cp176

Espinoza although very young looks like the real deal. He still has a way to go for sure. I like Kopech and am anxious to see how this year works out for him. Because of his suspension and Espinoza's emergence, his name gets lost in the shuffle somewhat. He might be a very pleasant surprise.

I agree with you. But I will say that the Kimbrel trade has to be considered as part of the "hit", but I don't see it as considerable at all.

Interesting read! thanks - Not much there to really disagree with for me. I do think that the contingency plans for alternatives if the guys needing bounce back years fail are getting stronger and stronger. i still think that Johnson's name will become one that we get more familiar with this year.

I think that you are right. A good potential rising star but has he shown at this point in time enough power to encourage anybody to trade for him and take a shot that he might be decent at first or third? I don't think so. I would give Shaw a real shot long before I would even consider attempting to change Swihart's position. The Red Sox are much better off hanging on to him right now. He gets his chance. I don't think DD will give him away. Not to mention the fact that he might be our starting catcher for many, many years.

I don't think that anyone is really advocating for him to be traded. Debate seems to be centered around how much value he would have as a stand alone trade candidate. I like the kid but I just don't see him bring ing in anything substantial just yet as a potential trade candidate. He has a lot of things going for him that might change that perspective as this season moves along.

We will have to wait and see I guess. He has a lot of things going for him. Do you think that our front office has been fielding offers for him? Maybe they have and maybe they haven't. It seems likely that we would have heard something if they had.

I'm cheering for him believe me. I just don't see other clubs buying into what he did over the second half of last season as being a big enough sample size to encourage them to take a big risk and give us much for him alone in a trade. Maybe later on this season.

ah wait - couple things - baseball America has the Red Sox farm system ranked 4th. Good luck trying to figure out why someone has us number 10 and someone has us number 4. 7 and a half works for me. Also - Our farm system was in no way decimated by the Kimbrel trade and graduations. For starters I would say look at Margot's rankings before the trade and the rapid advancement he miraculously took after the trade was completed. Ridiculous!

currently Swihart would alone be worth very little in a trade. Packaged with others maybe but alone sorry. I suppose moving him to another position is a possibility but how does anyone know that we don't have better options certainly at first and third. Sam travis I am guessing will surprise you all and he will be every bit as good a hitter as Swihart. At third or first Travis Shaw has and probably will in the future provide more of a power source than Swihart ever will. Don't get me wrong, I like Swihart. I just do not see him being the important piece to this puzzle that others do. He will be a decent player for us if he stays in Boston. We have others that might actually be better.

Brad Inglis - 18 yrs. old . 6'4" with a big body just signed with the Sox. Hard throwing kid from Australia.

illegit???

You are probably right here. I might see a late season callup possibly all pending. I'm anxious for them to move because I think that very soon they will provide us with better options than we have right now. No one wants these guys rushed but they have the potential to help fill out a truly good roster. If they perform like their short history says they should, if nothing else they might send a message to the boys currently in their roster spots that there is some good competition to play.

I think that all in all the Sox have some pretty good potential backup plans for both Ramirez and Sandoval. I also think that we will see Benintendi on a fast track upward. Same goes for Moncada if they can figure out where he fits fielding wise. It is possible that he becomes the third baseman of the future. The issues with his footwork might require getting him away from second base.

A couple of other fles might be Shaw, Travis, and Deevers. I like Swihart a whole bunch but those other guys aren't just their for window dressing.

I'm not sure Swihart brings much alone. The potential is certainly there for him to be very good but someone would have to be willing to take a chance that his catching skills really will continue to improve. Maybe in a package but might not be worth it. Down the road maybe and maybe that is what will happen.

Trust me - I won't be the one who says that there is better way. What you have for personnel has to shape to a great extent how you use them.

It does make some sense to me. There have been many great points brought up here. Not the least of which for me is that some of the old ways are actually recognized to be somewhat new and creative to some of the people who have not been around the game "forever". I say that whatever works is what needs to be used. If what works can be supported by data and statistics, all the better for people for whom the use of metrics represents a game changer. I'm probably not in that camp - If it is new and works, I probably will use it. If it is old and works better, i probably will stick with it.

Like I said in my previous post, I think that I was a master in new age, unconventional thinking when I started Radatz when playing strato back in the 60"s. The stats supported my position very well. It was an unconventional no brainer to use the "monster" as a starter. LOL

In all sincerity correct me if my interpretation of what you are saying is wrong. Your approach seems to be that you would bring your closer in during any game, at any time that you think the situation dictated it regardless of the inning that the game was in? By closer, i assume that you mean the guy that you feel is your best shut down guy in a fairly short relief stint? If that is what you are saying, although I like your theory, I do not think that it holds up over the course of a 162 game season. There are some games that seem more important than others over the course of a year. In those games, I think that you do what you can do to win. I do think that a back of the rotation late inning guy is very valuable. I find myself questioning what is going on more now as managers in general try to create 7th and 8th inning specialty guys in addition to a late game stopper. I also will add that I do not think that a failure to use your "closer" at any time during a game, in any way is an example of conventional, traditional, do it the way it has always been done thinking. If you are using statistics to justify your position on this one then you are doing what I did when I was 13 and playing start-o-magic baseball. I started Dick Radatz! Now there was a 20 game winner for sure that was supported statistically if I ever saw one!LOL- This debate isn't about a new way of dong things at all. Still a good debate.

Oh did I ever like what I just read about E-Rod. Sounds like he just wants to hang off of Price and learn all that he can. Talented - motivated - wants to learn from the best - We are so very lucky.

i hope not. Yankees can have him. With what we have in the minors, I think that kind of $could be used differently.

I bet that there would be a whole bunch of us who would be willing to take what he gives us this year and then be willing to say see you later.

Ok - I admit it. I hope that he pitches well for us this year but I am really not much of a fan. In all honesty I think that he is a numbskull but it makes little difference what I think of him.

Your last sentence is the primary point that I was trying to make. I think that the good ones do.

it was a good article about E-Rod. Glad we have him.