Adele_H

Who? Was? In? Like? Let? Alone? "In Love"? With? Aaron? Freakin? Miles??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, name that misguided individual. Then laugh at her, hard.

Agreed. I don't know what fathom is talking about. Getz was virtually unknown as a prospect even during stellar '09 Spring Training. Outside of those 2 weeks following a broken finger (Jermaine Dye would be in Intensive Care if he had to play with a broken bone), Getz has been looking like a major-leaguer. I still think Getz needs to hit #2 in the line-up with suddenly-rebounding Ramirez as the most grindelicious Ozzie-approved #3 in the league. Getz may not steal 40 bases but he also won't get caught 25 times (looking at you Vlad Guerrero) I do wish Getz had a stronger arm and didn't choose a game against the Cubs to forget how to field..... but hey nobody's perfect.

As someone how never seen him play..... do you think he is likely to succeed against Major-league pitching with his particular skill-set/approach?

Too bad. Betemit looked downright resurrgent at the plate in ST. He was supposed to provide what Mackowiak did in 2006 off the bench as PH, and back up Jim Thome as DH in case of injury. I guess he needs more regular playing time to stay sharp. Fielding? Not so much.

generous gun. just as Linebrink likely didn't really throw 96 against the Cubs or Bobby Jenks -- 99 in Kansas City. most of the time with the Sox Masset was barely 92-93. not that velocity is everything. it just adds to the mistrust of minor league hype.

Yep. Alexei is starting to hit the ball with authority (even ast 2 outs -- missiles). Beckham got the deer-in-the-headlights portion of rookie debut out of the way and is already looking better than Fields. Podsednik and especially Getz shortening/leveling their stroke which oddly enough allows them to drive the ball. Contreras. Danks. Floyd. Buerhle. Even Brian Anderson is looking decent on off-speed pitches last couple of games. Better not have concentration letdown against Dodgers and Cubs at home, Ozzie. You hear me!

I am not exactly thrilled with Quentin being out longer than expeted, with Linebrink being a glorified Rick White (2003) and with both Konerko and Dye losing their top form as soon as something starts hurting (wrist and calf respectively). That said, come on, barring some one-sided offers for Contereras, Dotel and Co....how can anyone think this team needs to be blown up 3-4 games back of Detroit....? Dan Bernstein just says things to get rise out of people. Pure sillyness.

I meant I was hoping it wouldn't be. Even "minor" wrist injuries = me no likey.

Jack Egbert made it to the majors alright. And then his weak stuff got crushed. Back to AAA. Story of most (good) prospects' lives. (Incidentally, in the olden days, when teams had gazillion minor league affiliates, there were guys who would hit 50+ HR, 150 RBI a year and still could barely hope for a major-league promotion. Which is what makes all this pining for the great David Cook so hilarious.)

98 mph?! Alright now even I am starting to get excited. ( I hope it's not Nick Masset's 98, Arnie Munoz 94 or Felix Diaz 96, though. )

Didn't Jeremy Reed, Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney all have semi-chronic wrist problems at one point?

Didn't mean to say that Shelby has no hand-eye coordination. Only made a general point in response to your "his power/speed combo is so dreamy" American Idol fanboy schtick. Sorry, didn't mean to offend. I am just saying that power/speed is not enough. And that IMO Shelby is a lesse talent than Chris Young (who after a slow start in 2005, was lighting AA on fire and actually was pretty good as a rookie in 2007 in the bigs)

You know, I think even success in AA is hardly a reliable predictor of success -- anymore than, say, Tyler Hansborough or some NBA developmental league guy piling up big numbers. Discounting obvious phenoms/exception.......90% of guys you need to see face major-league quality competion consistently before rendering judgement.

Harp incessantly? I just joined. When I last posted on this site, Shelby was still in a test-tube somewhere.

Dude, I saw Longoria once on TV. 2 quick DP turns and a frozen rope HR to RCF later, it was obvious the guy had a chance, as Hawkaroo would stay.

good grief, does this point still need emphasizing anymore? overwhelming majority of minor-leaguers not only do not become ML stars, not even close. 2000 prospect list above is another reminder. overwhelming. majority i'll be happy if 2 of the current Sox top 20 prospects made an All-Star appearance in the bigs.

Scout the player not the numbers, as the old folk mutter. Numbers in the minors can be very misleading, in general. Ask Brandon Wood and Jake Fox, among others. Then you take into account that the jump between A and AA is arguably the biggest of all (besides to majors) The way some talk about Shelby is that of a bonafied blue-chip prospect. Having actually seen him play.... He is NOT. There are a couple of John Shelby III in every organization AA/AAA. My point re: speed/power being not nearly enough to be a good major-leaguer, still stands. Who knows, Shelby may become an All-Star; I am certainly not trying to suggest he's hopeless case. I didn't think Chris Young, Corey Patterson and Felix Pie would be failing as miserably at this point in their careers, either.

as a wise man remarked upthread...."Walk will fix dat, fu'sho hold up are you thinking what I am thinking I am thinking that I am thinking too, Im a motherlover your a motherlover we should ___ each other'smother SNL"

given the flaw in most Sox hitters' approach/mechanics, would it make a difference? they can't hit a decent off-speed pitch middle-away. when was the last time a non-Thome player went oppo (HR)?

Walkerball, yo.

Unfortunately, if pitch-recognotion, strike-zone management and hand-eye coordination (read: bat control) aren't top notch, no amount of power/speed will help a player succeed in the majors. Chris Young, Felie Pie and Corey Patterson are finding that out the hard way -- and Shelby is a lesser talent IMO. His struggles in AA do not surprise.

Agreed. Quentin lost for the season would definalty be a big symbolic blow if nothing else. The only thing I ask for is for him not to be implicated in the P.E.D scandal of any sort. With Pablo Ozuna news, I am kinda paranoid about that stuff tarnishing 2005 and even 2008 teams. (see: 2004 Red Sox frauds). Quetin does fit the profile in more than one respect.

Dotel and Contreras I can understand.... but we're talking dumping Ramirez at the deadline now? Give me a break. Before this season, I thought Alexei had the talent to contend for AL MVP in the next 5 years [as he learned the pithers and American way of life]. Rollins, Pedroia-style. He's still one of my favorite players, but it's clear that Cuban Missile didn't put in the time in the off-season -- both getting bigger/stronger and in terms of studying the game. If anything, he looks smaller than last year and without much of a plan at the plate. His slow starts aren't coincidence, IMO. Hopefully the Cubs series represent a turning point.

I am a big believer in both Beckham and Getz having strong 2nd halves. Getz looked real bad for couple of weeks after coming back from broken finger, but the guy is a major leaguer. (would have been nice if he didn't have his worst fielding day agasinst the Cubs, but I digress Anderson not so sure about. Brian's pitch-recognition just hasn't improved in almost 4 years in the majors. His swing is still long/loopy for long stretches of time. I want him starting over Wise or Swisher types, but his future beyond Danks is unclear. Fields? Football reflexes. See: Borchard, Owens.

It would make no sense to do so. While his switch back to SS hasn't been as smooth as some liked, Ramirez has more range, a stronger arm AND softer hands than Beckham. Beckham projects as a future 3B anyway. Both Ozzie and Brian Anderson expressed how good Ramirez looks at SS during practice in ST. I think those 2 know more about defense than any one of us.