turnin' two

How is that a real answer?

Yeah, it is nonsensical.

Completely agree on both counts. I get that teams want compensation for losing free agents, but the system is a huge problem. Maybe they can still give teams picks without the signing team forfeiting the pick? Maybe lose a lower pick? Maybe just a lower slot value to some picks, like instead of taking a 2nd round pick, the slot for their pick is reduced 15% or something. I don't know I'm just making stuff up, but the current system is clearly a problem. The competitive balance picks are a travesty.

Yeah, never really thought they were. They were never connected in any way. As well as the fact that they really don't care to spend on premium guys or, even semi premuim guys. Really they only spend in the clearance aisle. It was more just an offseason conversation to divert from "sign Manny" or "sign Harper" whom, as we were to learn, they were never real suitors for either.

1) Yeah, you don't lie to him. You don't pretend anything. You tell him, you sign with us, play with us for 3-3.5 months, then you'll be with a contender. Sign with us, and perform and we will trade you to a contender before the deadline. 2) See above. And really? Bad business? Hasn't signing veterans with the intention of flipping them been an established practice with rebuilding teams? And as for the good luck, I think we all know you make your own luck signing premium free agents. You know, either by offering the most money, or failing that, signing all their facebook friends. 3) Yeah duh. I didn't connect that in any way did I? I was just saying I am all on board with the idea of drafting prep arms. I liked the use of the pick, but think it could have probably netted a better, closer (read less risky, not get him up here) to the majors player, if it had been cashed traded in singing for Kimbrel.

That is fair. I guess I was assuming he would sign for slot. But do you really think, Kimbrel wouldn't get a top 30 guy? Hmm, I certainly would have thought so, not set in stone of course. But maybe I am off in that valuation. I was just going off what premium top end closers typically net teams. Isn't there a pretty established track record of top level guys going back the other way?

I brought it up yesterday in the game thread and was pretty much brushed off, but Tim's future may be in the OF. While he has undoubtedly been a bright spot this year with the bat and has become one of my favorites with his swagger and love of the game, he is on pace for about 40 (!) errors at SS this year (13 errors in 53 games at SS, translates to one every .245 games over 162, that is 39.7 errors). I know in the past he has had a lot of errors earlier in the season and tightened up as the season moves along, but Lindor's career high is 14. Not that he needs to be Lindor, but he can't just give outs away. SS is too critical a position defensively to have a butcher out that. And while Tim certainly makes some unbelievable plays, he has to make the easy ones too. I don't know that the OF is the best solution -- in fact it is almost certainly not. Obviously Tim is incredibly valuable at SS and has all the skills needed to play there, I hope they have a plan to help him improve. Can they hire Ron Washington? They have to do something, you can't just keep giving the other team extra outs. Didi, Andrus, and Simmons could all be FA in the next 2 offseasons. Edit: I don't know, maybe I am overreacting here. I just saw the error total yesterday and kind of dumbfounded by how high it was this early in the season. Tim's positives far outweigh the errors, and I think he even makes the spectacular play enough to outweigh it. So I don't know. I would just prefer fewer errors. Haha.

I think he could be a decent back end guy. His stuff is mostly there. He wears down, but you don't have to squint very hard to see a MLB pitcher with him.

Well, if you account for how much of this year has passed already, it is closer to 17 per year.

So, admittedly, I don't know a lot about this player, but I have to say, I think I would prefer the hypothetical player( or players) they could have acquired for Kimbrel at the deadline. I kept being told that this pick was the reason they couldn't sign and trade Kimbrel. Again, not that I don't like him, I don't know really anything about him, and I really like the idea of the Sox taking a high ceiling HS pitcher. I just think they could have probably gotten a top 30 type prospect for Kimbrel. Oh well. They should still sign him and trade him!

So Tim has been a huge bright spot with the bat this year, but yikes, he is on pace for about 40 errors.

Sorry for the ignorance, but who is it?

I kind of doubt that he is even human.

1) Ok, that's fine with me. 2) Probably isn't happening. 3) Please, oh please oh please.

I mean the food at the park is already great, but this can't hurt!

Next year?

It will be interesting to see. Personally I don't know why Vaughn would sign for anything significantly under slot. Thompson maybe, he seemed to be taken a bit higher than predicted so there may be some savings there.

Wasn't it reported that Dahlquist (3rd round) was looking for about 2 mil? That would take up pretty much all of the savings at this point.

Hahah. Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

Yup. Gotta save money to buy guys out of their water polo commits.

Assuming 10K bonuses, they have saved about 1.105 million.

Sorry everyone. I would like to formally apologize for my role in de-railing the thread yesterday.

That is a very interesting take to me. Great point. Don't let a college coach trying to save his job beat your pitcher up.

Well, aren't you clever. You could use facts too. Like, if you wanted to say, Frank walked more. That is a fact. You could say his OPS was higher. Overall and in his prime. That would be a fact. Now, a big reason for that is his walking. Does that make him a better hitter? Well, that is a bit more subjective. Based on what you are saying, to you, yes it does. I would maybe disagree. Mays got more hits. Overall and in his prime, does that make him a better hitter? I don't know. But it is a fact. Over their best 7 seasons (to match with Frank's prime(91-97), because as mentioned, May's prime (54-60)covered more seasons) Frank hit fewer HRs than Mays. Frank hit more doubles, by 26, but he hit 77 fewer triples. Mays had a lot more total bases. That is not opinion. It is statistical fact. Frank had more RBI. Statistical fact. Frank walked more (ALOT more) , Frank struck out more (100 times, not really a lot for 7 seasons). They slugged... the same. Pretty amazing actually. Two great hitters. Two of the best ever. You don't need to make hyperbolic claims just to make a point. Just make your point. Like I said. Any difference is splitting hairs to make whatever case you want. Frank was amazing. You (and all of us) hope Vaughn is as well. We get it.

Where'd I laugh pal? And I didn't misunderstand. Sure he is in the conversation, but to say he is better, like you know, a fact, instead of your opinion, is silly.