Vulture

Even when the Royals suck they are still my least favorite divisional rival. I don't even dislike the Indians or Tigers, just want to beat them. I used to feel the same way about the Twins, but I've started to dislike them in the last year. Something about the Royals, they always seem to be a bunch of pricks.

Yeah the Sox have been winning despite his 0.68 ERA coming into tonight.

Seriously??

By that rationale, we would have been better off with Collins rather than Grandal or McCann

I have to admit you're right there, didn't realize that. Just noticed Sox have got an exactly .300/.400/.500 batting line from the catching position. Besides being an improbable mathematical oddity, that's got to be the best in the majors

With sixteen playoff teams, surely he would have been a worthwhile upgrade somewhere. Not that I'm advocating it. Sox need McCann for their own playoff run. Imagine grandal goes down. We're going with Collins and Zavala? No thanks.

They still have a long string of righties. Robert Mendick Engel Anderson Jimenez.

No magic beans. Mendick was a solid prospect, he didn't just come out of nowhere. To me he looks superior defensively I don't have a problem with it

How can you determine that when he only threw one curveball? I wouldn't have any confidence either if they took away my best pitch

In 2015, John Sickels wrote the following in his prospect report on Lopez: "Scouts continue to praise his 94-99 fastball as well as his plus curve. His change is very good at times, not so good at others...personally, I think command of the third pitch will continue to improve." Doesn't even mention the slider.

I don't know about that. Fangraphs 2017 scouting report had the curve ball as his highest rated pitch at 55/60. In 2016 he threw 201 curve balls in 44 innings with the Nats compared to 201 in 184 innings last year and only one in 9.2 this year. Seems to me the Sox switched the emphasis to slider before nearly eliminating the curve ball entirely.

What I can't figure out is why the Sox have virtually eliminated the curve ball from his repertoire. Wasn't that his best pitch besides his fast ball?

Yeah. Anderson, Robert, Abreu, Jimenez vs. lefty should be a no brainer

At least he has Engel in there. Probably a good matchup for Mendick as well. Grandal third against a lefty makes no sense to me though.

Sox don't need to trade Kopech or Vaughn to fill a hole in RF and a starting pitching slot IMO. Sox aren't going to need a ton of production out of RF after Vaughn is in the lineup anyway. Just buy a good starting pitcher in FA and go budget in RF. Some package of prospects other than Kopech and Vaughn should be good enough. Daniels was a fool for not taking a Steivers centered package for Lynn. Apparently he wanted a Sale type return, but with only one year left he was asking too much. Clevinger might have been worth including Kopech if it weren't to the Indians. You know that would end up blowing up in our faces. Don't blame Hahn there at all.

My impression was the opposite. If the Sox were willing to make that trade they would have got Lynn. Hahn specifically mentioned Vaughn and Kopech being integral parts of the team moving forward the evening of the trade deadline. Reading between the lines I took that to mean that was why a deal wasn't made.

I thought the same thing, but I read a pre draft scouting report the other day that specifically stated he could be potentially moved to a corner outfield spot. Said that although he is slow, he is athletic enough to handle it. He used to pitch, so presumably he has the arm for it

That would be covering two positions. No way they resign McCann unless they plan on the catchers covering the bulk of the DH duties.

Are you sure he didn't change to another similarly constructed username?

Quintana hasn't had any arm issues. If anything, the lack of innings this year could allow him to come back with a refreshed arm. Brantley's left hand bat would be perfect for this lineup. I think his arm is less than ideal for RF, but I could live with that.

Colome, Giles, S. Greene, Kela, Workman, Yates, Doolittle are pending free agents. Hand has a ten million option. You'd think that would be picked up, but with the Indians, who knows? Personally, I'd just go with Colome. The dude is a bulldog. As for Quintana, I'd be willing to bet he pitches to 40. I don't think he's finished by a long shot. I'd rather have Bauer too, but Quintana would still be helpful IMO. I don't see the Sox declining Leury's option. I think the bench will include him along with Mendick and Engle.

I think Stone has no interest in changing professions. Not sure he has the people skills for handling a clubhouse either

I'm a Pacers fan, so I wouldn't recall that. But I'll take your word for it.

Can't be considered a conspiracy theory. Pretty sure that, if true, that wouldn't constitute a crime. Just a term to discredit an argument without having to make an actual valid point.

Another concern is that he could get Stone fired before long at this rate. That would be a regional tragedy. You know Steve's filter is wearing thinner and thinner.