poppysox

How did you get lost? I think it is a very clear statement.?

Grandal and Hendriks are examples of star-level players the FO has acquired in free agency. I have voiced the opinion many times that free agency should be used to plug holes rather than shop for stars. The star level player should be developed from the draft or international signings or trades. I do understand that in theory, a 30 million 10 year contract can net your team a star who takes the team to the WS. However, it seldom works out that way and often hamstrings the team beyond all reason.

JR is neither cheap nor dumb in my opinion. It's fair to disagree with how he operates but we are currently one of the best teams in baseball. Someone is doing something right.

Seldom does a rookie come up as a finished product. Many players including Moncada, Gio, Robert, and Anderson all struggled at times during their Rookie campaigns. Madrigal's defense and base running have been graded highly by professional baseball evaluators. If Madrigal is our biggest problem we will be in a lot of playoff games in the near future.

Cooper is no different than a manager. They almost always get fired in the end. Something happens where they just are not getting through to the players anymore. The investment in these players is just so enormous that the FO has to make changes when it's not happening. Maybe Katz says the same thing Coop was saying but in a different way that gets through. When I see Lopez get in trouble and take more and more time between pitches it drives me nuts. He absolutely looks as if he is afraid to throw the ball. Maybe Coop has told him to work faster with some aggression but he doesn't ever seem to change. Time to change the way it's being said.

Work "with" not on.

I wish Katz would get a chance to work with Rodon.

Wouldn't it be something if Katz can fix Cease and Lopez? It's not impossible that the FO is convinced that Katz is just that good. After all, they did just give Lopez 2 million + when it would have been easy to release him. They both have unquestioned stuff...just need to find the key to unlock the mental stuff. It would go a long way in explaining why RH isn't in a rush to find a back of rotation arm.

Your Dad sounds like a wise man. Life is to short to let a baseball team drive you over the edge.?

That is probably a good betting proposition.

Madrigal is just the type of player that could make it happen. Singles hitter that uses the whole field and can lay down a bunt. The comparison with Nellie Fox who had over 2600 hits is real IMO.

He had the second-best OBP on the team in his rookie year. I would say his ceiling is plenty high.

I agree for this year. I was referring to his down the road career.

All still very doable.

Most of his career will be in the first or second spot IMO. Ninth is great as he gets acclimated, however.

The FO is also very tight-lipped and I can't picture RH leaning over the backyard fence giving out tomorrow's headlines. What the FO want's out is what gets out IMO.

What if we are way into it up to our necks and that's why everything is so quiet and on the hush-hush? Our FO likes to be stealthy on these things.?

If you don't think you can do it...you probably can't. I love his belief in himself.

Wainwright and Molina would make me happy at this point.

I like Wainwright better than Gray and he doesn't cost prospects.

I think he took his best offer.

I am not the only one on Soxtalk that realizes Madrigal is going to be something special. Just the most vocal.

If I was a betting man...that would be the smart money bet.

Doesn't seem to me that he wants to go back to Japan. Just another negotiating ploy to show he has options. I bet your 1 year/$15 mill would get it done.

If we are to believe that there is a hard spending freeze above a certain limit...I can see Collins, Yermin, and Vaughn being used to free up as much money as possible for the one glaring need...PITCHING.