CaliSoxFanViaSWside

OK lay it out an extension plan for this year vs. next year and show me how much different it would be if he puts up those numbers.

Nope not wild at all. If it happens great . I just don't think it will. I'm always open to the possibility I can be wrong.

It's not a problem at all. My point is I don't see an extension coming before the season starts. If you see it differently more power to you.

I didn't forget that and didn't discount it. That's why he'll get to play in MLB this year.Do you think if he hit's .270 BA .350 OBP and .800 OPS an extension will be much more expensive next year vs. doing it now ?

Who ever got an extension after 1 year in the minors with the highest level being A+ ? He may well turn out to be a great hitter but an extension is guaranteed money. He doesn't play a premium position. At least give him this year to face some MLB pitching and give your evaluations a chance to play out some and make sure he doesn't have a major injury .

That's a bold prediction. There's really no reason to extend him right now.

Higher upside ? Kind of a strange comment. They are both long past being described like prospects. Just looking for either to contribute anything positive for a whole season is a tall order.

Did you say this just to troll SoxSteve ? ?

I'm not concerned in the least. The only thing that bothers me is the only reason I view the games is the entertainment value of them is higher when I see the Sox win and score a lot of runs and guys from the eventual 26 pitching doing well it's more entertaining.

Yep I like how you said Rodon will get it while others said win it. He's going to have it handed to him if you've paid attention to what Rodon said they told him. Even if Lopez grabs the bull by the horns it probably won't matter unless they eat that $3M after some bad starts by Rodon. If Rodon is terrible does he even want to pitch in the pen or would he rather be released ? How do you even pay a guy with Rodon's track record $3M without telling him that the BP is a possibility if he can't hack it as a starter ? Rodon would be running away with this poll if Lopez didn't have the nice 2 inning stint the other day. Haven't seen Rodon at all. I voted Rodon but as someone else said I'm wishing/hoping the more durable Lopez eventually impresses enough to take it. But it would be cool also to see Rodon pitch well enough to earn it and keep it. Not rooting for either one . I just hope between Cease, Lopez and Rodon that 2 of them are solid and if all 3 suck like last year then making the playoffs will be tough.

Hard to say. 120 is a lot for a catcher who would also catch a lot in the post season. These guys have to get used to the grind of a 162 game schedule again and many will need rest and catcher more so than any position player on the field . If I had to set an over/under on it I'd say 108 starts at catcher for Grandal. I think more people would bet on the under since injury is always a concern and his knees are already barking.

Love this bit from Monty Python and it wasn't even close to a 5 minute argument . It started at the 40 second mark and he rang the bell at 1:53 so it was actually only 1 minute and 13 seconds. He got ripped off !

Never be the last post on a page !

I don't feel like he was squeezed but a couple of pitches up in the zone could've been called strikes maybe . If he's working in out ,up, down ,you want some of those calls.

Well I will say it's difficult to gauge fact from strong personal opinions with him. He's known here as an insider but also known for strong personal opinions and stating those opinions as fact like he just did. He rarely phrases what he says as opinion like " I think this" or "I thank that". I will say that if Grandal's early health issues are a sign of things to come , then whoever gets more playing time has to take advantage of it . Lucroy might not have much left in the tank either. COVID or McCann could've played a part in the slow development of Collins but it also might have something to do with how they view Collins dedication. They won't move him because he does have valuable skills . With Grandal ailing and Lucroy's health always a question and a possible early season opening at DH Collins should get more chances this year. Now if by some miracle Mercedes makes the team and Collins doesn't, that would be a pretty clear sign the Sox are sending Collins some kind of message. Unfortunately Mercedes could hit 8 HR's and throw out 8 runners, hit .450 this spring and he still wouldn't get a job on the 26 .

I don't know if it's a counter example. Everyone just doesn't like everybody else. People are going to clash whether it's their actions or words that lead to those confrontations. AJ Pierzynski was, according to most sources ,a Grade A asshole. Some people just have a gift for getting under people's skin.

I don't want to pile on so I'll be brief . The maturity level and the belief in your own abilities is much higher in the pros. At the pro level not many are threatened by new guys because you get paid for being good and if you aren't good and someone is better you get cut. It's the difference between boys and men and you can't equate your experiences as a teen or in your early 20's to guys who play sports for a living . If you can't cut it as a pro you have no one to blame but yourself and you don't have guys resenting you because you might take a buddy's spot on the team or you think you're God's gift. There are cocky a-holes and and then there are guys who are just confident and secure in their abilities because they work as hard as they can on it. Any sport at the highest level will humble you soon enough if you don't do what's required or don't have the talent.

Glad you said it and not me. I argued that till I was blue in the face after the game 3 loss. People hyping the BP forget a lot of those young guys were cutting their teeth against poor teams and they completely wet the bed in game 3 against a non AL Central team and Crochet got injured when he was specifically rested to pitch in game 3. Bad pitching and an injury are not the fault of the manager. You don't win many games when the BP walks 7+ guys. I think the bullpen is pretty good but Heuer and Foster and the like will have a much harder time this year with the normal schedule and better lineups. That's just the vagaries of relief pitching.

As did I at the time. I did not like EE's declining stats. Reminded me too much of LaRoche only like 4 years older. They weren't going to win a World Series in 2020 without more pitching so giving Yermin and/or Collins more time in the bigs could've left more money to acquire pitching and led to one or the others emergence.

I'm not convinced of that either which is why I had hoped he was given a legit look before now.

I like it but he hit neck and neck with Robert in AA/AAA when they were there at the same time and with a much better walk rate and people call what Robert did in 2019 across 3 levels phenomenal. Now of course Robert had great fielding and base running too and was younger, but we are just talking about hitting. Go check I'm not exaggerating . Batting averages, OBP, OPS both killed Birmingham and Charlotte. I understand if you have doubted in the past if you have legit concerns about his fielding but as far as hitting goes the only hurdle he hasn't conquered is MLB and late 2019 and all of 2020 the Sox never gave him a shot.

Might as well throw LuCroy in the mix too.

All he does is hit !!