moonslav59

Priester has 7 starts and a 3.88 ERA and 1.311 WHIP, and has looked better than Fitts and maybe Dobbins. It's weird how Brez traded to get him, then traded him away for an OF prospect- like we need more of those. We don't know his reasoning, but overall his winter moves: Plus: Bregman (until the injury) Narvaez- wow! Chapman- wow! Wilson- wow! Meh/TBD: Y Rodriquez and P for Priester Sandoval You have a new notification Hitch quoted you in a topic: Article: Kristian Campbell Could Use Some Time In Worcester Bad (so far) Buehler Hendriks ('24 signing) All-in-all, this looks good. Kinda reminds me how Bloom did better with Wacha, Strahm & Hill in '22 than his '21 signings, but we saw how those two seasons worked out.

Too funny.

I thought Brez did a nice job over the winter, and the beefed up rotation depth has helped. His biggest weak area for the winter looked like the pen, and it's done better than expected. The Bregman signing looked great, but I guess Brez should not have body-slammed him onto the IL. The Narvaez trade was awesome, and the Abreu non trade looks okay. Lack of 1B depth and the Campbell experiment look pretty bad, but I'm pretty sure Cora was okay with Campbell, although he did want Bregman at 2B, early on. Brez did not tie Cora's hands on Devers playing 1B. That being said, Buehler has been bad, and the results are horrible. I find it hard to bash the GM, when I liked his winter moves.

Some opinions on our everyday player prospects: Campbell (22) is now a recent grad and was highly ranked, nationally. Anthony (21) is #1 nationally and Mayer (22) is highly rated, as well and in MLB, now. I think enough has been said about all three, that nothing can be added, The next tier deserves to be a seperate tier, but some could soon be joining the top 20-50 rankings, nationally: #3 Arias (19) A for real defensive SS who is showing he cana hit, too. #7 Jh Garcia (22) LF/ 1B? He's been high on my rankings list for a while. #13 Bleis (21) OF Was talked up as a 5 tool player, years ago. Heating up, now. That's a very nice top 6, when you combine the tier 1 and tier 2's. The next 6: #14 Cespedes (19) DH/ ?? I've always been high on this kid's bat. #9 Romero (21) 2B/3B/SS Was ranked 7th '22-'23- back from injury. #17 D Soto (17) SS Given a $1.4M bonus as an IFA in '25. #19 N Taylor (22) OF 11th rounder '23 with an overslot $300K bonus. #28 Zach Ehrhard (22) OF- 4th rounder in '24 and looking good. #44 Yophery Rodriguez (19) OF could have been in the next tier, but I think this guy has high hopes. Acquired in Priester deal. The next tier are the younger ones. I almost included Soto, but he belongs in Tier 2, IMO. #20 Enddy Azocar (18) Catcher- was ranked 51st to start '25. #21 Conrad Cason (18) SS/P- probably stick with pitching. #20 Jo. Garcia (20) Catcher who has missed time with injury. #32 Harold Rivas (17) OF is an IFA signing ('25). #33 Hector Ramos (17) SS is a 2025 IFA signing #45 Antonio Anderson (19) 1B/3B The next 6: #46 Starlyn Nunez (19) IF #49 Freili Encarnacion (20) 1B/3B #53 Justin Riemer (23) IF #56 Kleyver Salazar (19) C #57 Avinson Pinto (18) SS #60 Anderson Fermin (18) OF The next tier are players I have serious doubts on: #23 Blaze Jordan (22) DH/1B- heating up, but for real? #27 Allan Castro (22) Not in my top 50. #42 Brooks Brannon (21) Catcher- had early higher hopes. #55 Nazzan Zanetello (20) ??? 2B/SS Talk about high K rate. 28 names listed here. Pretty solid 18-24 prospects.

I figured you see it that way. So much less dramatic than "Clean house of all of them."

I figured you'd see it that way.

So would not calling out someone's spelling ability.

Equating someone's spelling ability to baseball knowledge is worse than childish.

A loss would be a huge gut punch, with Crochet being our best hope. Yes, no game in June, July and usually August is "do or die."

There can never be a do or die game on June 7th, but this sure feels like it.

Again, constructing positions I don't hold. I have never come close to giving Cora "all the credit." (For 2018 or 2021, nor do I fully or significantly blame him for 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. I do think he's not helped in 2025.) First you said it was 2018, now "all the credit," while before you question how I can like Cora but criticize him on line-up construction and giving scheduled days off. Which position do you hold? If you are as wrong about your positions as your understandings of mine, maybe you have no clear positions.

Jo Garcia homered for FCL, today. I'd like to see him in Salem or Greenville, soon. Moran pitched a scoreless inning. Here's a pitcher who could amount to something.

Wrong, again. Of course 2018 matters, but 2021 was Cora's best work as a manager with the roster he was handed. Keep guessing at what other think and believe and arguing with false opinions never expressed. You are good at that.

And you gave me endless crap for giving up on the Sox in July.

I'm thinking watching Greenville would be more fun.

Gotta add the other FAs to be: Justin Wilson and Rob Refsnyder. Hendriks and Gio, if they aren't DFA'd by the deadline. These guys won't bring much back, but we could part with one middle IF'er: Story plus a bunch of cash or DHam, Grissom, Romy & Sogard. Yoshida plus a bunch of cash is always on the table.

Some opinions on our pitching prospects (rankings provided are from soxprospects.com): Mata (ranked 3rd in '18) Murphy (ranked 13th in '19) and Drohan (ranked 6th in '23- just ahead of Perales) These three may very well have seen their ship sail. Drohan is 26, and saw his ranking spike after a very nice half season of pitching. Mata is 26 and has dealt with numerous injuries- just what the Sox need! Murphy was 26 a couple days ago, and he too has dealt with a major injury. He's pitching now, as is Mata. Drohan is on the IL. Expecting anything from just one of these three might be asking a lot, but the all once had some pretty high promise and hope. Fitts (8th in '24) and Dobbins (12th right now) offer some hope as being decent #4/5 slot MLB pitchers. They both turn 26, later this year, and are in our current rotation, at least until Crawford or Sandoval return, or until Houck maybe gets another look. They are welcome rotational depth, at worst and maybe can be solid #3's, someday. Guerrero is currently ranked at his highest point (#22) and is 24 years old. He's a decent RP'er who could still improve enough to be a solid set-up guy, over the next few years. I started with these 6 as a group of hopefuls without very high ceilings. Maybe 2 of them end up being helpful, but none become really good. Perhaps one will surprise. Perales is just 22, and has pitched in 5 seasons within the organization, but all shortened by injuries- major ones. For a SP to top out at 53 IP (in '23) that says a lot. Soxprospects.com still says he has the ceiling of a #2 and has the "best raw stuff of any arm in the system." It's hard to give up on him, and that is why he is currently ranked 4th, ahead of all other prospect pitchers. Payton Tolle is also 22 and jumped up to #5 in the rankings, recently. SP's grades him as having a "potential mid rotation" ceiling, but this guy just started focusing on pitching only in his junior year in college. He's got a nasty fastball and stands at 6-6. I'm thinking maybe his ceiling is higher than a #3. Juan Valera just turned 19, so much of his value is speculative. He was jumped to A+ ball and has struggled, this year (5.40 ERA,) but SPs says he has the "early makings of a potential high-end SP'er." His FB tops out at 100, but his secondary pitches need work. It's hard to not be hopeful with him. Brandon Clarke just turned 22 and jumped up to #10, recently. The Sox promoted him to A+ after doing very well in Salem (0.93 ERA.) He's done pretty well, so far, this year. The 6-4 lefty has a nice FB (99mph) but SP's only projects him as a mid rotation SP'er or high leverage RP'er, at this point. Maybe that changes, if he keeps pitching like this, after his next promotion(s.) Connelly Early is another tall lefty who just turned 23. He's got a 2.33 ERA in AA with a .610 OPS against, so far. He's ranked 11th and is projected to be a mid rotation SP'er as his ceiling. His velocity just ticked up to about 95, and he's still working on his other pitches, but I think this guy still has some high hopes. David Sandlin rounds out the next group of 6, and maybe belongs in the next lower tier. He was ranked 8th to start the season (his high) but has slipped to 12th. He's 24 and may be best suited in the pen or as a swingman. SP's says he has "high range outcomes" with "four pitches that flash at least average." The next group of 6 are all 21-27 years old and have some hopes, even if as decent pen arms. Jedixson Paez (21) at #16. Low velocity may keep him from advancing much. Yordanny Monegro (22) at #18. Tall and lanky with velocity of just 92-94. Hayden Mullins (24) at #24. A small guy with a high variance of outcomes. Blake Wehunt (24) and at #26. Big guy that may end up in the pen. Tyler Uberstine (26) jumped up to 25th due to nice current season at Woo. Zach Penrod (27) ranked 36th. Could be a decent set-up man. The final 6 are young or very young pitchers that all have some decent promise: #21 Conrad Cason (18) Two-way player with lots of potential. #29 Sadbiel Delzine (17) 6-5 and 190 with a 4 pitch mix. #30 Dalvinson Reyes (18) 6-5 and 200 has "high upside arm." #40 Jojo Ingrassia (22) Missed 2023, so I'm adding him to the "younger list." #43 Blake Aita (21) Has a nice mix or pitches with "high spin rates." #44 Yhoiker Fajardo (18) got in Cam Booser trade has "high range outcomes.) Honorable or just plain Mentions: #34 Eduardo Rivera (21) 6-7 AND 275- maybe a LOOGY #38 Matt McShane (22) great Salem start, not so great at GRE #39 John Holobetz (22) part of Priester trade. #47 Brady Tygart (22) 4 pitch mix and has fallen in rankings #48 Brandon Neeley (21) began season on 60 Day IL. #50 Jesus Travieso (18) IFA signing with no SP's scouting report, yet. DSL>FCL (Dalton Rogers (24), Noah Dean (24), Brian Van Belle (28), Max Carlson (23) & Noah Song (28) who once was our #4 prospect are known to most of us, but offer little remaining hopes.) 40+ pitchers named, here. I think this is the deepest pitcher farm system we have had for as long as I paid attention to farm pitching depth.

Abreu sucks vs lefties. Even if they figured a pitching change, KC is likely better vs a RHP than Abreu vs the LHP. That's one reason to trade Abreu over Duran, although Duran is borderline platoon, as well.

Way to step up big, guys!

Fork time by early June? Sure looks like it, right now.

Got me thinking. This thread might become the best for the rest of the season.

If KC had not graduated, we'd have 7 in the top 100. Thanks, Bloom. It's one thing you got right.

There was always that "5 tool" talk, and maybe it comes true, but nobody ever saw him as being an Anthony or even Mayer, IMO. We do have some players with high ceiling on the farm.

Garcia is really looking like a hitter. Bleis is on fire. Another dinger and up to .848. Maybe he is finally coming into his own. Cespedes is heating up, too- a dinger and up to .742.

All players with one year remaining are on the table, including those with options: Bregman, Chapman, Wilson, Buehler, Refsnyder, Giolito, Hendriks and of course anyone willing to take Story or Yoshida off our hands (with cash included.) Yes, an OF'er, and Duran seems like the slight choice over Abreu. Maybe make a choice on who our middle infielders will be, and 3B, if it looks like Bregman is a goner. We won't get much for DHam, Grissom or Romy, but one should go. Maybe, we go with 3B Bregman, SS Mayer and 2B Campbell or 3B Campbell, SS Mayer and 2B Story. Who knows? Devers should try 1B to start 2026. Give JH Garcia a 1Bman's mitt and see if he can play 1B better or be the DH. C Narvaez & Wong 1B Devers/Jh Garcia (Romy) 2B Campbell/Story (DHam) SS Mayer/Story (Romy) 3B Bregman/Campbell (Romy) LF Anthony/ Jh Garcia CF Rafaela/Campbell RF Abreu/Refsnyder/Anthony DH Jh Garcia/Devers/Campbell