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I get that, and i am a huge supporter of Bogaerts. What i'm telling you, like my above post explains, is that not only do their opinions not necessarily provide validation (they are, after all, opinions), but you have to look at these proposals on a trade-by-trade basis. A Strasburg trade specifically would be a win-now move for Washington. Why would they make a trade for a player who has a star-level ceiling but is unproven? The whole point is to not endure growing pains with their championship window open. How does that make any sense? But alas, let's agree to disagree. After all, i think both Bogaerts and Betts will become AS caliber players, just not immediately.

He's been wrong before. Would you argue otherwise? Two words: Carl Crawford. Remember that argument? A Dave Cameron article arguing he was worth it was one of your main pieces of contention. Funny how that works. That's the beauty of prospect/young player valuation. It's not an exact science.

Actually, that doesn't really change much. Betts is still unproven to a large degree at the ML level. The main issue here is control time, and that's a valid argument, but the Strasburg tier of pitcher for two years offers a hell of a lot more certainty than a guy who has less than 200 AB's at the ML level. Let me say though, that this doesn't contradict my idea that Betts is the best OF on the Sox roster right now. My point of contention is your usual overvaluing and rose-colored glasses view of Sox prospects. Betts may (and probably will) struggle, and then, most of the guys who wrote these articles will be second guessing themselves like they did with Bogaerts, who you similarly hyped last year using similar sources of support. "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it". For the record, i'm not saying Betts won't eventually reach all-star levels of performance, i'm just saying he may not do it in 2015, or even 2016. You can't always just look at grading curves and aggregate values. But hey, wave them pom-poms man. Note: The pom-poms comment was made in jest

....for less than 200 AB's. Again, massive overvaluing based on a SSS. Let's be realistic here. You don't get to jump Jacko's bones for being a pom-pom waiving homer with assesments like this, man. If you were a GM and you traded Strasburg for Betts straight up, well you'd probably be out of a job the next day. As for the "gaping hole" at 2B the Nats have, Anthony Rendon is actually a natural 2B, so if anything, their hole is either 3B or 2B depending on what's available and whether Zimmerman can actually throw.

I understand your excitement for Betts, but saying he'd be worth Strasburg straight up borders on insanity. I'd give you Zimmerman or Samardzija because of control and questionable transition to the AL, but two years of Strasburg ain't going to happen. Hamels is owed big money, but he's controlled for a couple more years at what is essentially market value, and Cueto had a monster 2014.

Contract reportedly contains opt-out and no-trade. Monster money and control over his future. Couldn't be better for him.

This argument is silly. Bogaerts and Betts are at an age where most players are just arriving at AA. Holding your own, let alone excelling at the MLB level portends to great things in the future. Saying the league has or will figure them out when they should be playing at High-A is pretty damn ridiculous..

it isn't, because Betts by himself wouldn't land a #1 right now. He has less than 200 AB's of MLB experience. Let's reel back the hyperbole a bit.

The problem (as usual) is your lack of consistency Jacko. I don't mean this as a personal attack, but rather as clarification for the surprised responses of some of the other posters. You have used the term "tweener" in the past to refer to a player who doesn't particularly excel in several areas of his game, specifically Carl Crawford, who you referred to as a "tweener" because of his average offensive skillset highlighted by blazing speed. Choose a definition and stick to it.

Betts is, right now, probably the best OF we have in terms of overall package. Unless they move him back to the IF, he's your starting CF.

Yet UZR loved Markakis last year. And i think Victorino is still a better OF than Markakis defensively, even though Markakis is the better player and better bet to stay healthy right now.

He's supposed to be better than Abreu, but that's a lot of hype for a guy that virtually no one knows anything about.

Make that $300 million.

You're due some good luck bro. Hang in there.

He was, but now he wants to come back. The funny thing is, he just might be able to. If you're lefthanded and have a pulse, you'll always have a job in MLB.

I apologize. I put them on ignore and you won't hear another pip from me. Ive been lurking for a while, and i gotta say it sucks that you've been going through all that crap, Youk.

Barry Zito is trying to make a comeback in 2015. Now that's funny.

If a700 and fred act their age i'll keep the exchange civil as well. For the record, i don't have to make excuses or give explanations to anyone, but the amount of people who left the site should speak to itself. Seriously, act your ages and every little thing is gonna be alright. In the meantime, ignore for the both of ya.

Oh hey Fred, i see you're still the embodiment of douchebaggery. I didn't stop signing in because i was embarrassed of anything. I stopped signing in because i started my own business (remember when you were grilling me because i was unemployed there for a while? I do) and also because some people, (and by some people i mean you), made this site utterly unreadable with their ********. I see some things don't change. Stop being an *******. It'll be good for your blood pressure. Thanks for the acknowledgement btw, a700.

While i wholeheartedly agree with all of this, you don't have the moral authority to call anyone a fanboy. Carry on.

Taking a cab here is not nearly as complicated as taking a cab in the US. There are over 100 taxi cab companies with units available all the time. Average waiting time for a taxi in a tourist area like the one he was is five minutes. I mourn his loss, but he was immature and dumb. Bad combo.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11112005/baseball-player-yasmani-tomas-defects-cuba Anyone know anything about this guy? I imagine there will be a bidding war for him but I wonder if the Red Sox would be interested. He could help our offensive void in the outfield.

Getting? Dude's been raking hard for a while now.

I take offense to that.

In all honesty though, that glove was very helpful all of last year, especially in the playoffs.