GreenSox

For me, it's a hope, not a worry, that the rumors are because of assumptions, not real information.

I would be disappointed because this would make the 3rd lefty pitcher in our last 4 #1 picks. And he's a low-slot guy - too much comfort zone: Sox need broader diversification. And the Sox need hitters.

I notice a nexus between Vargas not hitting and his biggest advocate, Harold, not posting. Please resume posting Harold - Vagas needs you! Venable using Rojas as a pinch hitter is nothing but a clown act; not taking his job seriously.

Law, Mayo, ESPN and Fangaphs all had at least 2 players that were available at 5 ranked ahead of Smith, and all of them had Wetherholt ranked ahead of Smith. BPA hitter v. pitcher is really hard to determine anyway. And as Mags points out, teams don't trade their hitting prospects (except catchers, presumably because they generally hit well "for a catcher."). But I don't see the elite hitter in this draft (maybe Irish or Jace?, but high risk). The one angle is to trade for a recent draft choice- before the team that drafts him really cherishes him. That said, there aren't many great hitters out there. Teams win with a bunch of guys in the .700s. Get the pitching, defense squared away, so that at least we'll be ready when the hitters develop (which some will). And get some speed on this team, please.

It's unbelievable.

Houser throwing 7 innings in under 100 pitches, flummoxing the hottest team in MLB, is mighty impressive. Nice save, Leasure!

I doubt they draft Jace without the ok of the director of hitting; I doubt he would give the okay if he didn't have a good idea of how to fix the Ks. He would come underslot, which gives them the room they need to fully utilize drafting first in rounds 2-20. And if the draft plays out as BA suggests, they really need to go underslot. Arnold isn't that compelling even under BPA.

If they don't straighten this out quickly, they'll be marching into the All-Star break on another patented 8 game losing streak. And not even using the time to maximize experience/audition for young players.

And 1/2 of the starting 10 for this rebuilding team is 30 or over. It's ridiculous. They just aren't serious.

They were both in the majors the year they were drafted. Nowhere near the development required for a prep pitcher. And we drafted one of these guys in round 2 last year.

The 2 big success were close-- to-the-majors college pitchers. Schultz is the prep guy and he's still TBD. Schoolcraft wouldn't be my preference, but if he's the pick, it's got to be at a substantial discount. Sale and Crochet were each drafted around #10 and prep pitcher brings far more risk. Also, what other team likes these low slot guys? I think we could get them at a discount regardless. I also wonder what their plans are for position players for this outfit. Because they need a lot of them.

So much so (c $3 million) that they probably couldn't use it all without further overpays and reaches. I just don't get how an org. that is so historically poor at drafting and developing still thinks that they are the smartest guys in the room.

Schoolcraft wouldn't surprise me; but I hope they don't. Their success with lefties has been identifying major league ready lefties, not developing high schoolers. Let's let the Schultz story play out before using more resources (including likely punting multiple rounds) on what is the riskiest profile in the draft. I do hope they go underslot with the first pick unless Parker, Carlson or maybe Irish or Killen are there. After the top 10 or so, the next 20 look similar.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but that's something they'll have to figure out. Putting one at DH really isn't the optimal answer either going forward. It may be keep one, trade one.

My comment directly after the pick: "The absolute last of the possibilities i wanted the Sox to draft. Lord I hope I'm wrong about Smith." He just looked like a reliever to me (delivery; rarely went deep into games in college), from my highly amateur look.

Not to nitpick, but the first of those teams won 94 games; and had just drafted Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura and Jack McDowell.

Dalquist and Jared "4 rounds" Kelly from that Birmingham pen are also R5. They're having decent years statistically, although I have no idea if their stuff warrants optimism and/or need for protection.

I like the Flaherty comp. What about a Fedde comp? Houser's a little light on Ks and doesn't have Fedde's story to explain the marked improvement. A month ago I said no way to that comp., but Houser's nearing that territory.

Sox don't need Rojas even if he was good. Same with the OF: At least 2 of Tauchman, Slater and Taylor need to hit the road. They may be tradeable (not for much but perhaps for something), but that's secondary. We have a backlog of OFs in Charlotte (Julks, Fletcher, DeLoach, et al) that need a final look in the majors. And Getz traded for all 3 of those guys so I would think he'd want a final look. As for Capra, at least he had a discernable skill: defense, including SS.

It should have been Rojas. He serves no purpose on this team and his play is abysmal. Still should be. Getz needs to stop with the carnival act.

I can tell you how the Sox can fix it: have a steady pipeline of young players, which is mostly via a good farm system (along with some churn). I’ve been following for 50 years and the only period in which they were consistently good is also the only period in which they had a good farm system: c. 1990-2010. The idea that the Sox have struggled because JR wouldn't spend $ on the team is off-base. And you don’t need a DH per se, but you need a position player who hits well enough to DH, usually an extra OF or corner OF.

That's true, but we are still unsettled at 2 IF, 3 OF and DH and bench and depth. There's a point where we will have to slow down the churn (although we should never completely stop the churn), but we aren't there yet.

I didn't realize that you had done a 2nd mock. I was still looking at the Hall mock. sign me up for Carlson. Anyway, Teel the younger looks interesting for round 4.

I take it that you see these pitchers as a level below Smith from lasty draft? From your piece (btw link in your post above is bad): “15 homer potential in the future but his aggressive style comes with some swing and miss concerns.” Sounds modest.

Rojas. Capra can play SS.