moonslav59

It seems like many are viewing DD as a genius for selecting him, at this time.

#7 Mikey Romero, SS Physical Description: Athletic frame with some remaining projection. Not overly physical and could stand to add strength and fill out. Hit: Starts slightly open with his hands high. Very smooth and controlled swing. Has bat speed. Limited stride. Really good hands. Seen as one of the most advanced high school hitters in the draft class. Good pitch recognition and advanced approach for his age. Makes a lot of contact and hits the ball hard. Potential above-average hit tool. Power: Wide range of opinions on his power ability. Needs to add strength and swing right now is designed more for hard line drives than over-the-fence power. Potential fringe-average game power. Run: Fringe-average speed. Field: Soft hands and strong instincts at shortstop. Some evaluators think he can stick at short, while others think he profiles best at second base long-term. Will not be a standout defender, but a potential average defender at shortstop. Arm: Average arm strength. Career Notes: Played travel ball growing up in Southern California with Red Sox 2021 first-round pick Marcelo Mayer. Played for Team USA. Comes from a very athletic family. Eldest sister Sierra was a star for the University of Michigan softball team and older sister Sydney starred at the University of Oklahoma, and both now play professional softball for Athletes Unlimited. Was originally committed to Arizona, but changed his commitment to LSU to follow head coach Jay Johnson. Was set to participate in the 2022 Fall Performance Program that was cancelled due to Hurricane Ian. Summation: Potential bat-first middle infielder. Unclear if he can stick at shortstop long-term, but if he hits, has the offensive ability to carry him at either second base or in the outfield. Has one of the most advanced bats in the high school class. #6 Bryan Mata, RHP Physical Description: Tall, sturdy pitcher's frame. Has filled out considerably since signing, especially in his lower half. High waist and long limbs. Has filled out in his upper half as well. Was listed at 160 pounds when he signed. Returned from Tommy John surgery in very good condition. Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot with effort in his delivery. Very quick arm. Starts on the first base side and does not utilize a wind-up, although he had in the past. Deceptive arm action. Somewhat deliberate going back, then whips arm forward. Arm-heavy delivery, does not do a great job incorporating his lower half, but has gotten better at doing so in recent years. Works fast, which can cause his delivery to get out of whack. Could perhaps stand to slow things down a bit. Release point can get inconsistent and he tends to overthrow at times, especially as he works deeper into games and tires. Needs to improve consistency with his delivery. Because of how quick his arm is, it can get out ahead of the rest of his delivery, causing him to constantly yank the ball glove-side. Fastball: 94-98 mph. Tops out at 100 mph. Pitch sat 96-97 mph in 2020 in shorter outings at the Alternate Training Site and was still sitting there after he returned from Tommy John in 2022. Added significant velocity in 2018; pitch used to sit 90-92, topping out at 94. Throws two variations, a four-seam at 96-98 mph and two-seam at 94-96 mph. Threw primarily four-seam fastballs in outing scouted in 2022. Still learning to harness that velocity and needs to work on command and control. Fastball shows sink down in the zone and some life when elevated, though it is easier to hit than you would expect given its velocity. Too often, he will lose his delivery and release point and his fastball control will suffer as a result. Still struggles to locate arm-side. Has a tendency to yank his fastball glove-side. Potential plus pitch, but a lot depends on how his command develops. Slider: 86-90 mph. Added pitch coming into Spring Training 2019. Initially, pitch was longer and looked like a slider at lower velocities and more like cutter when thrown harder. In 2020 looks, pitch had become a more defined slider with sharp, late break. Has really taken to the pitch and improved his feel and confidence in it as he has used it more. Pitch gives him another weapon to throw at hitters in a new velocity band. Pitch will flash plus potential with depth, but has not constantly snapped off in return from Tommy John and the pitch has shown the tendency to roll to the plate. Potential solid-average offering if he can find more consistency with it. Curveball: 77-79 mph. 11-to-5 break and two-plane movement. When he snaps it off, pitch will show depth. Can throw pitch in the zone and is comfortable doing so. Will often use to steal a strike early in the count, but has shown the ability to backdoor the pitch to left-handed hitters when ahead in the count as well. Will flash more potential, but lack of consistency pulls down grade. Potential average offering. Changeup: 87-89 mph. Throws with deceptive arm speed. Velocity has increased from 82-83 mph as fastball velocity increased. Pitch is on the firm side, but feel is improving and pitch shows late fade. Has shown the ability to turn the pitch over down in the zone against left-handed hitters on occasion. Potential average-to-better offering, but that grade is fluid. Career Notes: Expected to sign with the Brewers in July 2015 at the start of the international signing period, but a groin injury derailed that agreement and he rehabbed the injury on his own before signing with the Red Sox in January 2016 for what was likely a much smaller bonus. Impressed at 2016 Fall Instructional League. Fit description of (and likely was) unnamed player whom Red Sox reportedly declined to include in trade talks during 2016-17 offseason. Started the 2017 season in extended spring training before being promoted to Greenville at the end of May. Was promoted aggressively early in his career: was the youngest player in the South Atlantic League in 2017 and in the Carolina League in both 2018 and 2019. Pitched just once after July 10 in 2018 due to a back injury. Missed a month with shoulder soreness in 2019. Pitched at the Alternate Training Site in 2020, suffering a hamstring injury in late August that caused him to miss his last couple of starts. Participated in the 2020 Fall Instructional League. Suffered a slight UCL tear in March 2021 and underwent Tommy John Surgery on April 13, 2021. Participated in the Fall Performance Program in 2021 as a rehabber. Returned to games on a rehab assignment in June 2022 and returned to Portland and was activated at the end of that month. Participated in 2023 Rookie Development Program. Summation: Projects as a back end starter or multi-inning relief arm with premium stuff to handle a late inning role if necessary. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. till has a wide range of outcomes as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery. Raw stuff is back, but feel for secondaries and command come and go within outings. Might be able to start, but could be more effective in shorter bursts out of the bullpen. Delivery still has effort and we need to see how his stuff holds up over longer, 5-6-inning stints and when pitching on a consistent starter's schedule. Will show the potential for a true four-pitch mix with two potential plus offerings. Has shown the ability to miss bats with all four pitches at various points in his career. Harnessing command of his arsenal will be key for his development. Injury risk had become a concern even pre-Tommy John surgery, as he last made it through a full season healthy in 2017. Tommy John Surgery in April 2021 clouds future starter profile.

If he returns him after the 15 day thing, nothing is really messed up. If DD trades us something, so he can keep him off the 40, no harm will be done. So far, Song is doing exactly what he'd be doing whether on the 40 or not.

They may have felt even $160M/6 was too much, so $200M/8 was never going to happen. Who knows?

I think they had a number they felt he was worth and knew it was not close to what he wanted or would get, so they barely made any effort, except in a few lame attempts to make the media believe they wanted him. I'm not sure they would even have paid him what they paid Story. We may never know.

First loss of the Spring, today. Will it be enough to bring out the trolls?

While that seems true, we really don't know the lowest number and years Bogey would have accepted. We only know the Sox never met that number at any point along the way.

He's better for the Sox for the long run, than any single GM we have had.

Good we found out about Goodrum, early. Good riddance. Although we are weak in ML ready IF depth, I think we can easily get by without him.

Everybody Yu Chang, TONIGHT!!!

My guess is July, assuming the season still has meaning, then.

It's not just the winning, but many of our key players are looking pretty good or even better. 1.333 Casas 1.112 The new and improved Dugo 1.000 Arroyo .901 McGuire .785 Devers 0.00 Sale 2.0 0.00 Kluber 4.2 IP 0.00 Crawford 5 IP 0.00 Winckowski 5 3.86 Houck 4.2 0.00 Paxton 1.2 0.00 Mata 4.0 0.00 Walter 3.0 0.00 Jansen 1.0 0.00 Martrin 1.0 2.25 Bleier 4.0 2.25 Mills 4.0 3.38 Brasier 2.2 0.0 Murphy 2.2 Bench: 1.627 Alfaro 1.127 Dalbec

Agreed, but DD will wait as long as possible to learn as much as possible about the true value of Song and what an appropriate return package would be. Stay tuned.

It's ridiculous to arbitrarily choose the last 2 years and discard any meaning to the last 3,4, 5, or 6 years. You know damn well, many players have brief (from 1 month to 2 years) moments of glory and health. Plus, you act like 310 IP in these last 2 years is something to be wow'd by. It's NOT! There is a real chance he gets hurt, again, or moves his performance level back towards his pre-2021 years. BTW, you do know Paxton had exactly 310 IP from 2018 to 2019, but people still knew he was injury prone, including you. Why is this any different? You just want to believe he won't get hurt.

So, he'd have to step up his game to be protected from Rule 5, next winter.

True, but the stud has yet to let up even a hit or walk, let alone a run.

Marlins nab a couple interesting players in minor league deals: Jose Iglesias Yuli Gurriel

Song's 0.00 ERA is pretty impressive.

#8 Brandon Walter Physical Description: Left-hander with a medium frame. Not much projection remaining. Looks listed height and weight. Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Atypical delivery with effort, but it works for him and he repeats it well. Starts angled toward the first base dugout on the middle of the mound, hands by his face before sliding toward third base during wind-up. Swings arm behind with a medium leg kick before coming forward. Short arm action with a hook behind. Hides the ball well before delivery. Will spin and recoil on follow through. Fastball: 90-93 mph, tops out at 95 mph. Throws both four-seam and two-seam varieties. Can control both, but shows better feel for two-seam with heavy, arm-side run. Slightly below-average spin rate. Potential above-average command profile. Ability to miss bats is dependent on command, as it is not an overpowering pitch. Designed to elicit weak contact primarily, but has shown the ability to dial it up at times. Velocity jumped in 2021 to 92-94 mph, but in 2022 was back in the low-90s primarily, dropping into the high-80s at times. Potential average offering. Changeup: 80-83 mph. Advanced feel and confidence in pitch. Will throw in any count to hitters on both sides. Throws with the same arm speed as his fastball. Pitch drops off the table late. Really can pull the string on it and elicit lots of swinging strikes. Very high spin rate for a changeup. Command can be spotty at times and will leave up in the zone on occasion. Potential plus offering. Slider: 80-83 mph. Slurvy, long, two-plane break. 2-to-8 shape. Average spin rate with significant horizontal movement. Feel comes and goes during outings, but has shown the ability to land it for strikes. Tough pitch for left-handed hitters to read; starts right at their body before breaking across the plate. Needs to get more consistent finishing the pitch, as sometimes it will come in loose and hang. Potential plus offering. Career Notes: Had Tommy John surgery in 2017, missing most of that season and all of the 2018 season. Late-round senior sign in 2019. Stuff improved considerably due to work put in during the cancelled 2020 season, leading to one of the more improbable breakouts in recent memory in 2021. Rose from being something of an afterthought in the Low-A bullpen to begin the 2021 season to being a top-10 prospect in the system in the Triple-A rotation in less than a calendar year. Participated in the Fall Performance Program in 2021. Participated in the 2022 Winter Warm-Up. Did not pitch after June 7 in 2022 due to a bulging disc in his upper back originally diagnosed as a neck strain. Added to the 40-man roster in November 2022 to protect him from selection in the Rule 5 Draft. Participated in 2023 Rookie Development Program. Summary: Potential back-end starter. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Will show a starter's arsenal with three average-or-better pitches and the ability to turn over a lineup, but does not have a typical starter's delivery. Control is already above-average-to-plus and command should get to at least average. You can debate whether he fits better as a starter or reliever depending on the day you see him. Has some traits that would push him to each potential outcome, but has the makings of a major league-caliber arm either way. If pushed to the bullpen, combination of stuff and handedness gives him a decent floor. #9 Roman Anthony, OF Physical Description: Tall, projectable frame. Looks the part. Has the frame to support added muscle as he physically matures. Hit: Starts open with his hands high. Uses an abbreviated leg kick that he gets down early. Good separation in his swing. Smooth uppercut bat path with a two-hand finish. Good bat speed, makes very hard contact. Utilizes his lower half efficiently and really rotates through the hips. Pitch recognition and ability to hit velocity are question marks right now. In the early stages of developing an approach. Power: Plus-to-better raw power. Very impressive raw power. Has a swing designed to drive the ball with loft and backspin and has shown the ability to hit the ball 400-plus feet. Plus power potential. Run: Average speed. Likely to lose speed as he physically matures. Defense: Red Sox believe he can stick in center field long-term, but others believe he ends up in a corner. Does not project as a standout defender in either location. Average defensive profile. Arm: Average arm strength Career Notes: Attended the same high school as Anthony Rizzo, Jesus Luzardo and Coby Mayo. Committed to Ole Miss. Named Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior and won back-to-back state titles to end his high school career. Summary: Very intriguing power prospect with the ceiling of an everyday outfielder. How his hit tool develops will determine how much of his power potential actualizes. Power is a carrying tool and is very impressive for his age. Should develop into a solid defender also, but what he does at the plate will be his calling card.

He'd use 2017, if it suited his point. BTW, ERA since 2017: 3.43 Rodon 3.69 Paxton

OK... 2018-2022 474 Rodon 95 IP/yr 333 Paxton 67 IP/yr 2019-2022 353 Rodon 88 IP/yr 172 Paxton 43 IP/yr Something to brag about.

If Rodon was on the Sox, he'd be posting these stats.

Since 2017: GS IP 96/543 Rodon 87/469 Paxton Shocking differential, here, right?

Rodon to start the year on the IL.

Grooming him to be a Yank.