Hugh2

Kike has never really been a starter, he's a super-utility guy. Some utility guys get more reps and are more valuable than others, Kike is that guy. On this team, with so many black holes coupled with Coras love for rotating peoples days off Kike effectively becomes a starter.

That’s the case for him not coming up. But if he did come up and slid into left, Verdugo in CF and Renfroe I. Right Kike could return to the role of super utility who gets close to starter reps. We know Cora has been, and continues to be very good at getting people their at bats.

Correction: Playoff chase.

Hey, I wouldn't bet on my predictions, but if the Sox want him for playoff run he's not going to the Olympics.

Don't worry, you will see Duran up in 3 days.

I just don't see Devers ever asking to move to 1B. He's going to be a free agent in a few years and he will get paid much more handsomely as a 3B than he would as a 1B. Also, after a horrid start, he's looked much better over at 3B for over a month now. Casas is hitting over 50% ground balls in AA as a 20 year old with barely any experience past A ball. We don't see him until 2022 if he continues to make improvements.

I really think the pick comes down to Leiter/Davis/Lawlar/Mayer with Mayer being the least likely guy in that group to fall.

I don't think that's the only way he gets to the Red Sox, the one defining narrative we keep hearing about this draft is no guy is really separating himself as the clear-cut #1 talent at the top. This class is very deep in stud high school shortstops who can all go in the top 5 Lawlar, Mayer, House, Wilson, and an up the middle college hitter who has middle of the order potential. I think it's also worth pointing out that there are guys who will sign for 750K under slot at the top and guys who will sign for 2 million under slot. Most teams picking in the top 2-4 are signing guys for below slot by a few hundred thousand. These Mocks change from week to week from source to source, I don't think anything is set in stone. Here is what we know, one of the top short stops (Lawar, Mayer) and one of Davis, Leiter is bound to fall to the Sox. I think the Sox pick comes down to those 4, but they could easily be in on guys like Wilson, Jobe, Rocker, and House too and we just have not heard much about it.

I second this.

Moving from CF to LF is not a huge deal, the Sox have made moves like this before. It’s not uncommon to develop a player at a premium position and move him off when needed. I’d be willing to bet Duran plays LF not CF, let’s call it a gentleman’s bet. I don’t envision Dalbec as a platoon, I think you have to give him at bats to help him progress. It’s the same thing with Duran, you’re not bringing him up mid season to get half reps, he’s going to play LF full time. However, if Dalbec continues his struggles and the Sox decide they need to make moves to compete I think you may be right on Kike, and he’s going to have to make his at bats up somewhere with Duran out in left.

The thing about 1B is you have so many options in the pipeline. Bogaerts may move to 3B pushing Devers to 1B. We have one of the best prospects in baseball in Casas who looks like he could be MLB ready by this time next year. With so many other questions looming over this roster I’m not sure we want to spend assets on 1B unless the right deal itself, I’m not investing top prospects in a premium player at first.

If you bring Duran up now I think you plug him in LF.

If a pitcher has two really good pitches, and then a third pitch he’s going at the top of the draft. If a guy falls to where the Sox normally pick with 3 pitches he’s going to have serious health issues and/or control issues.

Get ready, we’re about ONE week away from Duran being called up.

For what's worth the past week Franchy is sporting a .208/.208/.458 line. He seems to have cooled off a bit down on the farm.

Davis has been mocked in the top 3-5 for over a month now. He's the best college hitter in the draft, plus hit tool and power, plus arm behind the plate.

I think Duran gets called up around July 2nd. Book it.

The problem with prospects is often times we evaluate them and talk about them in the future of being boom or busts. Every guy that hits well and pitches well in the minors is a future MVP/CY young guy, that may be a bit hyperbolic but I think it makes my point. Johnson always projected as a back-of-the-rotation starter. Often prospects don't reach their ceiling and they become something in-between. For some perspective, let's look at a guy like Houk, who many envision as this great starter who is going to come up and take a spot in our rotation. Could he? yes, but I don't think he's any more than a back-of-the-rotation starter if he can refine his offerings. You can get guys out in the minors with two good pitches but you'll get chewed up in the bigs the second time through an order. So what happens is everyone scouts the box scores and assumes this guy can transition his MiLB dominance into the majors but that will never be the case if he can't refine his stuff. Will Houk be a bust? maybe, maybe not if makes some improvements, but he could also fall somewhere in between and become a reliever, a very good reliever at that too. Think Matt Barnes. Matt Barnes failed as a starter and now he's one of the best closers in the game. I think of someone like Duran too, who I think could have a really good MLB career, but people talk about him in here as if he's going to be an all star who will immediately make this team better. Maybe he will help this team right now (can't do much worse than Santana) but there's a good chance he's not going to be as good as many think he is.

I think that’s a good question. I wouldn’t object, I would prefer they take Davis or one of the HS bats over Jobe but that’s a personal preference. If the goal is to take the guy who is going to be the best player, that’s a decision that’s not certain. Jobe is the best high school pitcher in the draft. He has the tools you dream on for a guy being a top of the rotation starter. If you’re drafting for ceiling, then Jobe belongs in that conversation. Jobe is in that conversation. However, high school pitchers are the riskiest pick in the draft. We all remember the Trey Ball pick. HS arms are the riskiest class.

Someone like Jobe or Watson could easily fall ahead of the Sox. That could push someone like Leiter or Davis down to us too.

Actually I think it's a horrible comparison. What Eli did was not routine at all, when has a NFL player been drafted and demanded they be traded because they didn't like the drafting team?. Leiters agent is throwing around bonus demands which is common practice in the MLB draft ever year. There's probably a 100 other potential MLB draft candidates who have agents throwing around numbers right now. EDIT: I think your top 3 mock is spot on. Of course, I think draft day could go down a bunch of different ways, but that would be my guess.

At this point I’d put someone like Verdugo or Bogaerts leading off. I get the argument against batting them lead off, but at this point you’re effectively leading off with your #2 with one out. Mine as well start things up with 1 out.

Casas high GB rate is starting to concern me, I don’t think Duran is as good as others say he is. I think he’s a big leaguer, and can help this team (maybe even this year). But I don’t think he’s going to be the all star that many think he will be. I’m starting to really like Bello. He might have the highest gap between floor and ceiling amongst the group talked about but his stuff is electric.

I would suspect Leiter controls when he reaches the majors. Within reason obviously. He won’t be rushed, he won’t be held back for long, when he’s ready he’ll find his way on a team soon enough.

I don’t think it’s an unfair assessment that this team is playing above their expectations. They’ve played themselves into competing, awesome. I’m not convinced they’re a true World Series caliber team. Their are areas where they can improve to reach that next level.