sk7326

It sounds like they are looking at him as a two-way. More notably, if letting Cason play shortstop makes it easier to sign him, then sure, why not?

Realistically with Grisson, he has to hit. That is his case as a big leaguer - a hitter who can defend fine at 2B (though he was actively bad there this season).

True - though there is nothing about Story or Hamilton or anybody who should block him. Well, maybe if Story finds his Colorado form, but let's take the under on that.

The injury rate compared to college cohorts is stark. Taking them is fine, but the risk-reward in Round 1 is not there.

The record of 1st round high school pitchers is terrifying compared to the other cohorts.

Yeah, it's silly. Baseball draft should just be best prospect all the time - though taking high school pitching early is a recipe for disappointment. The SS thing to me is - get good athletes, and they will figure it out.

SoxProspects also projects him to be able to stay there ... Again, life comes at you fast ... but Mayer's biggest weakness is that he just has not been healthy enough. Hopefully this year is a good sign.

There is no evidence that he can't stay as an above average to plus SS There is a platoon split ... but we also have a .837 OPS as one a young regular in Double-A. The only real reason to be cool on him is his injury history. I will also note that the offspeed pitch issue has just not had time to get resolved because he has just been hurt. The big thing this year is that he makes it through a full season.

It's also not a good crop overall - after the quality of last year, it looks like a big dropoff this year. Of course there will be good players from the class - there always are. As far as the reporting goes (and the mocks are about intel not how they are rated on ESPN or Athletic big board) - based on the reporting/intel from McDaniel and Law, some names to watch Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson, MS - the top rated high school position player, per Law, tools to go #1 overall, but still raw and would have been the sort of guy to send to Lowell before MLB got rid of short season Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee - Not overwhelming tools-wise, but the Statcast models elevate him Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina - top college arm in this area Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest Because there is no iron lock superstar in this draft (outside of Condon, maybe) - the bonus demands could really screw up the draft order. One nice thing is the Sox are not misers there - and they have had guys fall to them (like Teel last year) due to other teams portfolio managing bonuses and such.

It's wild if this is just a matter of getting out of Portland.

The top 4 seems pretty clear cut right now - I'd put Mayer #1 still ... but if Campbell can really settle in at CF things get very interesting. I mean the hot streak has lasted half a season now.

the extensions were highly speculative - but in the economics of baseball, Bello and Rafaela's AAVs are virtually nothing.

The Red Sox have been an above average offense with a top 10 OBP and are one of the best baserunning teams in the whole league. A lot of what has been quantified is stuff people have been trying to do ever since baseball began - hit more homeruns, make better contact, make curvier curve balls, generate velocity. I am not sure how attempts to measure that have made life bad. Pitching is where the problems are with baseball - and really THAT comes down to just sheer effort. What is also clear is that the notion that teams should limit innings to guys on the way up - is just not working for preventing injuries.

Bill in a lot of areas has become an enormous crank.

there is a *bleep* ton of power in that teeny tiny body

The thing is he has been terrible at SS defensively while as advertised in CF ... and I imagine that has hurt some of his development all around. I don't blame the Sox for doing it - Cora is trying to win games - but it is what it is. If he stays at CF full time and can put up a .700 OBP with the power he has, that's a solid starter. He is also a guy who HAS shown improvement at each stop up the ladder.

True - though none of them had stretches in the bigs anywhere close to Duran and Houck.

Right. Like Story is made of glass, but an actual good player. Yoshida at this point just doesn't do anything all that well.

If anyone in April told you Boston would have a Cy Young and MVP short-listers for the first half of the year and Devers is not one of them - I'd have called you insane.

Yorke most likely. Cespedes and Bleis would require a pretty good player with some control - it'd hurt to deal em but they are both far enough from the bigs that it's not some slam dunk no.

Maybe - but it is hard to see how either of those deals won't end up positive value for the team.

Cora has done a great job. I doubt he comes back on that sort of bank - but there is also no luxury tax for managers. That said, the way Cora talks and the way the media portrays - his next contract is probably his last as an on-field manager no matter what.

Now Alonso is probably 2nd choice to a lot of these clubs to Goldschmidt. The imact that has, I'm not sure.

Right - but I would absolutely look into the price ... for 2-3 months, he'd be a perfect fit ... the need at 1B OR DH is big enough

While I think the team is skeptical about whether this club will turn into a pumpkin before the deadline - if the team wins some more and gets to like 10 games over .500, the mandate might change a little. For instance (Passan suggested this), if the team keeps hanging in there - why NOT do a 2021 Schwarber and see what it would take to rent Pete Alonso for the rest of the season. If you wanted to be a little more ambitious, do you look at someone like Rengifo from the Angels who still has some control.