moonslav59

The savings they are getting from reducing the minors should help the union's side.

Fair enough. JBJ did make some diving plays, too. He mastered the triangle and other weird angles. He got a great jump on balls, almost always took the exact correct route and positioned himself correctly. Lynn was fantastic- even to the point of being recklessly great. He was all about making the catch- screw his own body! No argument on any of these guys. Beniquez, Miller, Crisp and a couple others were all close, but didn't play very long. Maybe saying Kike's last 3 months in 2021 were the best 3 months in Sox CF defense history. (The dropped ball in the playoffs would not count.)

His arm was so bad, I can't place him in the top 5. Remember, Manny once cut off one of his throws!!!!

It does seem like a "stock" statement many GMs use.

It may be "moot," but it's a long winter, so spending a day or so on discussing the best Sox defensive CF'er can be an interesting topic.

If you had to name the best defensive CF'er you have seen on the Sox, who would it be?

Indeed, unless they are in North Carolina by then.

I've heard that about Piersall, too. I started watching the Sox in the very early 70's.

I was a huge JBJ fan and supporter, when people bashed him. I loved his defense. He made hard plays look easy, and maybe that hurt his image, a little. At his peak, I'd have no issues saying he was as good or better than Kike, and it might not seem fair to penalize him for longevity and decline, but that's my own personal perspective. Lyn was unbelievable. That 1975 season was fantastic- both on O and D. He was great on defense for a few years with the Sox. He went all out and got hurt playing 110% all the time. Again, with him, I'd have no beef with anyone calling him the best. I just think what I saw of Kike, this year, we the best I have ever seen in a Sox CF'er. The metrics don't back me up, but it's what I think, right now.

Wander Franco Offered Record Extension... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/11/rays-rumors-wander-franco-extension-offer-record-150-200-million.html

One article on Rule 5 by Ben Kairalla says ... It’s a certainty that Downs will be protected. It’s also very likely Jimenez and Bello are protected as well. Beyond those three, the right-handed pitching trio of Ward, Crawford, and Winckowski all rank among the Top-30 Red Sox prospects, and could provide depth to a team looking to add fresh arms and new faces to their pitching staffs without having to trade for a pitcher or look to the free agent market for pitching. Players currently on the 40-man roster who my find themselves in danger of being removed to prevent the Rule 5 eligible prospects from being drafted include: Eduardo Bazardo (RHP), Phillips Valdez (RHP), Ronaldo Hernandez ©, Hudson Potts (1B/3B), Jeisson Rosario (OF). Another player who could be at least temporarily jettisoned from the 40-man roster is infielder Jonathan Arauz. n all, the Red Sox have nearly 50 players in their minor league system that are Rule 5 draft eligible. Beyond the top organizational prospects mentioned above, other recognizable names to keep an eye on include outfielder Franchy Cordero and relief pitcher Durbin Feltman.

There was a time nobody really looked at K rates and OBP.

I read that time in some article, this morning, but I can't find it, now. I think it said Noon ET.

You have many who share that opinion. I respect analytics but realize no one metric or data source can ever tell the whole story or definitively solve most debates.

I would expect many to say Lynn. Younger fans: JBJ. I also think many look at longevity when saying who was "the best." I would agree, those two should be in the top 3-5 and would be 1-2, if you count most innings played well.

Ok, but you said "you guys..."

I'm not looking for agreement of support. I don't "need" to hear what others think, but I'm guessing some think he had one of the best defensive seasons any Sox CF'er has had in our viewing period. Maybe not the very best but close- perhaps. It's my opinion, based on a small sample size. As he ages and gets worse, my opinion might change. I also said Cora is the best Sox manager I have seen, but that, too was based on a very limited sample size. Again, I won't argue with anyone liking Lynn, JBJ or Tito better than Kike (on D only) or Cora.

I heard Noon.

I was responding to you claiming I said he was the best CF'er ever. I never brought up analytics, so I'm not sure what "you guys" means. I stated my opinion on Kike's defense. It's just an opinion. (That is actually not supported by analytics.) I respect anyone who thinks Lynn or JBJ were better or others were as good. This board is for opinions. Not wanting Kike as our CF'er for the next 4-5 years is a valid opinion, too.

The mariners just added 3 guys to their 36 out of 40 man roster. Others to follow, soon.

We often have most positional slots filled more than most teams, and our pitching prospects have not been good enough to be promoted by even age 22. We don't draft first, and we don't usually have great young prospects. When we do, like Bogey & Raffy, they get fast-tracked.

I said the best defensive CF we ever had. Of course, other had longer careers, but I was talking about the best I have seen. Lynn and JBJ were close, as were a couple others, but to me, Kike looked the best ON D!

So, any 20 year old can or should be compared to Raffy and Bogey?

So, can Zack Kelly still be picked in Rule 5?

Most likely. I'm not sure why Bogey and Raffy were even being mentioned, here.