Mr. Chairman

Don't you love our Ozzieball fundamentals...

Exactly!

I didn't mean off-field stuff or possible character flaws (I don't know him personally). I am talking about uncanny ability to focus, iron determination, competitiveness that type of stuff.

I am going to bring you a dream, as a token of appreciation.

Good point re: torque, but I speaking of what he is capable of handling range-wise should Sox need a LF. Not CF, IMO..

Has he even started shaving yet? I am not even sure he's older than most posters here. He'll be fine, long-term. Take Piazza and Ivan off the roids and Mauer's all-natural production will look hella impressive down the line.

How about now, my hellerine friend?

K/BB ratios are end all be all now? Right. How do you think Santana looked when he was 19? You just can't discount Gio's age and lack of experience. And no offense to Haigwood who put himself on the map in a big way last 4 weeks, but there's only one Sox pitching prospect who rates above Gio and that's McCarthy. It's a combination of age, stuff, projectability and mental intangibles.

Ok, Aaron went from having some of the worst instincts from a CF in the game (2002) to being a Gold Glover? Seriously? Reality being what it is, Aaron brings the following to the table: good jumps, average closing speed, average at best hands, above average arm strenght but mediocre accuracy. He has improved and now is a good def. outfielder. But not a Gold Glover - there is nothing he is great at. Watch Hunter, Andruw, younger Edmonds play and you'll see what I am talking about. Griffey? Could still be a decent corner OF, but, man, is it going to be scary watching him dive/bang, knowing that some 40 Million are on the line.

Look. You can argue Santana used roids or that he is starting to succumb to an injury or two. But at full strenght, only a complete idiot would pick Buerhle (who IMO hasn't reached his peak yet - his backdoor curve is inconsistent still) over Johanesburgh. Ditto for Garland over Prior.

Not bad.

You could argue that low-OBP Steal demons like are an afterthought, but a high-OBP lead off man who knows how to force the pitcher to throw everything he has up the sleeve and who can fake him out at 1st all day long, is still as important as ever. Not only does he help set the tempo for the game (too lazy to look up the actual numbers, but Kenny Lofton figured prominently into, it seemed like, every meaningful rally with the Giants and Cub down the stretch a few years back), which is just what this "get-a-lead-and-let-the-pitcher-hold-em-off" team needs.... but also #1 and #2 hitters in the line-up prolong the inning for 3-4 boppers and ensure that they are actually being pitched to. When do you think David Ortiz is at his most dangerous - when Damon and Renteria are on and no outs, or with bases empty and 2 outs? That said, Willie Harris is not the man for the job. And lately, it seemed like Pods wasn't, either. Unfair to ask Jerry Owens to jump from low-Aball all the way into ML in just over a year.