GreenSox

Rushing high draft pick into the pen, Anderson, Moncada and Nicky...emulate the best!

The pitching should be pretty good this year. Guys like Burke and Martin aren't TOR, but they aren't 5th starters either...more mid-rotation guys with #2 potential. Leasure in the pen is interesting - they haven't hesitated to cut losses on failed prospects, yet he not only sticks on the 40, he sticks on the 26. The coaching staff looks much better. Venable is smart and is not whining about the clubhouse. Lot of smiles and energy from the players. Vargas and Sosa. And cutting bait on failed prospects is refreshing (once one gets over the angst of more waste on failed prospects). All tempered with the reality that the Angels may be worse than us. Or maybe my 63-99 prediction should be reversed.

One would have thought that Barfield would known about Fletcher; but in the end it is a minor deal. Wasn't DeLoach really the last piece in the Santos trade? We hoped for better, but the odds were that he was a AAA guy. People really liked the trade because of the draft choice....seems a bit disingenuous to hate it now. I didn't like the trade because I'm not a big fan of Shirley and the way the Sox draft (too much reaching, too much punting for my tastes) but I'm in the minority on that. Eder was a declining prospect when acquired; we've seen KW pull that handout sort of move before (when moving Jackson and Quentin, e.g.). it was almost like a FU to Hahn....and then JR said FU to both of them.

I'm surprised Anderson didn't make it. I always thought they liked him more than was warranted. His Spring was, however, something less than outstanding.

Should be able to fashion a little trade then, right?

Signing Vasil is certainly a bet on the come....he had a poor spring, statistically, and his minor league numbers have been up and down. I can't imagine that they expect him to be productive out of the box; Sox will have more dependable candidates down in Charlotte. The Sox must really like his "tools."

Well, here are the position players drafted in the top 5 rounds in the last 10 years. I can't argue that one one think that a few would develop just out of happenstance....but there really isn't a lot here: 2015: None 2016: Collins, Call, Fisher 2017: Burger, Sheets, Luis Gonzalez 2018: Madrigal, Steele Walker, Lency Delgado (SS) 2019: Vaughn, James Beard (CF) 2020: None 2021: Montgomery, Kath 2022: Jordan Sprinkle 2023: Jacob Gonzales, Calvin Harris 2024: Caleb Bonerner, Nick McLain, Casey Saucke, Sam Antonacci With all due respect to Schultz, drafting high school pitchers in the early rounds has been a net negative. I will also say that Vaughn and Sheets should both be able to hit and it wouldn't surprise me if both do hit this season.

Teams are pushing these guys faster now. Hahn was a man ahead of his time...truthfully, I don't think he rushed players, other than a couple that he drafted for the purpose of rushing them into the current year's pen.

Of course, Banks is pitching, and specifically relief pitching in July. It's its own bull market. DeJong had 19 homers when we traded him and we got a lottery ticket relief prospect (who pitched decently for us). It's hard to tell what we got for Pham, but it wasn't much.

Look at the Royals and Tigers: the have like 3 good hitters each (one of the Royals' is a great hitter). It surprises me when I look at the stats at how modest the stats of a lot of the playoff teams are. That's why I'm reasonably optimistic. If we get the pitching right, and we're moving in that direction, 4 or 5 good young hitters plus a FA or 2, and we're back in business. Admittedly, right now, the Sox have zero good young hitters, so they need to get on with it.

Slater and Tauchman and Taylor are all 30 ish, lack power. And even when they were good, they were the useful sort, but weren't that good. Benintendi is in that class too (although he has had some good seasons). They haven't exactly "earned it" themselves this spring. It's just overkill. It's not crowding out serious prospects, but there still is a chance with Fletcher or Colas. Heck, NRI Calvin Mitchell is more interesting than some of those guys. Plus, we have some young infielders who could play some outfield....versatility is becoming a thing.

No one wanted him as a 5th starter. Standards change in July for late inning relievers. Yall may be right that he's just too odious. But, I can remember 2 teams trading for wife-beaters for want of late inning relief.

Wish he could pitch as well as Clevinger. Clevinger will be gone soon enough. Some team will bite this time.

Looks about right. I just don't see the allure of Slater. I thought Maton had a good spring among the veterans, but no room I supposed.

I/d rather just Bentendi I'd wish he'd just sit on the DL this season. He may be moveable next season; but this season, he's a clogger.