cp176

Ken Harrelson - Jose Santiago - Jose Tartabull - Lee (the stinger) Stange - Joe Foy

Trading Espinoza did not bother me at all. If you are able to deal prospects for young decent cost controlled ml talent, that is a good use of the resource to my thinking. I did not like seeing Moncada and Kopech traded but for what we got and still have that one was certainly a no brainer. Now let me see, is this how it works now - I said that I did not like seeing Moncada and Kppech being traded so that has to mean that I didn't like the trade for Chris Sale right?

Are you labelling Moncada a bust notin? I'm sure not. Maybe I'm embellishing what you said. if expectations are the enemy of any prospect, I would say that their projections shouldn't be stuffed out there for all to see. I'm pretty sure that you don't think that Moncada is a bust just yet but you know how it works I think. Who is labelling Moncada a bust? bobby dalbec reached AA last year actually and had a pretty good end to his season. He may even eventually surpass his projections. Personally I have not heard of anyone considering Moncada a bust.

I am optimistic. But you have to understand, I honestly thought that Moncada was the one that was going to virtually explode onto the scene. I actually think that making a guess as to which of our guys might wind up being stars or even role players at the ml level is somewhat the classic exercise in futility. We have lots of guys who were projected as the next greats over the years who have flamed out. It is kind of unusual when someone truly makes it big. To answer your question though, I am no less optimistic with respect to our minor leaguers than I have been at any other time. The fact that few of our guys come with the guarantee stamp of future success doesn't really affect my thinking at all.

Is it ok with you notin though if I continue to see these guys in a positive light even if the obvious reality I guess is that they must really suck? Oh and I'll clarify once again (just trying to protect myself), a person's size taken singularly, really doesn't meant very much to me.

No need to defend yourself notin - you are who you are. Are you sure that i asked Moonslav if anyone would be Devers or Benintendi good? Not sure that that one is particularly accurate but oh well I'm kind of used to this type of thing. For the record, I was aware of Benitendi's talent at every level he has played. There was never a doubt that he would be able to hit at any level. My only question about this kid was his size. I'm beyond excited that his fitness regime has allowed him to get bigger and stronger. If it can happen with Beni it likely can happen with some of our other minor leaguers some of whom are substantially bigger than he was at the same level.

I think that when you ask a question and phrase it this way with respect to Devers and probably more so with Beni being the comparisons to use, that you might be trying to make a negative outlook have a little more oomph to it. Devers might become a very good player. Benintendi has always been a very good player and might become even become better than that. In my opinion, it does seem as though that you are suggesting that Casas, Feltman, Houck, Flores, Chatham, Dalbec etc. cannot become players who are able to perform successfully at a very high level. It isn't going to happen tomorrow for any of them but personally it does get tiresome for me to constantly here that old tired drone about the weakness of our minor league system. It does look weak - I get that but I am going to focus my attention on the positive that these youngsters add to our program. And believe me I truly understand that I am one of the few posters here who appear excited about some of these kids that we are going to be able to watch progress. I'm ok with that.

It does get tiring sometimes having to deal with you notin but here we go again. If you can find one piece of writing that I have even insinuated that Benintendi was not one of the very best hitters coming out of college and moving up through our minor league program, go for it. You can't but I'm sure you will try. Read what I said! I watched Benintendi play in Portland and my initial reaction was that yes he was talented but physically he was small. He doesn't look the same today. You got that? If physical attributes alone defined the future success of professional athletes, I would not have ventured much money on a bet saying that Beni would be what he obviously has become. My point, although I realize you are likely to claim that it isn't my point, is that neither you nor the couple of other people who spend so much time being negative (I know I know notin - you are only being realistic) with respect to our young minor leaguers, might not wind up being right with respect to them.

In most sports, my opinion is that to compete on the very highest stage as in being the best smaller athletes are risking more with respect to the energy and effort it takes to overcome a lack of size which quite often means less strength. We are not talking about a middle of the road athlete here - the best. Now my second opinion is that Mookie's size will have nothing to do at all with what the Sox decide to do with him contractually as we move forward. He plays much like Pedroia played which in my estimation means that he will in fact have to deal with injuries moving forward although probably not much different from most great athletes. Assuming that that my become a factor in future negotiations with him, I think is kind of funny.

I don't really disagree with this either but you are right it does get tiresome. You know what comes next - we aren't trying to be negative, we are just trying to be realistic. In my world, the reality is different I guess. No one knows regardless of how much they actually think they know what will become of this current crop of young potentially good players.

A crusade you say. Mr embellisment strikes again. A statement of faith in our minor league program i would call it. I just see things differently than what you and maybe 2 or 3 others see things. I am very happy to say that.

perhaps

Perhaps! How good do you think they are? I remember pretty well what Beni looked like just a few years ago. You have absolutely no way of knowing how good some of our kids might become.

Those of you who keep crapping all over what you and your anaslysts perceive as our sorely downtrodden minor leaguers, keep right on a trucking. I will continue to be as excited over much of the young talent that might even stun a few of you into silence. My guess is that we will have a few good ones for sure when we need them.

I'm with you here. i think that this could be a very interesting year to follow our minor league programs. some good young talent with size and power potential as well. With respect to the ss position, Flores should get lots of attention but I would also add Chatham to that list.

I would trade Chavis as soon as it took to make any kind of positive upgrade. I get the fact that Dalbec strikes out a lot but he has shown the ability to adjust at every level he has played at. His intro into AA ball was a good one.

No news from DD often is good news.

It is a fair assumption but there is no way of knowing for sure whether he will age well or not.

I agree with you very much here. I have to tell you though in all honesty I would rather lose with decent humans working hard than with a bunch of pukes being idolized simply for athletic prowess.

I'm assuming your post to be sarcasm, so here is a question for you, was there something about this year's team that had no apparent ass holes on it that you didn't like? You sure and hell can win with good people.

I really hope that we have turned a corner and refuse to bring in guys like Cano or for instance a Machado regardless of how talented they might be. Could be wishful thinking on my part.

You know I would probably be ok with signing Mookie up for 10 not simply because of the awesome talent but I also think that a great franchise needs to identify with a great player. He really is someone the kids - the truly important people - look up to. As in my grandson questioning me about that Clemente guy. I'm not sure that I agree with you though about Mookie physically being built for the long haul. He plays with intensely great energy. The kind that has and likely will continue to put him on the threshold of injury. He has already suffered a few. He does not have a large body. The type that we often think of as being able to deal with the wear and tear of everyday baseball. He is lightening quick with incredible reflexes but it won't surprise me at all to see him spending his fair share of time on the il.

Well a good arguement but for all of the times I have heard people state the obvious, that Eovaldi hasn't pitched many innings. and that he has had two tj surgeries and that wisdom says that he won't hold up, I think that that is a fair opinion. What I would add is that no one knows. His arm has been rebuilt and he has been given a clean bill of health. I think that it is also likely that he will remain healthy and is on the verge of doing something special moving ahead. It really is a betting man's game I guess but if I had to bet which is more likely, another cy out of Porcello or great production out of Eovaldi as we go along, I would take Eovaldi's chances everyday on this one. I love Porcello but even the stat lovers I think would be willing to admit that his Cy Young year looked just a bit like an aberration. My guess is that it is likely that they both wind up playing for us. I'm really not sure that JH worries about his Red Sox budget as much as you do! lol

Cano deserves the abuse.

I wonder if you were as excited as I was when the rocket came along. He looked as much like a sure thing as I could have imagined. he suffered thorough a couple of early injuries and just exploded. My excitement level came back in a hurry.