cp176

I'm pretty sure that you are right. That being said, I very well might have been willing to pull that trigger for numerous prospects. I mean really - they are great prospects both Benintendi and Moncada as well, but they are still prospects. JBJ is not. He is a very valuable mlb player.

Everyone posting here can identify what looks like our biggest need - bullpen help. How to address the problem seems to be the issue. With a solid performance from a starting pitcher now being 7 innings, I think that the concept of how to deal with a bullpen has changed. These guys have to be able to get the job done. If you address the need by paying the big bucks, you wind not be addressing some of the other issues that you might want to. I think that DD will have to address the issue of prioritizing needs no matter what. Starting pitching - ? - if he thinks it is a top priority, a big trade maybe. By the way, I think that E-Rod will be exactly what he projected to be - a number 2. A bat to replace Papi - $$$. Relief pitching - trade/$$$. All tough decisions for sure but with relievers becoming more and more important, I don't think that you can necessarily just rely on pot luck unless you grow your own. Something the Sox haven't been particularly successful at.

i'm a big fan of this kid obviously. Everything that I have read about him says that he is a good one. A good person as well as a potentially great player someday. Not necessarily what we have seen coming out of Cuba. We are going to all be very happy that he is a Red Sox and not a Yankee!

I enjoy him for what he is. He is one hell of a player. Replacing everything that he gives us would be next to impossible to do.

Well, I guess we won't get our preview tonight. General Farrell will stick to protocol (again) and make him sweat for a day or so. Dumbest psychological move he could make! Where does he get these golden rules, anyway? Probably listening to his bench coach. lol

It will be interesting for sure. His minor league play has been overall very good offensively. Every bit as good as Benintendi's with some legit power. Because of his lack of playing time, he may need more time to develop but the talent is there for sure. I'll say it again, there is no one that I have seen come up through our system with anymore potential than this kid. Speed and power for sure. Will he be able to defend is the big question. I hope so.

Oh I like both of them - Vazquez and Swihart. I am just wondering if there is more to the Vazquez story than we are being told. If there is, I wouldn't blame them for being quiet about it. One thing that was painfully honest is that he was not catching at the level predicted and he certainly was not hitting. How much of this was attributable to the surgery and how much wasn't we don't know.

Something is troubling me - Did Vazquez get sent down very shortly after he had Wright throw a fastball when he had been told not to by Willis? I think that it was a pitch that was last seen in Cambridge somewhere. Hanigan has now been brought back up. That gives them 3 catchers in Boston. I hope he gets the call after Pawtucket finishes their season. I'm just wondering what his future really is in Boston. It would not surprise me at all if he was traded during the off season.

I agree with you but I do think that we will see him at third. There is no question that his youth and athleticism will infuse a little new blood into that lineup. Have to think that we all will be anxious until he gets a few hit his way. Adds a little excitement for sure and it could turn out to be a game changer for us.

I really do get this. I agree with the theory as well as the practice. I just happen to think that Moncada's situation was and probably still is dramatically different than other young players that we have signed.

Glad to see this. Moncada's development has been unlike most if not all of the prospects that we have recently had. It is not like he had been playing second base for a lifetime. He is just a kid and no one here for sure has any clue what he was up to in Cuba. The organization had a f***ing blank check with this one. He said he liked second base the most so that is where they put him. that being said, it won't make one bit of difference. Anybody could have seen that second base was not going to be his ticket to the major leagues for sometime. He obviously has played all over the place. It makes no difference but pardon me for not getting the shivers when someone starts telling me how good our player development is. Someone mentioned Mookie earlier - all second base until someone in their infinite wisdom realized that that wasn't happening so he gets moved to the outfield. Common sense to me says that if you have a choice then you put the player where he might actually play someday if he has been all over the field.. It won't make any difference.

No one is arguing but to quickly assume that the people in player development are always right is a bit of a stretch. I won't tell them how to do their jobs as long as they don't tell me how to do mine. Wait - I don't have a job. As long as they don't tell me how to mow my lawn and hit a golf ball. lol

I don't disagree with this at all. Question I always had was what was his natural position. He had been an infielder and an outfielder. Did he decide that he just liked second more or did someone else decide that that was the spot for him? Everything I read sounded like he told them that he felt better at second. Certainly not an issue for me. But what do I know - I still think that it is possible that Betts ultimately winds up back at second with Moncada in the outfield. It might even be that either Moncada or Benintendi get s traded. Did I really dare to say that here? Oh well.

I'm leaning in your direction. From day one I could not understand him being at second base. I'm not sure it makes much difference now though. Good luck to him.

Just a couple of things - first , sadly, somebody in the org. thought enough of Castillo to pay him more. Not everyone here thinks that he is just another average Joe. He is a prospect just like Benintendi still is. Very good prospects but that is still what both of these guys are. With Moncada though, no one lied about his size. I'm excited just like you are. He has more physical gifts than anyone I have have seen in a Sox uniform for many years.

It will be very interesting to see how he responds. I certainly will not be a fan of the move if his only use comes as a pinch runner or a pinch hitter. That would be a recipe for failure. I suspect he will get thrown right into it. Physically he is an upgrade over almost everybody that we have. Good luck to him!

here comes Moncada.

Winning now or finishing last - really? No in between for you? For me, the moves looked like an honest attempt to put the best team that they could on the field. Quite honestly it is something that should be done every year. Margot looks like he might - and I emphasize might - be a legit prospect. As for the rest, you say great potential, I might say not so much. As far as Espinoza goes, who in the hell really knows. I'll reiterate - you did not like the the guts of the trades. I did. Once again - your opinion and mine. You like yours - I like mine.

I agree with all of this. I would just say that if and I realize that it is a big if - The Smith for Miley deal could have worked out beautifully for us and still might. None of those trades looked urgent. They all looked to be good solid moves designed to help us now but over the course of the next few years as well. Losing Espinoza may eventually look bad for us but I don't see how anyone could truly predict what he will become. It is going to be a while. If Pomeranz continues to pitch as he has I will be very satisfied.

If they bring him up, they will play him. It is a little risky but only really from the defensive end. He may provide the shot in the arm that this team needs. I don't expect him to be used simply in a PH or PR role. I hope that they wouldn't expect a kid his age with his overall talent to flourish in those roles even if for just a short while.

The whole idea of the phrasing labeling any of the moves this year as urgent or win now in my opinion is ridiculous. They were all moves made to help us win of course but displayed no sense of urgency at all - once again in my opinion. I get the fact that some people hate to see young players moved for whatever reason but Margot would be the only one who might help anyone soon. It is an arguement I am done with because in all honesty it has nothing to do with the players that we moved - it has everything to do with people being dissatisfied with the return. I am not. When he makes a move that is really urgent in nature or appears to be a win now move, I bet that we will all recognize it.

I think I missed this specific mandate being given Bell. If in fact it was given - great. I sure haven't enjoyed our last place finishes much either. The trades that have been made to date just look like pretty good moves to me. Have I missed something here?

I think that it is more like they are still playing for a check from us but they have been banished to another world. they don't hurt us by playing in Pawtucket. They aren't holding anyone back.

I'm sure of it. Just mentioning the names of the prospects here might be considered heresy. The Sox have a history of stockpiling their rainy day fund with prospects for so long that they lose their value. D. Marrero for one. I think that DD will thin the core. We have too many players currently competing for too few positions. Everyone knows how important depth is, but in to get what he knows we need someone(s) will have to go. For the record, i don't consider JBJ a prospect. He is a productive major league player I hope we keep.

nearly limitless for one thing - which I will stand behind once again. And there is no middle ground with your thinking about this I guess. You are kind of trying to make it sound as though I am suggesting that the Sox can sign any free agent at any time without any regard given to the cost. Obviously you are wrong. It isn't a case of all or nothing. You paint the picture that you want to see with respect to the Red Sox moving forward and justify your thinking by saying that it is basically the only affordable way to go. I'm saying that there is a good chance that they replace Ortiz with a legitimate power bat in the dh position. I also believe that they will trade to acquire the pitcher or pitchers that they want. Whatever direction they decide to travel - maybe it will yours - they will be able to afford it regardless of where the luxury tax takes them.