Hugh2

Kopech could come back to bite us in the ass, but theres also a good chance he winds up in the bullpen. He'll be good there, but I think it's more probable that he becomes one of the best closers in baseball than an ACE. I think he's more likely to become the next chapman than the next Syndergaad. I still hate the Pomeranz trade. Sale is gone in 3 years, so is Porcello, and Price could opt out. Pomeranz didn't help us last year down the stretch and we may have bought high on him. He's still yet to have ever pitch a full year healthy in a MLB rotation. Seeing how he didn't help us, and Sale makes him expendable now I really wish we didn't give up one of the best young pitching prospects in the game for him.

I don't think Holt is a long term solution at 3B but I think the Sox would have no problem sticking him there in a pinch if Pablo went on the D.L. or he was so terrible they had to bench him. I could see them trading for a guy if they have too, but they'll stick Holt there in the meantime.

The only trade I really have a problem with in hindsight is the Pomeranz trade. We traded Moncada and Kopech but the return was a strong addition which could lead to the best rotation in baseball. The Margot, Guerra, Asuaje, Allen trade hurt a little but Margot was redundant and our outfield is fine in Betts/JBJ/Benintendi for years to come. Guerra looks to have been sold high on but Asuaje has taken a huge step forward but we gained a dominant late inning relief arm. I don't think we gave up anything that will come back to bite us in the ass for the Thornburg trade, none of those guys have high ceilings and I think we sold high on all of them. Yes we traded away a ton of chips but we got back so much more elite proven talent. We don't need those prospects because this team is set for the next 3 years. The top guys we still have in our system are in the only areas that may have openings in a couple years in Devers at 3B, Sam Travis at 1B (one sooner than the other). The Pomeranz trade still irks me, you traded away a potential ace for a guy to help you down the stretch but I was skeptical from day one he could because of his innings. Turns out I was right, not because I'm brilliant but because that seems to be a very predictive and re-occurring theme in the game of baseball. What DD didn't do was trade away Devers, Travis, Groome, Swihart, JBJ, Betts, Bogaerts, and Benintendi. Lets also not forget that by the time guys like Groome and Devers are in the majors and under team control the Sox will likely extended at least some one or two of Bogaerts, Betts, JBJ. So this "window" we talk about might be closer to 5-6 years than the 3 we are saying now.

I agree, jackflap almost always has good points and I've used the bird in hand reference in the past as well. Hypothetically if every prospect develops the team trading for prospects should win the trade every single time. If you're trading Chris Sale for a guy who has a 50% chance of being Chris Sale then you need to trade at least two of those prospects to get him. As a finance guy, I also see a similar concept to time value of money at work here. If you were trading Chris Sale for a guy you knew with 100% certainty was going to be the next Chris Sale then all things being equal you'd still have to get a little premium on your return because you're trading now for then.

I think S5 would be happy to admit he was wrong if Kimbrel returns to form in 2016. I'm skeptical too, but he did look dominant at times last year and his stuff is still electric. I think the Thornburg move was a great depth move, this guy can set up and probably step into the closers role if Kimbrel goes down or blows up. I'm also very optimistic on what Barnes and Kelly can do out of the pen next year. kelly showed promise there and Barnes at times looked like the most reliable guy there and he's just entering his prime. And then there is the triumphant return of Carson Smith at some point. With a little luck, and a clean bill of health, this bullpen could look really really really good.

Don't be surprised if the Sox go out and get a good Milb 3rd baseman. If Pablo goes down we need depth, although I do think the Sox are comfortable with Holt in that position as well but I think they also prefer him as a super sub. The door is wide open for Devers in a few years, and he might be just as good as Moncada minus the speed.

You call that diversity of opinion? I've always been a big fan of getting your information from multiple sources. Some scouts may see something in a guy others did not, also it's not like the scouts who right these guys up watch them play every single game. You may catch a guy in a slump, or battling injury, or just in an off day or a good day. These guys do collaborate but it is easy to get a sense of who a player is by looking at ALL the expert opinions. Some opinions tend to vary a lot more than others, but there seems to be at least a semi strong consensus that Travis is a first baseman.

Why didn't you buy them? did you have access to his medical records? There are many ways for a pitchers performance to slip and injury to varying degrees is definitely one of them. It's plausible that it's B.S. but as far as I'm concerned that's mere speculation.

It will be really interesting to see how he does this year, I've heard great things about him as well.

JBJ's .728 OPS down the stretch was still better than Swiharts. FTR I had high hopes as Swihart as an outfielder as well. I actually would have been ok with him in LF if the Sox shipped JBJ off for some starting pitching but they went the all prospect route. It will be interesting to see how the Sandy/Swihart/Vaz situation plays out.

JBJ earned his keep last year. He hit .267/.349/.456 with 26 HR's and 87 RBI's playing all star caliber defense in the outfield. You don't start that guy in Pawtucket on any planet. He struggled down the stretch, particularly in August but I think that's who JBJ is a streaky guy. I'm ok with that, if he can win some gold gloves in his career and post those numbers or anything close to it by seasons end I'll start him every game in Center if I can.

No he doesn't, but would you want Hanley backing up LF? I mean, he might be fine at 3B, I don't really know. I just haven't really read anything to indicate he could be other than he played 3B in college but as I said earlier guys play college positions all the time they have no business playing at the pros. Maybe he wasn't that terrible there, doing some research into his college scouting reports might be a fun and insightful project. Guys can take steps forward too, SHAW Travis became a first baseman in the pros because he wasn't very good at 3B but he worked really hard and became more athletic and was able to play an acceptable 3rd so maybe that could be an option. Travis also hasn't played much baseball above AA, it's a really a shame too because he easily could have been knocking on the door last year and instilling more confidence in a starting position out the gate this year. FWIW, Hanley did play 3B, Hypothetically you could stick him there if he's no worse than Travis. That would be 2 RHB in your lineup at the corners. P.S. I know HanRam wasn't great defensively at 3B.

If he's sincere, he sounds like a man on a mission.

Which Pablo are we talking about? he's come into camp a many different weights over his career? Lets also keep in mind that you can be big and slow but have a very quick step, good hands and a strong arm. I just haven't heard anything that makes me excited or think Travis can play third. I'm sure the Sox can put a glove on his hand and stick him there, but that doesn't mean he will be good there.

People make it sound like it's so easy to build a farm system. Like you go down to the store and buy prospects....let me see I'll take 5 top 100 prospects, lets make 2 of them top 25, three pitchers and two hitters. I get the argument that we are going for it, and I agree that there is a time to spend and make those moves but fans have every right to be concerned with the future. Of all the moves DD has made, I like this one the absolute 100% best when weighed out on a case by case basis, what has had me more concerned is the overall depletion of the farm. I know hindsight is 20/20 but I'd love to have the Pom/Espinoza deal back.

They are, very often it's one of the best teams but not necessarily the best team to win it all. It's all about getting hot. This is why I think the argument has merit that it might be better to try and build a competitive team every year than go all in and mortgage the future.

I could be wrong, I'll admit I'm not a pro scout and have only seen him once and never at 3B. But everything I've read about him in the scouting world has him pegged at 1B with specific reports on his athleticism not suitable for other positions. I get that he played 3B in college, but A LOT of players play positions in college they have zero business in playing at the pro level.

The ownership group also has 3 world series to 0.

The Sox could really use a RHH corner infielder. If only the had the RHH version of Shaw on this team. Even Holt/Hernandez are LHB, although Holt has been pretty decent against LHP as a lefty batter. You could always plug Hanley back at first and insert Young into the DH role against tough lefties but it would be nice to see another strong RHB off the bench.

Sam Travis would be pretty ugly at 3B. The photo of Pablo is not photo shopped. But I think Pablo isn't out of the woods yet, he could always relapse and eat 40 LB's back on.

He kind of reminds me of softlaw.

And by receivers I mean relievers.....keep in mind we are in football season.

The market for receivers is insane!!! What if Kelly and Barnes look really good in the pen with Thornburg and Kimbrel? and then on top of it all Carson Smith comes roaring back? You could probably trade one of those guys at the break to make room for Smith and help restock the system and be just as good. You might be able to save some money that way too.

This rotation has so much potential. As it stands it will be among the best in baseball with some good health. Now just imagine if Erod takes a step forward? if Wright wasn't a 1 year wonder? or if after one full year of starting Pomeranz is much more durable and looks like the #2 we traded for?

We don't know that, I would like to think this team with all it's financial might would allocate some money to bring in top scouts. Good scouting will go a long way picking low in the first round and having your bonus pools capped.