GreenSox

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 08:36 PM) Why does a 3B, 1B, RF, and LF have to have a certain amount of power?? We need players who get on base and can knock people in who are on base. Look at the Cardinals. Allen Craig has 11 home runs this year, a lot of power? Nope, but he gets hits. That is all we need. Economics. Teams need power. Power hitters who can play corner positions are more plentiful, thus they are cheaper to obtain. If you try to get your power from CF, C, SS and 2b, you have to pay more for it... it is scarce. Thus, it is a more efficient use of resources to take your power at the corners. That's also why it's worthwhile to give our new acquisition a fair look in CF.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 01:01 PM) Not sure if these two examples were in the same game, but Ventura did use Septimo instead of Veal once to face Fielder (who had no chance vs Veal), and Prince homered. Then, with the Sox making a furious rally off of Benoit, he asked Youkilis to bunt which resulted in two poor attempts and strike 3. this indicates what he did all September. Used the back end of the pen in high leverage situations (and he's done it all year long this year too) and starting bunting like a madman in September.

The two new bright spots of the year pitched tonight: the development of Santiago as a first rate starter and Jones as a first rate reliever. I'd like to see them give Jones some save chances, if there are any to be had.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 05:17 PM) I'm more interested in whether this deal can be recreated in the offseason No way. The other team loses the value of the veterans in the key 2 months of the season. We still should be able to move some of these guys along, but we won't get the same deal our way. That's assuming it was for veterans, and not for Sale, Quintanta, etc.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 2, 2013 -> 12:16 PM) The Rays had Top 1-2-3 draft picks for how many years? Josh Hamilton, BJ Upton, Delmon Young, David Price, Longoria, Moore, etc. Dewon Brazelton was also right up there, because they were afraid to deal with Boras/Teixeira. Now Rosenbloom's going after Hahn for trading for a RFer when that position is still occupied by Rios. Guess he has SOMETHING of a point, although the remainder of this season doesn't matter much, and there's still August and the offseason to figure out how to get rid of Alex. Rosenbloom's suggestion was benching Viciedo and/or DeAza, BUT benching Viciedo for the next two months doesn't do anything at all to help the Sox...there is, however, no reason they couldn't play Garcia everyday and rotate Dunn/Rios/DeAza at-bats, if they chose to go down that path. Rios will be moved this month. It will be moot.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:38 AM) If is lack of skill and experience is the problem this year, how do you explain last season? His lack of experience and skill showed markedly last September. I just don't see how a player who has never even sat on a bench as a coach and then was away for a decade, has the credentials as a manager. And it's not all him...he had accept the legacy coaches as assistants, of course.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 08:40 PM) I want to see Beckham at short the rest of the year, Gillaspie at second (groom to be a super-sub of sorts), and Morel at third. The Sox lose valuable evaluation time with every game Ramirez plays. I tend to concur with the you; if not that specific plan (please post a warning when you write scary things - like Morel at 3rd). We should also clear out the bullpen soon of the Troncoso's et al and give some prospects or even another set of AAAA players a chance. It's ridiculous to play useless veterans.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 03:19 PM) For Kotsay...because he's a career .275 hitter as a pinch hitter and in the NL when you have the pitcher's spot that's incredibly important and overvalued. A team like the Padres can live with that guy on the bench because they can use him for an at-bat a game, particularly from the LH side. He's not in the AL, that's why he's still playing. Wise....well, I think Rios has had what, 1 day off this season? Even when Wise was here he wasn't being used. Blame the manager for that if you want, but we need someone on the bench the manager will actually use somewhere on this team. Kotsay is in a different league of baseball player than Wise and his career .267 OBP. Can't blame the manager for not playing Wise...applaud him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 01:20 PM) Part of the problem also is that we have a number of guys who also need to hit better. I agree. That's a lot of the problem with the OBPs. Just throw strikes at them and they get themselves out. Can't walk on balls over the plate. T

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:24 AM) Cause let's face it, Hahn's explanation for how they're going to use the savings is a bunch of BS given the new spending caps on amateur players. It's still not helpful to waste money on other teams' stiffs.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 12:29 PM) If all this experience is a prerequisite, how would you have any idea what anyone is doing wrong? I take it you have zero experience in a major league dugout. I never said I could manage. But it's not hard to identify, critique obvious mistakes. Yes it is easy to be a critic. That's why we don't paid. It's very difficult to implement a lot of decisions, obvious as many are. That's why MLB managers get paid huge salaries. It's not an easy job.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 12:29 PM) If all this experience is a prerequisite, how would you have any idea what anyone is doing wrong? I take it you have zero experience in a major league dugout. I never said I could manage. But it's not hard to identify, critique obvious mistakes. Yes it is easy to be a critic. That's why we don't paid. It's very difficult to implement a lot of decisions, obvious as many are. That's why MLB managers get paid huge salaries. It's not an easy job.

Yep; that's the way they used to do it. Hawk must have slept through the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s....

He just discussed how Ventura handles players. That part's probably fine. But his use of personnel and strategic decisions are not so fine. Ventura is Williams' guy. Hahn is supposed to be a more modern baseball guy - needs his manager and coaching staff sans legacies.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 11:16 AM) It would be if it weren't for the fact the previous manager presided over a team with similar issues and had the same players Still is. The prior manager had these problems late in his career when he tired of his job. The current manager was brought in after a 10 year absence from MLB and are the result of lack of skill and experience, and don't indicate an organizational issue (other than hiring him in the first place).

We lost some of our leverage in pulling prospects for Rios, as teams know we want to open RF for Garcia. They may hold out for salary only But we still have it for Ramirez.

A lot of players lose their incentive to perform when they get that long-term contract in or past their prime as well. You can use a free agent or 2 to supplement, after you have a strong core. We have no core. Getting a catcher and CF who can play defense and a 1B who can hit and field his position would be a good start....neither of those are that hard to find.

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Aug 1, 2013 -> 03:50 AM) This thread is ridiculous. With our market/payroll, you play to win every year. I can't believe I'm reading people say, "I want to lose next year." I refer you all to the Pirates/Royals/Padres of the late 90s/00's. Handfuls of early 1st round picks, nothing to show for it. Look at 1st rounds in the last ten years. Your first five picks will produce 2-3 MLB starters and then the last 25 picks of the round will give you 4-5 major league starters. You play to win the game. Picking #7 as opposed to #17 rarely makes a difference. This isn't the NBA/NFL. I agree with you. But it is getting harder and harder to win if you don't develop your own players or get young players in trade. We are good at developing pitchers...we need to use that to broaden the quality of our team. As for law, he's no better or no worse than most scouts. He's a bit condescending and dogmatic at times, but he's approachable by fans...i.e. you can read his reports and ask him questions. He has a blog and does a lot on twitter (heck he's responded to several of my questions on twitter). And he liked Rienzo...not loved but liked him. Again, a pitcher. In the case of Garcia, he's basically developed. Let's hope we evaluated him correctly.

The best trade of the deadline was the Astros getting one of KC's top 5-8 prospects for mediocre (at best) journeyman Justin Maxwell. The Royals didn't like De Aza?

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 10:28 PM) I'm not saying the contract in itself is a bad one On an island it's a good contract. But we weren't on an island we were dealing with the trade market and the market makers said, we rather have a rental than take on that contract. So in that sense it was a bad contract. That contract and his time on the DL didn't mesh well regarding his appeal to other teams. Hahn did well getting a player they believe is an impact player...I just hope their evaluation, which has been spotty, is valid this time.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 09:59 PM) I posted in another thread, but Sox are going to start off Garcia in CF in AAA Good - Give him a shot there. Lord knows we need a CF.

Keep Danks. Trade Quintana and get 2 high end young position players in here who haven't reached their peak yet.

I went to high school with Mahtook's dad. He died passed away at a young age. Mikie Sr was all heart, just like the son. The LSU people loved the kid.

QUOTE (Lemon_44 @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 08:36 AM) After acquring Garcia and Jacobs, the Sox have some extra OF's that could be dangled with the most valuable probably being Trayce Thompson. Does Ramirez, Thompson, and Lindstrom get you Adams and Martinez/Wong? I'd probably rather just see if Alexei and Lindstrom could pull Adams though. it would be nice to go ahead and turn a few of those guys into ML players because while our minors may have a surplus our majors have a big deficit, and the more we have in the minors the better chance some develop.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 08:38 PM) Your criticism of his defense in center is all the more reason for him to move to left. He's hit better than Viciedo and Rios. he'd be better defensively in left, yes. But Viciedo is young and has more talent and I wouldn't flush him yet. I know his D is worse, but it's also in left where it'snot as important.