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But the solution they keep leaping back to was never going to happen. Whether or not Iglesias' defense is superior to Bogaerts is immaterial in that he clearly was never going to supplant him. Ever. And that doesn't mean anyone is ignoring defense. It does mean they prefer the better overall player. The Sox could sign Raja Davis this off-season based on his defense being superior to Benintendi, who made a defensive lapse that was instrumental in a post-season loss, but they aren't going to. Because Benintendi is (very likely) a better overall player than Davis..

That's essentially what teams do. At the time, Iglesias was clearly not identified as one of the top three or four best prospects and was made available. That they misidentified Middlebrooks as a better prospect is all part of the risk anyone takes in any job that involves predicting the future. The Red Sox even had to bring a third team in to make this work. Middlebrooks filled a clear need for the White Sox, unlike Iglesias. But the Red Sox were still very high on him for some reason that was clearly unrelated to reading my numerous posts about him on BDC While you make it sound easy, but identifying what prospects will work out and what ones won't is extremely complicated and, in many cases, dependant on luck. In this case, the Sox gambled not only on Middlebrooks but also on Bogaerts, and it at least worked out in one case out of two. It could have been worse.

Minor league IP really isn't the same as major league IP. As a generalization, hitters have worse discipline and take fewer pitches, draw fewer walks and, well, get fewer hits. This is why many of them are still in the minors. Sure there are some legitimate hitters on the rise, but there are also many AAAA players who peak there. While not completely useless or disregarded, I also don't think they can be straight up compared to MLB IP one to one...

Which leads to two other points. While a good defender, Iglesias was not some freakish generational talent at shortstop. He's no Andrelton Simmons, and players like him do exist and come along quite frequently. Zack Cozart is a free agent right now. Nick Ahmed is a brilliant defender as well. And there are others. And really, if you want the proper hindsight argument, Iglesias should have stayed at third. Bogaerts is and was clearly more comfortable at short, and Iglesias was probably the best defensive third baseman I have ever seen on the Sox. Oh, and that whole "we did win a World Series" argument. Iglesias is a good player, but hardly worth three years of debate about whether or not he should have been dealt, especially after it all worked out so well. The guy the Sox should not have dealt was Anthony Rizzo, but for some reason the obsession remains with Iglesias. ..

I hated it. Not so much for giving up Espinoza, but for getting a pitcher with a shaky career already over his career high in IP...

So if the Sox moved Bogaerts to third, which isn't going to happen, who plays short? Internal options are guys like Marrero and Hernandez. Are they upgrades over Sandoval or Shaw or Holt?

Well, we know what Wheeler was. TJ surgery has also shown to have a very high rate of recurrence, usually with 600 IP. Wheeler has already had two and is starting to look like Jarrod Parker. He's probably best avoided unless the price is dirt cheap. I don't see Sale as an option. The Sox seem more llikely to go with the six starters they have and upgrade the bullpen with Holland and/or Hudson or ? Really not sure how many arms they can realistically add, ad they have Kimbrel, Kelly, Barnes, one displaced starter (barring injury), Hembree, Ross, Abad and Elias. One or two of those guys has to go...

Rasmus sucks. Why get a DH who can't hit? He wasn't released for being "too awesome" Brandon Moss vs RHP. Young vs LHP And this from a guy who hates platoons..

THe idea that scouting would disappear is a slippery sope argument. Not to mention, "eye test" from scouts and "eye test" from fans are two entirely different things. Don't take it personal. That encompasses all of us. But as a fan, you tens to watch one team and see one shortstop, centerfielder, etc. play 150 or so times. You see other shortstops, centerfielders, etc. play 6 to 18 times tops. That sample size makes for a poor evaluation, especially since the eye test inevitably turns into comparasion or worse yet, superlative. I bet somewhere on this board, possibly from you, but also others, I can find someone referencing Jackie Bradley as the "best centerfielder in the "AL, or possibly "in MLB." How much time did these people spend watching Kevin Pillar or Kevin Kiermaier? Have they ever even seen Ender Inciarte or AJ Pollock? And yet somehow, this is the conclusion. Heck I live in Cubs Country and people out here think Dexter Fowler is an elite defensive player based on the eye test. And I am quoting the evidence here "I don't care what the metrics say. I watched every Cub game and saw him make more great plays than any other center fielder~" And THAT is supposed to validate it?

And the "eye test " has a tendency to turn into the "reputation test" very quickly. ..

A car has more moving parts than a tricycle but I bet you don't commute on the latter. The problem with "eye test" defense is you only see a small sample from the other players and too often it turns into "I saw that guy make an error. " Well that and it's almost 100% subjective...

Are you really trying to compare the health histories of a catcher/outfielder who hurt his ankle and missed a few months with a pitcher who has had multiple surgeries on his pitching arm and hasn't pitched since 2014?

Maybe but at least both of them have actually played in the last couple seasons. With Wheeler, you not only get standard prospect question marks, but also legitimate health concerns.

Why bother with Zack Wheeler? He's missed 2 full seasons and wasn't exactly Sandy Koufax when he could pitch. Sure he might live up to his potential he had four years ago, but he also might spend the rest of his career bouncing from DL to active roster. If the Sox do try to acquire this human lottery ticket, hopefully they're smart enough to not use legitimate trade chips that could otherwise be dealt for a pitcher whose actually thrown a pitch since 2014....

Really? No credit for Uehara? No credit for Napoli? Cherington signed about one quarter of that roster prior to the season and won a World Series a mere FOURTEEN MONTHS after the Great Reset Button Trade with th he Dodgers...

Agree. Vazquez is Jose Molina 2.0. Not sure why so many are convinced he is some sort of generational talent as a defensive catcher. He's a good defender and not much of a hitter, which is the job requirements as a standard MLB backup catcher. In that capacity he does fill a need for the 2017 Red Sox, but too many people find it necessary to claim he is something he isn't. ..

The fact that Beltane has more of Dombrowski's attention than Encarnacion does show the Sox really are not in on the Jays slugger. You don't sign Encarnacion because a deal with Carlos Beltran fell through. At some point, Brandon Moss probably gets on the radar instead. Or Mitch Moreland. Basically a LHH that can platoon with Young...

I also expect almost no movement from the Sox until the new CBA is worked out

Trade speculation about Sale is fun, but unlikely. And while I normally hate discussing character, in the case of Sale I am starting to wonder if his tantrum-filled season hasn't indirectly destroyed the White Sox from within. I actually expect minimal activity from Boston, including no starting pitchers. They're too expensive in this market and Pomeranz, much as I am not impressed with him, was undoubtedly acquired with 2017 in mind. A DH not likely from Toronto, a reliever or two, and (hopefully) a third baseman, although most likely just a right-handed hitting one. And hopefully the cash not spent is used instead to extend Betts, Bradley and Bogaerts. ..

I believe you mean "notin and Whitey Herzog". That works better

While I agree the Sox would like him to bounce back, the emergence of tbe younger players like Shaw and the Killer B's has lessened the Sox financial needs to the point where he is no longer needed. Also "Shaw and the Killer B [ee's]" is a great name for a rock band.

Well you had to be there for the accolades Vazquez was receiving towards the end of the BDC board. No catcher has the lofty level of impact Vazquez was reported to have when compared to other mere mortal catchers...

DFA or DL. Anything he can be traded for, Sox fans shouldn't want...

Christian Vazquez is a backup catcher. Everyone raved about his defense before he started hitting .226. The truth is, while he is good defensively, he isn't and never was an amazing game changer that many praised him for being. (No catcher is defensively; it's not a big deal.) The truth is, he is closer to Jose Molina than Yadier. And always was. Leon is having a terrific year and will continue to do so as long as that .473 BABIP can last...

Really Vizquel and Roberto Alomar was about as good as it ever got.