Lillian

Where is Burger tonight?

The Sox have him under control through 2024, if they pick up the options. That's plenty of time for him to just continue developing at SS. The team isn't expected to contend over the next couple of years, so it seems like good timing. He has tremendous raw talent and not that much experience, which suggests that he will get much better. We've all seen him make some pretty amazing plays already, and that should be very encouraging.

Did anyone notice that he is choking up, in that photo? Does he do that, even if only when down in the count?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 20, 2017 -> 10:24 AM) Lillian's health, though, would be extraordinary. You bet, "bmags"!!! If he played like Sizemore, before the injuries, we'd all be ecstatic. However, I really doubt that he'll be that good. Look at Grady's 4 years, between ages 22 and 25. He was as a star. If Rutherford becomes that kind of player, the trade was a big win for the Sox.

MLB pipeline states; "He isn't very fluid, which detracts from his average arm strength, and his receiving and blocking skills are spotty". I don't understand how a guy who doesn't have quick feet and very strong, accurate arm, can throw out 40% of base stealers. He has also been working very hard on pitch framing and is apparently making very good progress there. You can see why the Sox believe he has good potential to stick, behind the plate. Collins leads the team in walks, with 63 and therefore his OBP is a very respectable .363. There's also not much to complain about his .424 slugging %. If he becomes a good defensive catcher, I'd be very happy with a left handed power hitter, with a good eye. I also suspect that he will improve his contact rate, and get his average up. You can add me to the list of those who think that it's way too earlier to be very discouraged over his progress.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jul 21, 2017 -> 05:15 AM) He still has less than 200 ABs in High A after being injured earlier in the year. IMO, he should just stay in High A the remainder of the year and play in the Arizona Fall League. Next year start him at AA and see what happens. I don't think people are sleeping on our first round pick from last year. I think people have legitimate concerns about his future. Although he has made strides as a catcher this year, he will never be more than average there. As a result, his offense HAS to carry him. Now the bar is lower for a catcher offensively, but instead of progressing offensively this year, he seems to have taken a step back due to serious contact issues. Why do think that Collins' defense could never be "more than average"? What limits him?

QUOTE (kwill @ Jul 19, 2017 -> 12:06 PM) This is the frustrating part of the trade as the White Sox will save money next year as they have nothing committed. Good Ole JR could have taken back a piece like Headley. He could be a nice veteran player to play some nice defense at third who knows maybe he has a nice first half and flip him. I am sure if we took him off the Yankees hands they would have upgraded prospect in take or thrown in another player. Don't get me wrong, I am not crazy upset over the trade, just not excited like the rest Hahn has pulled off. The money saved now and next year can be used at the end of the rebuild, when the team is ready to contend. Hahn actually stated something to that effect.

From my perspective, it is simply a matter of doing what is necessary to convert assets, which are not likely to be significant cost controlled contributors, when the Sox are ready to compete in 2020, into young prospects, with a high probability of success. Frazier was not going to be part of that future roster and therefore not likely to have even received a qualifying offer, at the end of the year. Robertson was an expensive closer, who would also not be around in 2020. In the meantime, closers are not very important to teams, which are not contending. That leaves the most valued piece; Kahnle. I really like him. however he would be 31 in 2020 and getting expensive. His value now is greatly enhanced, playing on a contender. Our best young prospects are 20 to 23 years old. Anyone 28 is not going to be considered an integral part of the perennially contending team, that takes the field at the turn of the next decade. Therefore, it's not that Kahnle isn't a better player now, or even that he may end up having a better career than Rutherford. It's simply that he is not the right age for what the front office is building. Of course, there is no guarantee that a 20 year old outfielder in A ball will realize his potential. That's the gamble with all prospects, and the scouting department has the best tools to assess that. We just have to trust that their assessment of a left handed bat, with Rutherford's potential, represents a good probability of being part of that future team. Kahnle is 8 years older than he is, which is a critical factor in this total equation. Moreover, he is a fireballing reliever. He is quite likely to be finished, when Rutherford realizes whatever is his potential. It is for the same reason that many of us have already begun to speculate about the 30 year old Abreu being a potential trade candidate. If he should be traded, it won't be because he isn't good, or isn't expected to continue to be good, for a few more years. It will be because he can enhance the core of the team that will hopefully be in contention, during at least the first half of the next decade. Jose would then be entering his mid 30's, and likely his decline. It's really all about age and time, especially in this post PEDS era.

Rutherford may indeed be able to stick in CF, but I think that spot will belong to Robert. He has the speed and arm to be an elite center fielder.

The next major move this team makes should be to hire some exceptional coaches, for the farm system, to develop all of this talent. Other teams have ended up with great players, with less potential than the Sox now have. Let's just hope that they don't waste it.

Sorry, Jenksy Cat, I didn't see your post. They've been coming so fast and furious, it's hard to keep track.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 18, 2017 -> 11:05 PM) There was no need to move him RIGHT NOW. There may not have been a "need," but it the front office really wanted Rutherford, this was their chance to acquire him.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 18, 2017 -> 10:53 PM) Don't forget Adolfo and Sheets... I haven't forgotten about them, but I think Adolfo is now going to be behind the other 3 future outfielders. Sheets could be the first baseman, and that adds yet one more of those LH bats, which I covet so much.

You guys know how important I think it is to have a balanced lineup of right and left handed hitters. The 2020 team could very well have the following guys at the top 2/3 of the lineup: Moncada, Robert, Jimenez, Burger, Collins and Rutherford. That provides two left handed hitters and a switch hitter. That would finally provide, what has been an elusive balance to the order. They could be staggered left, right, left, right, left, right, which would make it tough on opposing pitchers and managers. I'm not sure where Anderson will hit, but if he can't learn to take his walks, I suspect he'll not be in that top 2/3 of the order. Of course we don't know who else will be added from the draft, or free agency, but all of the players I listed are very likely to be part of that 2020 team. I like it.

I know that lots of prospects turn out to be busts. However, with the top tier talent, which the Sox have been acquiring, I think that the quality is more important than the quantity, as I stated earlier in the evening, before any names were announced.

I see that Clippard is in the final year of his contract, and was only owed $4.25 million this year. That's not much of a negative. Maybe he can help bridge the gap, the rest of the year, as the Sox are going to need someone to pitch, and I don't think that they are anxious to call up the young studs. Clippard hasn't really pitched that badly, except for that inflated ERA.

Starting outfield in 2020: Rutherford in Left, Robert in CF and Jimenez in RF. Yes!!!!!! And you know me; a left handed bat!!!! Big bonus.

I just checked Baseball America's list of top 100 prospects. Fathom is correct. Neither Andujar, or Mateo are on their list. Quite a divergence from MLB Pipeline.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 18, 2017 -> 08:35 PM) I like Andujar but neither guy is a BA top 100 prospect as of a few weeks ago That's interesting because MLB Pipeline has Mateo as #37 and Andujar as the 7TH best third base prospect. That's upon what I was basing my thoughts.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 18, 2017 -> 08:30 PM) To me, that wouldn't be enough Really Fathom? Who else besides Andujar and Mateo would comprise a sufficient return? I assume that it would be a low level prospect.

If Andujar and Mateo are coming back, I doubt that there would be any other players included.

Would you guys prefer quality, or quantity, if that package were going to N. Y.? I'd rather just take Torres, than 3 lesser guys, but that's just me.

I can't imagine DD letting the Yankees get all 3 of those guys, can you?

Could one of you please clarify this issue of Boston's financial condition and their over the limit tax status? It would save me the trouble of researching it.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jul 18, 2017 -> 08:07 AM) I think Jed Lowrie still makes a ton of sense for the Red Sox. Has a cheap option for next season and you gotta remember, Devers is only 20. They could make the case that they want to see him in AAA for a year. They can also trade Lowrie in the off-season/early next year if they want to see Devers for most of the season. I think that you're right, and that Lowrie certainly could work for the BoSox. However, our Sox could provide something, which Oakland could not and that is the kind of salary relief, which "Beautox" suggested. That may explain what is taking so long for this to materialize. The financial aspects of such a deal would require some pretty complex considerations.