moonslav59

1. We have new people on the farm, so our lack of "developing pitchers" in the past is not a guarantee it will continue. 2. Maybe it was not lack of developing but instead poor scouting and draft picks. 3. If we suck so much with pitchers, should we never draft anymore pitchers? 4. Where's the guarantee that Kimbrel and Pomeranz reach their ceiling of expectations? Yes, I realize there's a much higher chance they do something good in the majoes with us that say, Espinoza or Kopech, but the same argument could have been made for trading Betts & Bogey for Cole Hamels. We had a "window" then too as Papi was nearing retirement. One could argue that window (2014-2016) was a better opportunity than this one. 5. I haven't seen one poster here who thinks we should not have made any prospect trades. It's not an absurd position to think that this is going too far: Sox prospects traded away in the past year (highest soxprospects.com): 1 Y Moncada 3 A Espinoza 3 M Margot 5 M Kopech 6 J Guerra 7 L Basabe 9 M Dubon 12 T Shaw (not a prospect when traded) 12 W Rijo 13 L Allen 13 P Light 18 L Basabe 20 C Asuaje 21 V Diaz 24 J Pennington 30 A Wilkerson 40 J Almonte I'm happy with our team right now. I would take back one or two moves, if we could, but overall, I'm happy. That being said, what we did was extreme. It has caused concern to me about our future ability to provide low cost players to our luxury tax budget. I want to keep as many of our young stars as possible, and having a steady influx of top young players is one reason this "3 year window" exists in the first place. I want more "windows" down the road too.

I don't understand how some posters can't at least just understand the concept that having less great prospects diminishes the chances that we will have enough low-cost quality players to off set the larger contracts down the road. Those of us with concerns understand the "win now" theory and argument. Also, there are many in the middle who feel some "win now" type deals were called for but maybe not so many or all. It's a valid position to hold.

Fact Denier.

Yeah, he did, but he can maybe make some adjustments. He's 21, but he's still raw. 16 HRs and 38 XBHs in just 334 ABs vs righties is something to write home about.

What's also very encouraging when looking at the AL WAR leaders on fangraphs is how many of our players placed in the top tier: 2) Betts 7.8 12) Pedey 5.2 16) JBJ 4.8 19) Bogey 4.7 (22) Ortiz 4.4) 34) Ramirez 2.6 4 in the top 20 and 5 in the top 35! Pitching: 1) Porcello 5.2 3) C Sale 5.2 7) Price 4.5 22) Wright 2.8 *31) Pomeranz 2.5 (half season) *NL ranking 3 of the top 7 and 5 of the top 30 or so in their league! That's 10 guys with a WAR over 2.5. (all top 70 batters+pitchers) in their league last year. 7 guys with a WAR over 4.5! Sox(7): Betts 7.8, Porcello 5.2, Sale 5.2, Pedroia 5.2, JBJ 4.8, Bogey 4.7, Price 4.5 Guardians (4): Lindor 6.3, Kluber 5.1, Kipnis 4.8, Ramirez 4.8 Cubs (3): Bryant 8.4, Rizzo 5.0, Hendricks 4.5 (Lester 4.3) Dodgers (3): Seager 7.5, Kershaw 6.5, Turner 5.8

I think there'll always be some hand wringing when 4 of the top 32 ranked prospects are traded away. Did I happen to say I'm so FREAKING HAPPY WE HAVE CHRIS SALE! CHRIS FREAKIN SALE!

Ockimey and Chatham could surprise. Both are scaled at 3-6 on soxprospects.com- the same as Dalbec. (Raudes is 2-5.)

Even though we are not deep after our top 3, we have Travis and non-prospect Swihart at ML ready status.

Baseball America's Top 100 is out... 1. Benintendi 2. Moncada 18. Devers 21. Espinoza 24. Margot 32. Kopech 43. Groome Wow! 5 Red Sox products in the top 24. That's 1 out of every 5! 7 in the top 43. That's just about 1/6th! The Yankees: 5. G Torres 39. C Frazier 45. B Rutherford 85. J Mateo 87. J Kaprielian 90. A Judge 91. J Sheffield The Cubs: 14: Eloy Jimenez 64. A Almonte 97. D Cease

Baseball America's Top 100 is out... 1. Benintendi 2. Moncada 18. Devers 21. Espinoza 24. Margot 32. Kopech 43. Groome Wow! 7 Red Sox products in the top 43. That's just about 1/6th!

I'm not sure any wants to...

Yeah, I didn't think he was the same person, but some qualities are very similar.

Quentin & Selsky- sounds like a lawyers' firm. Nothing more to ask for! We gotta be faves now!

For several of the last DFA's, I thought it should have been Brentz, but it's not like any of the other guys we cut went on to do anything useful, so I can see why people wonder why I keep suggesting he's the "next to go". This time, since he's out of options, I really think it is his time. I wish him well, but I just don't see it happening here.

I've always been against spending significant money trying to upgrade the middle or bottom of the rotation, so it really was nothing personal against Dempster. At least I never called him one of the worst pitchers in the league, like I did Masterson. I get why they signed Dempster, and I get what he brought to the clubhouse, but I was against the deal when it happened, and then his production on the field was much worse than his previous seasons before coming to Boston. I guess that soured me even more. It wasn't just Dempster and Masterson, it was Penny, Smoltz, Colon, Wade Miller, Paul Byrd, Jake Peavy, Erik Bedard and Aaron Cook. At least I've been consistent. I realize some of these guys were in season acquisitions needed to fill a gap during a playoff run. Sometimes, there wasn't many other options, so I couldn't and didn't blame the GM for getting some, but I just hate the idea of building a staff from anywhere other than the top (or at least a solid 3 type). I always viewed Brentz as Middy-light. I must have suggested hundreds of Middy trades--back when he had value. 25% K rate and unsustainable/diminishing power. I never rooted against Brentz or any Sox player, but I just never had any high hopes for the guy.

I made the mistake of engaging you with this nonsense. I won't make it again. If you're not up to the challenge of discussing or debating baseball with me, then you're not worth my time. Stick to baseball. Do you remember a poster on BDC who always used the word "specious"? Just got me thinking...

What has he done or showed to justify wanting him on the ML roster? He's out of options. He's not making the 25 man roster. Even if we have an OF injury, I'd rather bring up someone else.

It's not hate. He's just not good enough to play MLB.

Bye bye Brentz.

You have my permission. (Not that you needed it.)

That's what I believe, but it took me 17 paragraphs to say it! Hijole!

That all can and has been debated. I guess it may never end.

Steve Selsky (1B/LF/RF) Bats: R .838 OPS in 6 season on the farm (limited power with just 51 HRs in 2075 PAs) .810 in MLB with just 54 PAs with Cincy last year. Minor league splits: 2016 AAA: .937 v L/ .750 v R He's on the 40 man roster and has 2 options remaining.

Not one "stathead" I know of claims any single source or any single data reference at a definitive support for any of their claims, let alone this subject. Then, there's the fact that some "statheads" haven't even chimed in on the term "real" or not real (or deosn't exist), at least in the context of whether "clutch exists" in a general sense of the word or whether we can definitively label any player "clutch" based on sample size concerns or as a comparative to random samples.

..and is just flat out wrong.