turnin' two

Harper was a C in high school, but unless I am remembering incorrectly, that was never the plan and he never caught in the minors. I certainly agree with you on the middle portion of your statement, which is another reason it is dangerous to take a C with such a high pick.

And is a terrible defender, who is currently hitting .190. --- not saying that is who he is going forward, but it is volatile. And I think it can be exaggerated for catchers because of the wear on their legs.

Yeah, I mean. I agree. There are no teams that could be helped these relievers. Soria, has been embarrassing, barely K-ing more than 10/ 9 IP. And walking, almost 2! What a bum! And don't get me started on Avilan. Again, can't even K 11 guys per 9. And holding lefties to an OPS below .700??? Pathetic. Not useful at all. They won't get as good of a return as Herrera, but these are useful guys, even on a good team.

Yeah. Duh. Most guys never make it. How many prep RHP prospects get taken top 3? Top 5? There is a reason, risk. There is a reason that Michael Kopech didn't get taken until 33rd overall. The risk of his profile. Teams push guys with Kopech's tools down their charts because of his risk profile. I feel catchers are pushed up, just because they are catchers. Catchers carry a lot of risk as well. There is a a reason that there have been 2 impact players in the last 20 years in the first 15 picks of the draft or so. Those 2, though are probably 2 of the best 3 catchers of the last 20 years. Maybe if you want one of those guys you have to go big, but expect Jason Castro, not Buster and hope he ends up better than that. But yeah, trust your scouts. Obviously. I am not saying not to do that. Not saying don't draft a C, just saying don't overestimate a guy simply because he plays catcher.

You love throwing the old "best player at his position" comp at guys eh? Altuve, Posey, I am anxious to see who it is in 2020. Trout I hope -- or even the Babe.

Wasn't trying to say never take a C. It is just a scary list. And to immediately think " we are gonna get our Posey!" well, he is a once a generation player. The last 20 years have yielded 2 great catchers high in the first round. All I am saying, is don't overestimate a guy because he is a C. Odds are, because of the demands of the position, he will break down, his tools will lag or he will be moved off that position.

I think guys can be a bit overrated because they are catchers as well. Recent catchers taken in the top 10 (ish): Joey Bart (2) Collins (10) Tyler Stephenson (11) Kyle Schwarber (4) Max Pentecost (11th) Reese McGuire (14th -- but 1st taken) Mike Zunino (3) Tony Sanchez (3) Buster Posey (5) Kyle Skipworth (6) Jason Castro (10) Matt Wieters (5) Jeff Clement (3) Neil Walker ( Yes, that Neil Walker -11) Joe Mauer (1) Eric Munson (3) This goes back 20 years. 20! The top 3, it is too early to say. Schwarber isn't a C, Pentecost isn't looking good, McGuire is out of baseball, Zunino is a career .209 hitter, Sanchez is out of baseball, Posey is an All-Star, Skipworth washed out, and Castro has had 1 good year at the plate. Wieters is ok, never had an OPS over .800, Clement had no more than a cup of coffee, Walker was moved off the position fairly quickly, and Mauer was obviously great. Munson washed out. 2. 2 real difference makers in 20 years. Both taken in the top 5, so maybe there is something there. But that isn't necessarily an inspiring success ratio. I think teams get hypnotized by the idea of the great catcher and reach to get guys that shouldn't be going that highly. Then again, I'm sure this is the case for most positions in terms of ratios...

Are guys like Palka and Davidson as good as Abreu? If you are a team on the brink, trying to win the WS, the difference between what a veteran hitter provides, and a league minimum flyer, can be pretty significant.

Alec Bohm is signing underslot by over 1 Million.

Thank you sir!

Didn't have a chance to watch, but upon checking the boxscore, he only went 3 innings, anyone have insight?

That is fantastic news.

In my opinion, it also shows a bit of hubris to rate him as a reliever at high-A, when he is starting, and dominating. It is ok if they see him as a reliever, but at some point his results as a starter should start to matter. Maybe that is the AA level.

Who you have to step in, is also part of the equation. I am not advocating paying him like Harper or Machado. But the guy can hit. And will likely continue to hit for several more years. Not at 4/25, but if you are talking 4/18 or so, that starts to make some sense.

I think that no matter who the Sox trade, the Royals and Orioles will trade more players, and more significant ones. The Sox may even get a little better as the season wears on due to guys getting experience and others being promoted. I think pick number 3 is the best the Sox will have.

Weren't your numbers wrong -- honestly I didn't check them but I saw someone else corrected them? And I saw you conveniently left off last season, when he was top 4th in wRC+. Oh, and this year where he is 5th. The numbers are all connected. When whatever numbers you use show a guy can hit, he can hit. Jose Abreu can hit. He is among the best, and most consistent hitters at the position that houses some of the best hitters.

Your arbitrary use of nothing but an opinion doesn't help yours.

Yeah, the Sox have had no problem finding guys like that. Adam Dunn, Adam LaRoche, Brett Lawrie ... on and on and on. When was the last guy from out of the organization the Sox just signed that performed even close to that level? Dye? I could be forgetting someone... And how much are you spending for that? I don't think he is nearly as easily replaced as that.

If he needs to be a star, then the rebuild is already screwed. In 20-22 if Abreu is a good competent hitter at DH, who can give you .275-22-80, it would be huge. At that point in time, if Moncada and Eloy aren't the star hitters, being supplemented by Collins, Robert, and another of the OFers, the Sox will already be in trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if he was still a really good hitter at that point, but he should be at a 5 hitter or so on how that team should be projected.

Yeah, cmon. It is totally easy to produce .300 -30-100 every single year. That is why everyone does it.

I was surprised it was Beck he is younger than Volstad, throws harder. Just thought there may be something to work with there.

Yeah, to me he is very redundant in the system. I haven't seen him play for 1 second, but he seems to be very similar to a Luis Gonzalez/Alex Call type player. Who maybe safer than guys like Basabe/ Adolfo, but certainly without the ceiling. He would pretty much have to start at Kanny, and that is only the best spot for him if Gonzalez is moved up. I would have preferred someone like Jeremiah Jackson, Alek Thomas, or heck, even Jeremy Eierman. But I know nothing. Here is a nice write-up on him. https://www.minorleagueball.com/2018/5/29/17399442/2018-mlb-draft-steele-walker-of-university-of-oklahoma

I am curious as to why. He is the best 3B the team has right now, and is probably the primary backup at 2B and SS. Yolmer is a pretty good infielder. I think he should be one of the last to be moved to the OF. Trying Davidson out there? Sure, but move Yolmer there to play Davidson at 3B? That seems weird. Why turn a situation where you have one good defender and one bad, into one where you have 2 below average defenders? Also we do not lack for guys to play the OF, even now, with a bunch of guys hurt.

Also puzzling is having 3 guys that basically haven't played this year. Especially the 2 pitchers.

Then look them up.