Hugh2

How’s Wacha doing?

Never thought of it this way. Should be much lower with our ELITE pitching.

Kluber yes, Paxton we need to see.

That's an interesting take, it gave me pause, but then I thought that's a LOT of money to invest for a team that can't draw any fans. What if they're wrong? and no on one still goes to any games. I don't know what baseball stadiums go for these days but I'd imagine they're pushing a billion. Maybe Yankee stadium just cost more because of NYC real estate, maybe it's closer to half that but I'm sure it's hundreds of millions of dollars.

I'm trying to decide if the Rays deserve a fan base....or if Tampa just doesn't deserve a team.

No points were deducted by saying Stroke instead of Strike? I mean, I hope Yoshida and the rest of us can identify the symptoms of a stroke. It could save a life.

Sale looked pretty Nasty two starts ago too, but his command was off, he got it back last night. Velocity is back too, it's very exciting to think what a healthy Sale can do. It completely changes the dynamic of this team if you can put a healthy, dominant Chris Sale on the top of that rotation.

It would certainly be something if Sale was Sale again for several years. Would make his option a no brainer, but I think he has to give you two good years here and not one. It would be awfully ironic but who doesn't love a good redemption story in Boston.

Imagine if Tampa and Colorado switched places 15 years ago. That would be a rabid fanbase up in the rockies, might even have a ring or two. It would be interesting to see how $$$ rolling in might change ownerships financial moves.

Heres a FACT. The Twins pitching coach was the biggest Red Sox fan on earth growing up. When they announced his name on tv last night when he walked out to the mound it caught my ear and I thought "that looks just like the Pete Maki I went to highschool with" Sure enough I looked him up on my Facebook as we are friends and the last post is from like a year ago with everyone congratulating him and you can google him too. Graduated from Nonnewaug highschool in 2000 just like me. I remember we both used to always wear Red Sox gear and hats and we weren't great friends but we were chums and had mutual friends and would from time to time get into long conversations about how awesome the Red Sox were. apparently, he ain't doing a bad job. The Twins can pitch.

I said the same thing about DD before and I’ve said it about Bloom too. I don’t think they have a lot to do with the amature draft. Maybe the first pick they get involved in but everything from the 2nd round on is all on the scouting department

Brevity is the soul of wit.

Agreed, I would never say “empty” and if I did, or do I expect to be called out on it. I thought maybe you were implying the system wasn’t that weak in 2019 because we had some good guys there. There’s always a few guys in a weak system. And we’ve been beating the drum that the system was weak back in 2019 and Bloom came in to rebuild it then. Heck, Keith Law thinks we have a weak system but an above average number of top 100 prospects.

Not all stats are created equal. Does he have a great approach? Or is he feasting off of bad pitchers that he won’t see at the MLB level. Because there is truth to that and we see it play out often. On the Soxprospects last podcast they talked about his, and despite his hot start they were very concerned with his swing and approach and how it would translate to the MLB level. The biggest knock was his arm, which they’re grading as a 30, which is well below average. Still, given his performance, I would have been ok giving him a shot and moving him to 2nd where his arm won’t be as big of a concern.

But I didn't say it was empty. I called the system weak.

Yes I did, It's a 100% accurate statement.

Are catchers moved up an inch behind the plate? Maybe they're trying to make up for the larger bases

We are 4th in MLB in runs scored. We can afford to let Casas adjust to MLB pitching, and reap the rewards at some point this season.

I'm not messing with a guy's development who has the ceiling Casas does. He's mastered every level, he has nothing to prove in AAA. He needs to learn to adjust to MLB pitching. He is only going to do that by facing MLB pitching. It's like Pedey all over again. He has a good plate approach, he's grinding it out right now and he will figure it out. Freaking out and making moves prematurely because guys are struggling is not a winning strategy. So much pressure shouldn't even be on Casas to hit, it's not his fault that other guys aren't performing either. Should we demote Kike Hernandez? or get rid of Yoshida prematurely? maybe it's time to DFA Arroyo. Connor Wong isn't exactly lighting the world on fire. Imagine if we gave up on Whitlock after his first start, and yet people reverted right back to bashing Bello after one. You always struck me as a bit more even-tempered than someone willing to give up on a prospect not even 3 weeks into the season. Just because a guy is struggling to adjust against MLB pitching, doesn't mean sending him down will do any good. If anything it is going to DELAY his mlb development.

Just because a guy isn’t hitting MLB pitching doesn’t mean AAA is going to do him any good. At a certain point you master a level and you need to learn to hit MLB pitching by hitting MLB pitching. There’s no way Casas gets less rope to figure it out than Dalbec did. Sending him down now is giving up on him. I’m out on that, not this soon. Good things come to those who wait, as Sox fans we should know that.

And let Casas ride the bench and not develop?

Sox would be dumb to not throw their hats in the ring.

So the Sox could pick it up. Hypothetically, right now there's no way they pick it up, not after one great start in 3 years. He'd have to pitch like he did last night for the next two years.......at which point it would be a no-brainer.

If you didn't completely bash Bloom and the trade you hated him. People aren't allowed to do analysis around here....they are only allowed to hate.

Is it? I haven't looked at his contract in a while, I thought it was a team option. Don't ruin my Twilight zone!!!!