cp176

I think that that is a good question. I really believe that you go with your 5 (probably 5) best coming out of the spring. Now, if they all look about the same, Rodriguez would get the nod from me. Youth be served. All that being said, if Rodriguez isn't in that top 5, my guess is that we will be in for a very long year once again. I think professional sports would be better all around if more emphasis was placed on actual performance as opposed contract, contract, length, and potential. I hope very much that both Buccholz and Kelly come into the spring healthy and strong. I also don't think that it will affect Rodriguez's status.

I really don't think that that is what the arguement (conversation) is really all about. I think that it really is about who of those 3 gives us the best chance to win games on a regular basis. In my mind, it is very clearly E-Rod. Considering that, IMO - It would be absolute stupidity to send him to AAA to start the season.

I think that there might be even better options than Hanley after next season. He might wind up being the one. If he is with Boston this year, it will be a big year for him. If he continues to be prone to injury, and can't get it done daily, I think that they will cut bait with him. I'm hoping that he comes out fast in the spring and proves to be what many think he has been and can be. I'm skeptical by nature.

The whole concept of dubbing around with could be players when you have other options available is absolute ********. I am really hopeful that we don't see that this spring. If Joe Kelly and Clay Buchholtz aren't 100% ready to go, I really hope that they are the ones somewhere else.

They very well might start Owens at the AAA level. Based on the spring, that very well might make sense. With respect to Rodriguez, we do absolutely disagree.

Each of these cases has to be looked in a very individual way. If Rodriguez played a role on an already strong staff, of course the rationale would make sense. He doesn't. He was arguably the best we had last year. In his particular case, sending him down would show a lack of any kind of sense. Some might even consider it stupidity. Of course a lot could change between now and the spring.

His reputation defines him. I don't expect any transformation. He is ours at least for the time being. I'm going to be hoping for the best. I am going to be a little cautious with my expectations though. When healthy, he has not always pitched like an ace. We have seen flashes of brilliance. I think we take what he gives.

I agree with your take on Buchholz. Owens will get a chance but is he going to be the one for us going forward? A solid mid-rotation guy maybe.

i know that you are not surprised by Cafardo's findings. Neither am I. If he hits the hell out of it this year, he might be a serviceable dh going forward. If he doesn't have a very good season, I'm guessing they move him no matter what.

I get through that pretty well by looking at the number of games pitched and balls thrown during the regular season. He is a horse. You have to get to the big party before you can win it. The addition of Price and some more work on that bullpen and we will at least be heading in the right direction.

I would trade just about any of our so called young prospects right now for the "right deal or deals". Trading unproven young talent for proven young talent ? Not much of a downside for me there. That being said, I would be hesitant to give away too much for someone whose durability as well as attitude might come with question marks. No question that if he is healthy and could stay healthy, that Fernandez has the goods. There are concerns there though that would make me push a little harder for the free agent market. I still like Price.

I am a surprised that no one is commenting on the fact that 3 of our top ten prospects are now pitchers.

Common sense - there is still a place in the world for it.

I agree and I would bet on the fact that there is virtually no chance that it will happen.

If they are really looking for a 4th outfielder, he would seem to be a real good one. Makes me wonder if they really aren't all that confident in the fact that JBJ and Castillo will get it done at the plate. Great fielding for sure but you still have to hit. Some of the names being thrown around by our local writers don't strike me as being 4th outfielders.

I think that we can agree that they could do it if they wanted to. It would seem like a very unusual and unnecessary move for them to make. He was the best they had over the second half of the season. I guess that I would tend to think that sending him back could possibly hurt him a great deal more than it would be worth.

Where do you think E-Rod will be? Who will they trade him to? Unless they add at a minimum of two top of the rotation guys, they won't give even a passing thought to sending him back to the minors. Other than just to create conversation, I don't know why anyone would even suggest this one. Conversation is good.

I would bet on them being a game or two over .500 for sure. Outside of Kimbrel, I think there still are a ton of questions that will have to be dealt with with respect to the bullpen. i hope that Tarawa and Koji come back and are affective. I would bet nothing on the others. If Price is the only addition you see them making to our rotation, I really don't share your enthusiasm. I enjoyed watching the young guys play shortly after the season ended for us (after the All-Star break). I hope they all step up and play well when the games have some meaning. All of that sounds a little negative.

In order for this team to look truly competitive for 2016, a lot still needs to be done. DD has started the process. I'm sure that he will be able to live with both the positive and the negative criticism that he gets from the dealing. He needs to add quite a bit more pitching. More than than just one top quality arm. I also share your feelings about the hitting of our corner outfielders. Sandoval, Ramirez? I don't know- maybe those issues just have to play themselves out. Free agency or trade - I don't care really which direction he goes. I don't want us to get screwed and I don't think that we will. He has been involved in to many huge deals to let that happen. He needs to make changes and not everyone will like what he does. As a side note- people have been screaming for a long time that our pitching prospects are poor, now 3 of our top ten prospects are pitchers.

Through the process of elimination we now have 3 pitching prospects listed in our top ten. What does it really mean? I only know what I have read like most of the rest of us about Espinoza and Kopech. We saw a little sample of Brian Johnson last year. How far away from playing in the majors are any or all of these 3? If you could trade all three of them for young ace, would you do it? Would that constitute gutting the farm? I sure and hell don't know. What I do know is that I like the Kimbrel trade. We traded some commodities that may or may not become established professionals. We got an established pitcher - closer- call him what you like in return. He could get injured of course but he comes with an established reputation. I like these types of trades as opposed to the ones where we sign someone and then hope like hell that they will become better than they have ever been. Everybody here seems to like Kimbrel but a few people think we gave too much for him. Based on everything that I have read about Margot and Guerra in particular, I really don't mind this trade very much at all. My long term isn't as long as some others. 3 years works for me. In all honesty, I think that the few who don't like the trade see or saw Margot and Guerra as being bigger trade chips than I did for sure.

This one would be tough but would work for me. Of this group, I'm betting on Devers being the one whose loss would hurt the most. I think that it would take a package of both Swihart and Moncada plus others though. I would go the free agency route.

I really think that it is a stretch to suggest that what has been done so far represents a win now at all cost philosophy. Maybe it will look like that in a while but not yet.

This makes sense to me. I expect and hope for more to come. I expect most of it to come via free agency but would not be surprised nor would I be upset particularly if it came via trade. The great debate seems to center around the value of what we gave up as opposed to what we got. Everything is relative to an individual point of view. I see the players traded to be replaceable by players that may even be better. That approach works for me.

And I am just guessing that Swihart, Margot, and Guerra would not have gotten it done either. Maybe but I really doubt it.

So True! - Can you say goodbye to Betts, Moncada, and anybody else? (We may still have to)