Hugh2

I wonder when they're going to get Groome back out on the Mound? I know he's had a very good reason for missing a few starts but I hope to see him continue his great season.

This is exactly why I want to see them use Houk in the pen more and give him some shots at high leverage situations. I think he can really excel there.

I’ll be upset after the deadline passes

I get what you're saying. But if your example is one of the best offensive players in all of the baseball then let's realize that's the exception and not the norm. There is a much larger list of guys who smashed the baseball in Low A and didn't fly up to the majors in two years. Even with that timeline, I think you see Downs next year. Maybe he doesn't become good enough to be an everyday staple in the Sox lineup but I think you see him in Boston in some capactiy. Even if it's just as a depth option.

Not likley but he will be on the 40 man next year, so if they need a guy for a day or two who can man a position he's likely to get a call. They won't be calling him up to stay with the team but will he get a call up for depth? absolutely. You also have to consider that's highly plausible he's hitting much better next year. Yorke might end up having a better career than Downs, but I think Downs sniffs the majors first in some capacity.

I don't think guys should be pushed, that's not very nice and violence is never the answer. Ok,but, I think it's more of a function of guys showing you they're ready. The Sox never pushed Mookie, he just started mashing and they really had no choice but to push him. Guys will tell you when they're ready and it's not all stats, there's other things they're looking at too but if a guy is putting up video game stats for a long duration it's hard to imagine what else they could ever learn at a level. I don't think Yorke gets to the majors before Downs. He's in low, not high A. He still has to get to Greenville, Portland, and Worcester before reaching Boston while Downs just has to get up to the next level. Even if Downs is a bust I could still see him getting the majors sooner if a guy gets injured or they need the depth option on a bench role. Downs will likely be added to the 40 man by year's end so, you probably see him in some capacity next season. York, if he mashes, I don't think you see him in 2022. The earliest we see Yorke is mid-2023 I think. But I could be wrong.

Yorke gets to Greenville, I think. Does he get meaningful playing time soon or more of a last week promotion? I have no clue.

Insanely ridiculous way too early hot take on Durans .646 OPS in 13 at bats. If Duran struggles, at what point do the "call em up crowd" start calling him a bust (or to be sent down) and the "lets be patient, he's coming" crowd starts defending him and saying we need more time? Of course, if he starts mashing this will never happen but I say.....about 4-5 days.

He only throws two pitches. If he starts, he’s going 3-4 innings.

If they sign Green I still think they're signing 17-18 guys. I think Green is insurance if Fabian doesn't sign. If they can't reach a deal with Fabian they will get the 41st pick next year (and hopefully the 32 too) and maybe they can convince Green to sign with 1.2-1.5 million.

100%

Houck can turn a lineup around a second time, you can remove him from that list. But I think you're 100% spot on with the spirit of this comment. The Sox pitching has been great but it's been great because the bottom of our rotation is good. It's almost like we've been pitching with 5 #3 starters all year, with some guys pitching a little better than that at times. It feels like every more we could make on the trade market would just be a sideways move. It makes no sense to trade for a starter. I think they get a 1Bman, and maybe a bullpen arm, but they might like what they have coming up in the bullpen and what starters can solidify the pen when Sale is back.

What we saw from Houk last night is exactly what the scouting says about him, and EXACTLY what we saw happen down in Worcester. He's only a two-pitch guy, but those two pitches are REALLY good. Problem is, 2nd time through the order he starts getting hit. It happened in Worcester and it happened last night. They even had Houck stop throwing his other pitches, he's all fastball-slider now. That's a reliever profile. I think Houk gets more spot starts this year like he did last night, he may even stay in the rotation for a few more cycles down this rough stretch of few days off and heavy RHH lineups. But I think we see him in the bullpen quick, and I think he's going to excel there.

Also, if you go over you pay a 100% tax up to 5%. You can count on teams like the Sox paying the tax and throwing the extra money around. In a year like this, that's an extra $576,780 to play with. After that 5% you start losing first-round draft picks, without looking it up I don't think any team has gone past 5%. If you fail to sign a pick in the top rounds you receive the next pick down the following year. So, for example; if the Sox can't sign Judd Fabian they will receive the #41 pick in next year's draft. The only caveat here is you have to offer the player at least 75% of the slot value. I think the chances of the Sox signing Green just went up, but I still think it's more likely they can't sign him. Odds are a few of these guys left unsigned are going over slot and Fabian might take around $500-$700K of what's leftover. Green is going to want 1st round money to turn pro (reportedly). But I think they at least sign everyone else if that happens. 19/20.

He probably got $125K

Apparently, they're going to start Houk against TOR, I'm guessing he may get another 1 vs. NYY too. I'm a little surprised because they stopped stretching him out and he's only been throwing two pitches but I can see why they're doing it too. Both teams are very heavy RHH and Houk can dominate righties. I still think he ends up in the bullpen maybe even at the end of this year, and I think he could be dominant in that role.

I don't think there's any need to rush him at this point. He's never had a healthy, good season and he's finally getting one. I think there's value in giving him that sustained level of success. Let's imagine a hypothetical where they promote him to Portland for only 1-2 starts to end the year. Regardless of how well he performs in those starts he's going to start back up in Portland next year. If he's dominating AA ball next year he will be a 23-year-old knocking on the MLB doors at this time next year. Given everything he's gone through, and all the lost time he's had developmentally that's pretty amazing.

I literally didn't look at the last post when I made my comment. I think there's a really good chance they do just this or some variation of it. I can see Houck being the guy that gets used in long relief but also comes in to get an out or two as well vs. tough RHP

I'd bring him up after just a few more starts, Houck can piggyback with him and get you 9-12 good outs.

Jay Groome from June on K=/9 = 13.12 BB/9 = 3.46 H/9 = 6.9 Yes he's 22 in high A, but he's never really had a healthy season until now. I'd like to see him get a couple starts in Portland by the end of the year.

When Jarren Duran was Jeter Downs age he was at AA (level down) with a .634 OPS in 343 PA's.

Yeah, next week when the MiLB season only has a month left. He will be 23 for most of next season. If he mashes at AAA and finds himself up mid-season or end of the season and gets called up at the same point as Duran he'd of been making his MLB debut at 23 years. It's not like he's a 24 year old struggling in AAA after playing at the level for a couple years.

He’s 22 in his first year at AAA, I’ll be converned if he’s looking bad next year in AAA at this time.

Oh I get that, I suppose I quoted the wrong guy. I didn't really get the comparing Kavadas to Mayer and comparing how many HR's a high school senior hit vs. a college senior.

I would think it would be self-explanatory.