. Either way, I totally agree with you, as usual.

Hmmm.. there is not any cherry picking there. In my opinion, Mike Leake is a very good mid-to-bottom of the rotation option, and a better pitcher than Wade Miley. Plus, he will probably be obtainable for the likes of someone not in the Red Sox long range plans like Marrerro. Why would it be bad to acquire a pitching upgrade for someone who is not in the Red Sox long range plans? Mike Leake's career numbers are skewed because he went straight to the big leagues from college. He cut his teeth on big league batters in an extreme hitters' park, The Great American Ball Park. This season his home ERA is 5.46 compared to his away ERA of 2.57. His home WHIP of 1.595 compares to his 0.889 away WHIP. He ranks 11th in GB/FB percentage compared to Miley who is 44th. Leake is among the top tier of quality start pitchers with 63% while Miley is below 50%. The main point is Leake is obtainable without giving up too much. The Reds will not extend Leake a qualifying offer. They do not want him to walk without some return. The Sox can improve their current rotation and audition a potential future rotation spot. This is not the number one guy some think should be obtained, but he is a low cost option who could be a future strength to the depth of the rotation. Winning teams of today are built with roster and rotation depth. The Yankees are doing it. The Royals are also doing it. Times are changing, and teams need to change with the times.

https://www.fantasysp.com/start/mlb/45615/wade-miley-or-mike-leake Mike Leake is not another Wade Miley.

I voted no to a top of the rotation type, but I can see the Sox being interested in someone like Mike Leake. A groundball pitcher who would not cost a lot in terms of prospects, and could be auditioned before extending an offer. Cincinnati may be willing to take an offer featuring Deven Marrerro. They acquired shortstop Eugenio Suarez from the Tigers for Alfredo Simon this winter, but Suarez has proven to lack the defensive skills the Reds seem to prefer from their position players. I also wonder if the Reds GM Walt Jocketty would be interested in Joe Kelly as part of the return package. The former Cardinal GM seems to like giving former Cardinal players a second chance.

Bogaerts reminds me so much of HOF shortstop Barry Larkin.

So, Brock Holt is an all-star, and Xander Bogaerts will be a fan vote candidate.

I predict Xander Bogaerts will be the lone Red Sox going to Cincinnati.

Beane is probably smarter, but he is today's Charley Finley. How many franchises have had such unconventional, successful leadership?

Donaldson really, really pissed off Billy Beane. Few other general managers work in a market where they can react to insubordination with such vindictiveness. I think Charley Finley may have paved the road for this kind of behavior.

I found this portion of (wasn't it) Sunday's broadcast hilarious. Upon meeting Remy on a bus, some family had laughed when he said, Xandah Boegahts." Remy wanted to know what the deal was, and Orsillo went into great detail about other names Remy butchers.

Baseball America had this to say about Mike Trout, the 25th overall pick, after the 2009 June draft, "...he has a chance to be a solid-average hitter with average or better power." It is hard to call these things. He won't likely be Mike Trout, but I like the pick.

https://www.facebook.com/steve.easton.12/posts/812417472177761?notif_t=like

A Cincinnati boy like Youkilis.

I have been a big fan of Benintendi. He has impressed me with the Razorbacks and has looked impressive in weekend series against number 8 Missouri.

Kimmi, once again you speak such wisdom. As Red Sox fans, we have become spoiled. We expect the front office to throw money at the team's problems. The money isn't our money, the numbers are unfathomable, but we believe Red Sox money should fix all problems. We hate the Yankees for that attitude, but we still expect the Sox to spend their problems away. But times are a changing, and the Red Sox Nation needs to recognize the changes. The money escalates every year even if the talent doesn't. There are foolish big dollar/long term contracts signed every winter and most are handicapping their teams in the long run. The money always exceeds the talent, and the years are almost always beyond the logical progression of human production. Smart teams are looking to be successful in different, more intelligent, more strategic ways. I am happy to see the Red Sox move in a smarter direction. I honestly believe the old, big spending philosophy will eventually sink any team not vested in forward and progressive methods. The Royals, Rays, and Astros are currently leading the three American League divisions. Of the 30 MLB teams, they rank 17th, 28th, and 30th in salaries. Success no longer is a product of big spending but of strategic planning. As a Yankee hater, I like the change.

Small but telling. Thanks for the research, Kimmi.

I believe Craig will be sent down.