southpaw777

1000% agree...to store him in AAA just because he has options is just plain stupid IMHO. Sure, its an option...but a really dumb one.

They wouldnt have got Dominguez (3b) if they had those plans for Devers. Theybwont rush him. Theres really no need to. Let him get off to a fast start and enjoy some sustained success and build that confidence. Now, if hes just dominating then of course he will force them to make a move if 3b is an issue...remember, if Pablo stays in shape and performs like he can then Devers will remain in the minors...

Theyre keeping him right now to get his value up and for insurance. My guess is the team values a more defensive catcher that can call games and pitch frame. Sure Swihart can learn to play any position. Hes one hell of an athlete.. My opinion, from seeing these situations is that the guy like swihart is usually a liability behind the plate....but hey, kids got a stick so screw the D right? EVERYONE has to hit for a high average...we have the best, or one of the best offenses in the game right now. If some of you value a better hitter and a worse defender behind the plate, well then I guess we will agree to disagree. Swihart, although much more athletic, reminds me of Lavarnway behind the dish stabbing at balls and looking somewhat awkward...yes, he will get better, but ill go with the guy whos got the D, been catching since popping out of the womb, and all the intangibles catching for my team...swihart could possibly bring back a nice haul to restock the farm a little...im not saying I dont like or want him...I just prefer a defensive minded catcher.

If his D, game calling and pitch framing doesnt get better hes more of a liability behind the plate...hes doing this well because of his athleticism, just remember that he's not a "natural" catcher like Leon and Vaz are... I hope his D does develop and he becomes more valuable to us AND other teams. Swihart could do very well in helping restock the farm...

I read they wanted Beni and Betts in any deal for Sale just this summer...Obviously nobody was going to give up that kind of a haul, not even for Sale. To think DD could keep the MLB roster in tact and only give up potential future MLB players I would have said you were crazy. No way... out of all of the prospects we traded i think Kopech is going to hurt the most. But just one WSC over the next couple years will help me forget about that pretty quickly...

Where does Panda and his 18m at 3b fit in to all this? Please dont say DH...

Its part of the equation, yes. I am also willing to see how DD handles it before I proclaim the future of the franchise is in big trouble. He has already tried to get a good prospect back for Buch and Im sure hes not done. This past years draft also looked very good to me. You know i respect and value your opinions whether I agree with them or not. You always have valid points...I just think Its premature to say weve "thrown away" the future for the here and now. Myself and many others dont believe that. Have we weakened our farm? Of course we did. But we also made the big club that much better for the 3-4 year window. I believe we have time to build the farm back up over the next few years, add to the already talented group of kids we still have, and keep the flow of prospects to MLB as consistent as possible.

They will most certainly look for a prospect. DD has already suggested that and just from what they were asking for from the Marlins. Seth Smith will NOT be an option if the Ms want Buch. They will have to let go of a prospect. Now, we could eat some $$ and/or add a prospect to any Buch deal to get a better return...

Who says those are our only options? Only a few of you. Some of us believe that the farm system still has a number of potentially good future mlb players. That, along with good draft/development, signing some homegrown core players long term and smart trades to bring back prospects over the next 3-4 years make some of us believe that we indeed WILL be a playoff contending team for another decade. Realistically, none of us can predict what will happen over the next few years. Ill say this though. I hardly think its going to be as doom and gloom as some are talking.

Yup, just have to be a little patient before we start proclaiming the future is "doomed" Which travis? Shaw or Sam? But really, the jury is still out on both, although Shaw may very well be what we saw. Sam Tavis may still turn out to be a 300BA with 20+ HR in MLB.

I still say by the end of 2017 there will be a few more names in our system on peoples radars. Theres some potentially very good MLB talent in the system still. I expect some of them to really start finding their way this year.

Its lining up nicely...

Fair enough. I know you both are, and always will be sox fans. In the end we all want the same thing even if we believe in going about it different ways...

Just by DD keeping a core in tact and refusing to add cerain player to trades shows me that hes concerned about the here and now as well as the future...that and hes already taked about restocking thensystem over the next few years...you cant play for 5 years down the road in MLB...way too much can change...3-4 year windows seems to be the best way. We have a perfect balance right now of young controlled players, established and productive vets and a pitching staff from top to bottom that I would put up against any team in MLB. And with 100m coming off payroll after 2019 and a LT north of 200m, I really dont think years 4-7 will be bad at all...

Only if he can figure out how to block a ball in the dirt and not give yp too many runs

i could care less for very SSS partial year stats for a catcher back from TJS and a couple pitchers new to Boston and a flutterballer...

We also got Junior Lake for OF depth

I thin since Vaz dropped a little weight last year hes got the foot race hands down. Leon is still pretty "stocky"

If the move makes sense at the time, which it did, then you regret nothing. You hope the player you got did the job you need and wish the other well. Pom solidifies the BOTR with the upside of a 2-3 for low $$ and years of control. I think it was all part of the 3-4 year window plan. Espinoza has some special qualities, that if developed, he could become a very special MLB player in 3-5 years. As long as Pom does what was expected of him, then the deal should have zero regrets regardless of how Espi does in a few years.

Not playing the best players has nothing to do with fair. Its just plain stupid. If ERod looks good theres zero reason to store him in AAA regardless of options.

I seriously doubt they gave up Espi for a middle reliever. Pom should stay in the rotation or get traded IMHO. I think Buch will be moved at some point and they will eat a prtion of it and/or add a body to get something better back? I also still havent heard anything about Wrights shoulder so he may not even be an option at the start of the season.

Christ sakes man! Lets hope he NEVER is put in that position again as a PR. Dumbest move in manigerial history! Ok, maybe that was a bit much, but you get it....

I get it and i want both to do well (Pom &Espi)..Im higher on Kopech, not sold yet though, because hes a BIG kid whos body can handle the workload and hes already competed and succeeded against guys at the AA level. If he can do well in a full year at AA this year then I will be sold. Im not high on kids who are only hyped with no real success yet. Theres too many of those. Dominate the lower levels then AA and you will have my full attention. Espi has way more of a chance to flame out at this point than Kopech. Thats not to say MK cant or wont. Hes just had some success already and is no longer mostly hype like Espi is right now. With Kopech being talked about as maybe a sept callup if everything works out well this year, His value was pretty high for this team. As high or higher than Moncada's IMHO. The value return for Espi was fair in MLB terms for what each needed moving forward with whatever their organizational plan is. SD in a constant rebuild (Maybe we can get Espi back in 6 -8 years;) and we were adding necessary pieces for our 3-4 year window. And like you, i wish both success with their respective teams.

And there are always 3 years of possible trades. Not as hard as some make it out to be. Yes, you have to do a good job evaluating talent in trades, and DD has a pretty good record getting good mlb value out of his trades. Im agreeing with you on the basis of its not easy for anyone to scout and develop and find that gem. A lot of times it kinda comes out of almost nowhere..Its a tough game and kids who you think cant miss, all of a sudden get exposed at higher levels and MLB. I Dont know how many kids who look great all thru AAA but can never seem to put it all together at the MLB level...and that goes for every level. Injuries happen and things we really cant predict as well... The great thing is is we have the money to sign a bunch of our young kids whenits time and we've got some kids already down there in positions of need. We've got some younger kids in the lower levels that I'm thinking a couple of them are going to break out this year and they are going to get noticed...I wont overthink this until theres a real concern...three years is a long time in MLB.