This honestly isn't a terrible add. He has solid K% & BB% at AAA, steals a crap ton of SB's too. Better than many of the stiffs they've had stashed in Charlotte last few years.
Honestly depends on how many of the kids take another step in their sophomore year. Hopefully we don't see too many struggles or take a step back. Sox got lucky where pretty much everyone that debuted played pretty well. I feel like that's incredibly rare. They'd need Braden to hit the ground running too to help solidify an OF spot and Schultz would need to prove he's healthy and ready to be a big league pitcher. I still think this team is 90+ losses at the moment, but they should be at least 'fun bad' team as opposed to just bad and not worth watching.
If the season started tomorrow, I would roll with this:
2B - Meidroth (R)
C - Teel (L)
SS - Montgomery (L)
CF - Robert (R)
1B - Murakami (L)
3B - Vargas (R)
LF - Benintendi (L)
DH - Quero (S)
RF - Baldwin (S)
It's technically like a late 1st round talent. So there is real value there and it affects your bonus pool, which arguably is even a better value that the pick itself. There were rumors last year the Sox tried getting the Reds comp pick for Robert. I honestly don't know if Robert has that much value remaining unless the Sox absorb so salary in the deal.
Disagree. Pointless to keep a guy who won't stay healthy and has a s%*# work ethic on this team. Cut ties and let him be someone else's problem even if that means Hill in CF. Re-allocate his salary into something more useful.
This certainly is fun. I do wish they took more of a gamble and went with a little longer deal, because it's going to be hard to retain him if he ends up as good as some people think. Should be fun to watch him regardless. Nice to see the Sox break the mold and beat the rest of the league.
I have a 20 game plan, and they sent out a link a while ago to reserve free tickets for the Friday night of the event. If you're signing up now, I'd speak to a rep and see if you can even still get them.
No - Murakami always carried a good BB% in the NPB. Elko would swing at a ball rolled to home plate.
But I'd agree with you, the Sox aren't going to be players for him.