almagest

Please swing at strikes.

That would be my hope. I thought Shingo and Tadahito would help us establish an NPB pipeline but it seems most of them only want to play on the west coast. Or their arms fall off soon after they get here. It also doesn't seem like hitters make the jump at all anymore (besides Ohtani).

https://jballallen.com/iguchi-eyes-sweet-home-chicago/

Kikuchi has solid stuff. He's tough to hit.

Delmon Young was a league average hitter for his career. If Robert does that but with more power he's an above average hitter who plays great defense. Sounds good to me!

The back action on his delivery reminds me a little of Jon Garland

He's a troll. just ignore him.

Yeah, this is a problem but how they got here isn't bad. They built their team well, it got too expensive so now they need to retool. The Red Sox are easily capable of doing this so I don't think they're too worried.

I don't think the big spending will ever happen. They will never be in the running for tier one free agents with their organizational philosophy. The major talent will have to come from within and be supplemented with league average free agents wherever they have holes (and they'll continue to overpay for them). Or they get lucky on reclamation projects or with last gasp 34+ year olds.

Yeah, this is where I'm at. I think the window is more like 2021 at the earliest now. If they go out and make a ton of trades and signings for 2020 to try to become competitive I'm going to be pretty damn frustrated because they'll probably be right back where they were in 2016.

Me too. Seems most relevant right now.

Oof

?

If you're basing this on his age 21 and 22 seasons with absolutely no future projection of improvement and not including Kopech or Basabe then yes that is correct.

He's been a league average hitter so far and he's only 23.

??

What was Kaplan's rumor?

Not Shack's fault dude. He can only tell us what he's heard. Place the blame on the organization where it belongs.

If we're absolutely not going to sign Harper and we can get some good prospects or even solid players (like Joc Pederson, though I'd want to see about an extension for him) off their roster I'm fine with this. I'm still pissed off at the team but at least this is something.

I don't think this is the case, but it COULD be that the Sox said something like "Hey you don't like Dan Lozano, we now don't like him, we both want to one-up him now so keep our involvement quiet here and we'll match or exceed any offer up to $X dollars". I don't think the Sox are doing this (I think they're out honestly), but I am a spiteful, petty, vengeance-driven man, so this is what I would do.

Maybe, but if you get something really good in return for them it lessens that blow. The Sox could always find a 2-3 WAR outfielder in free agency or from someone else in their system (assuming they have any depth which they probably won't).

Sure, but you bet on his track record. That's why you pay him. Projecting Harper to be bad before age-based regression is catastrophizing.

Also if they trade any OF prospects the idea is that you get something of value in return, probably pitching given the injuries we've seen lately.

If the Sox are bad enough that Harper wants to leave in 3 years then it doesn't matter if he opts out.

If your only other option is the shithole that is Philly you'll be more open to playing on the southside but still living in a world-class city.