bmags

Right, this year, especially, really this month, I took stock of it all and felt like it was impossible to say it has been a failure. It has still struggled to get guys through A-ball, but those in AZL/Gfalls and to some extent now in kanny are performing ahead of their prior peers. And even short of superstars, they lack just getting depth, utility infielders, 4th outfielders, stuff that other teams generate easily. Pitching however has just been unbelievably empty. I'm very excited for guzman but that's like 6 years away. FDLS was the last guy that provided any value I can think of. You'd think random chance we'd have run into one in the last 10 years that sprouted up.

Thanks James, this was great. I don't know, I'm in between arguments. THings have certainly shifted to the point where I think we can really say paddy has become successful. He has identified and pushed for signing an all star 1b, the top prospect in baseball (of which we get no fruits), a top 5 prospect in baseball, and for a time top 100 prospect in baseball (adolfo). But I am not sure I buy this "sox prefer a quantitative approach" mainly because the sox are rarely even at the top for most signings in any given period are they? Seems like the yankees still sign 30 guys plus 3-4 top 30 ones. Other teams aren't avoiding signing lenyn sosas, they have their own in their class. It doesn't mean they are bad or wrong, but after years of lack of success I'd just like sox to go all-in more. A complete quantity play with the most signings of all teams in a period. A play like the yankees or as where we throw everything ad jasson dominguez or puason. But they are just half-in, they say they are quantity but don't actually own the 500-1million market either. It's just confusing but the next two years are going to provide the most clarity, because there seems to be some production that may come out of the 17/18 classes, more than expected.

I think the jose iglesias contract indicates there is not a lot of value there regardless. Defense only SSs could be acquired fairly cheaply. Tim is having some trouble again with errors, but provides way more value as a shortstop than a RF, and the combo of slugging RF/TA at SS is much more potent than TA at RF, competent, replaceable SS at SS. You'd be looking to upgrade that position constantly so the savings wouldn't be that helpful.

That’s pretty interesting. It would be nice to have a reliable scorer off bench but wouldn’t want to devote half the available leftover cap to him. Rather toward wings/athletic forwards

Haven’t seen any

I’ll be in Raleigh so W-S is the only reasonable drive.

I think AZL tune-up, W-S next.

So Vaughn. He’s a new player, good bat.

Escobar is going to be up isn’t he

Omg just realized I’ll be in NC the week of July 13th but I bet that will be too early to see him in W-S

Or turn off the lights! oh wait that didn't work.

unfortunately with colome's blown save his value probably cratered.

I'm impressed winston salem hasn't absolutely cratered since Madrigal was promoted.

It's really impressive to see Rutherford and also h/t to sheets fighting back after such a brutal start. If they can sustain and finish year above a .700 ops that's a big win in my book.

just going to pin this for a bit.

I would bet Sanchez does, fangraphs already has.

KC Johnson has made sure we all know that we are still not planning to sign anyone good, as we are onto the 2022 plan.

Asik was removed from Bulls salary cap as a med exemption, adding another 3 million.

He’s going to report the signings just not evaluate them right?

There were some fascinating articles and decisions made by Baseball America today. First, BA is not going to rank this class: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/why-were-not-ranking-the-top-july-2-prospects/ And it's largely because of this: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/trainers-mlb-teams-unhappy-with-current-international-signing-system/ So if not a subscriber, teams are signing players earlier and earlier, basically indicating the class of 2021 is being worked on now. As soon as a player signs, he stops working out for other teams, so Badler cannot get up to date reports on how players that were 14 when signed have progressed (they are now 16!) excerpt: " So from a practical standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to write up our usual reports and rankings. I don't want to put my name or Baseball America's name on a list just for the sake of having a list. I don't think that's the right thing to do, especially when we're writing about kids who are 15 and 16 years old. I don't think it's fair to the players, I don't think it's fair to the teams and I don't think it's responsible for us mislead our readers by publishing surface-level information that would be heavy on uncertainty. That's why we have a new plan for how we're going to cover the top 2019 international signings that's different from what we typically do. Normally, we review each team's international signing class the following year beginning in March, with scouting reports on every player who signed for at least $125,000. Those International Reviews end up containing around 300 scouting reports on international signings. Instead, we are going to move those International Reviews earlier in the calendar to publish them later this year, after the end of the 2019 season. That gives us the opportunity to give you better information on these players. The reports will account for how players look in the Tricky League (an informal league for July 2 signings), U.S. instructional league and Dominican instructs. That means our July 2 coverage will be delayed a few months, but the end result will be more comprehensive coverage earlier and better quality information that, I hope, adds more value for our readers and is fair to everyone involved in the international baseball community." First, I respect the hell out of Cooper and BAdler for doing this, they may be losing a lot of readership for the list which I know I subscribed to get. Second, this is crazy. This is taking something that's already a crapshoot, and making it an even crazier crapshoot.

Absolutely, I mean that would be making the best of the situation, but I'm just saying if they didn't sign Dalquist (which isn't likely unless his physical was terrible), even if we sign these guys I would not feel like the situation was salvaged. I'd take 1 dalquist over 4 of these trenkle, britt, etc in a heartbeat (even though tinstaapp)

Behind each of those cores you mentioned was a substantial number of prospects beneath them that have been used to supplement the core through trades or adding to the ball club. So yes, depth behind the main pieces will be very important, or else we need to rely on free agency to constantly fill gaps.

Hey if you haven't read the mvp machine I'd really recommend it, it has a few stories on fixing the yips for players.

I am struggling with honestly evaluating their international pipeline in the face of Robert, however, I think with the penalty I wanted a restocking, and spending so much on Sanchez doesn't do that. What we are talking about is a fairly normal class, and despite maybe getting some productive players in 17/18 (jose rodriguez, bailey/already forgot the pitcher), they were light on volume.

it's just that a fully formed, actualized version of this signed for 2.5 million to play this year (Jose Iglesias). Considering the huge value that could be created from international it's a crappy use of resources to me.