GreenSox

The bad motives behind the trade are part of it. The ridiculously inept and lazy scouting are another part of it.

KW was always a starting pitcher short from 2001-2004. The drafts starting declining then too, which would portend future problems. In 2007, he gave Ozzie a "Jerry Krause" year and brought in the hackers and slappers that Ozzie wanted. Of course it was a disaster. KW quickly mitigated those mistakes and put a playoff team on the field the next year (led by the brilliant trade for The Carlos Quentin). Even in his last year, he fielded a contender that ended up with more pythagorean wins than he division winner. He's made a lot of mistakes, but the biggest is the continued employment of Rick Hahn and Don Cooper. I accept that KW has a lifetime contract with JR. But why do Hahn and Cooper have lifetime contracts with KW?

Well Tatis was discovered by this org.....too bad they didn't have a clue as to who they had discovered.

Then why are they playing him every day? If it's to flip him, the flip value is severely diminished as the acquiring team would be on the hook for another season. In fact, I'd say no one would take him even for free if they knew they were on the hook for next season. On the other hand, the Sox could dole out his time, use him in late innings, play Delmonico there more often and ensure that option doesn't vest, while also giving him a chance to catch onto another team if he starts hitting. But Ricky's playing him every day, so I just wonder.

Robertson and Frazier were salary dumps, just like James Shields, Edwin Jackson, Brett Myers and Liariano were salary dumps. The difference in price when the Sox dump and when the Sox trade for others' dumps is striking. As for Rutherford, just give him time. There's plenty of room on the 40 man. Late bloomers are becoming a regular occurrence. Two of the Royals good "young" players (Dozier and Merrifield) didn't do anything until 27, e.g.

But he's a consensus top 5 pick. It's not like he's a reach. Those 1B KW drafted at the beginning of the decade (I forget their names) were reaches. Hawkins wasn't a reach - just didn't work out.

Evan Marshall hasn't given up a run in 3 appearances. Why can't he take an inning rather than wheeling out the guy who was terrible last night and basically all season?

Yes. He need 550. And he's well on his way to doing just that. They never sit him. Voila, Rick Hahn has his first-baseman for next season. They either are playing him to get his stats up to flip him, or this is the laziest front office in the history of mankind.

The Sox will be paying Alonso next season about what Abreu will earn in the open market.

If McCann really is a good defender and framer, then that ought to stick. If they can get him for the "Good defensive catcher" longterm price, it's worth looking into. If he wants "good hitting/defensive/framing" catcher price, then no. As for the trades, it's not a matter of switching out Narvaez for McCann. That's not what happened. Narvaez was traded for Colome. And as good a season as Colome's having, I'd still take 4 years of Narvaez and his .855 OPS and 5 homers over 2 years of Colome in a heartbeat. Narvez as a DH and/or teach him first would provide a serious upgrade over Alonso (whom they seem hell-bent on ensuring he earns his option).

Still, the Sox are getting a lot more out of the Grade B and C position prospects than they are the Grade B and C pitching prospects. At least so far.

With a 0-0 game in the 3rd inning, with one of the worst staffs in baseball, we bunt a runner to 3rd with no outs? Is Rickey just stone stupid?

KW is the top talent evaluator in the org. Hahn and Haber can't evaluate talent (the root of Hahn's problem) - Hostetler holds Hahn's proxy and is next in line. It appears that, for the last few seasons, KW has stayed out of it - or at least has let Hostetler make the call.

He can have Castillo's spot.

Well you need a GM who can take advantage of those opportunities when they are there. The Sox simply don't have that. Hahn, despite being the GM of a rebuilding team, spent all winter looking for veterans. He doesn't know the young talent in the league, he doesn't keep his "ear to the ground." Heck the Rays rebuilt on the fly with a few trades over 2 seasons.

Minaya's on this team again? They hadn't seen enough? My goodness. This FO is hopeless.

Can you really blame an owner for not investing $350 million on the advice of the person who suggested these investments?

Hoese hit another one tonight....but it won't be in the stat sheets because the umps inexplicably called a ball hit off the scoreboard a double. As an aside, it would have tied the game.

The problem is drafting college relievers in the first place. That's as low a ceiling you can get.

And not one real prospect to bring up. Fulmer has neither stuff nor control. I suspect for him to amount to anything, they'll have to completely break down his delivery, work with him for at least a year in Az and see how it goes. Of course they should have done that 3 years ago instead of rushing him into the 2016 roster.

I just look at the Sox v. the Padres. Started the rebuilds at the same time; both had made failed "go for it moves" a couple of seasons before. The difference is that Preller mitigated his losses; Hahn didn't. That put Preller close to an even start with Hahn despite Hahn having so much ammo to trade. Then of course, he schooled Hahn in the Tatis trade; it's not surprising as Preller spent years in the weeds scouting talent, while Hahn sat in an office. And beyond Tatis, the difference is striking. The dismal record, the failed 2013-2016 effort; the scorched earth disaster in June 2016.....and being so far behind the Padres. Devotion to lifers, hiring buddies, failure to modernize the front office with analytics. When is enough enough?

Absolutely not.

Delmonico can hit. Beyond that, I don't know.

For that kind of money, he could have made an effort to find someone better. Hahn didn't even try.

I think that's the plan...at least have him for next year with the option automatically kicking in. Wouldn't want Hahn to have to make an effort to find a good a first baseman.