Channel 7, Mark Gean Geco just reported that Paul is out of options.

Channel 7, Mark Gean Geco just reported that Paul is out of options.

Ah... yea... thats why they are trying to figure out whether they wanna send olivio down or not... However most believe that paul will clear waivers eaisly..

Yeah... He's been out of options since his last call-up, hasn't he?

Yeah...  He's been out of options since his last call-up, hasn't he?

Yes.

not exactly new news - that is why we either carry three catchers, send Olivo down, or lose Paul, which has been my catching quandry all spring training.

We have to risk losing Paul....because he is playing terrible this spring.

 

IMO, there is only one battle offensively for the Sox as of right now(because I believe they will go with Olivo)....and that is the 5th bench spot....and the fight is between Miles and Burke. I've seen that Burke can play both 1B and 3B as well as catcher....which is nice. However, with having Graffy, we really don't need a util IF....and Miles brings a LH bat off the bench(I atleast believe I saw him bat LH....is he a switch-hitter?)....and speed and hustle....he'd be a good guy to come off the bench in a pinch(and he can probably play suitable CF as well, if necessary).

 

If Miles proves he can handle util IF....we could see Graffy gone at the deadline for a prospect....and then bring Borchard up and use him like the Twins used Cuddyer last year(all over...1B, 3B, LF and RF....only we'd use Borchard in LF, CF and RF on a regular basis. I'd prefer to see Lee gone...but something atleast needs to be done).

 

If someone picks up Paul....who cares? I am not going to be sad to see him go if someone does claim him.

We have to risk losing Paul....because he is playing terrible this spring.

 

IMO, there is only one battle offensively for the Sox as of right now(because I believe they will go with Olivo)....and that is the 5th bench spot....and the fight is between Miles and Burke.  I've seen that Burke can play both 1B and 3B as well as catcher....which is nice.  However, with having Graffy, we really don't need a util IF....and Miles brings a LH bat off the bench(I atleast believe I saw him bat LH....is he a switch-hitter?)....and speed and hustle....he'd be a good guy to come off the bench in a pinch(and he can probably play suitable CF as well, if necessary). 

 

If Miles proves he can handle util IF....we could see Graffy gone at the deadline for a prospect....and then bring Borchard up and use him like the Twins used Cuddyer last year(all over...1B, 3B, LF and RF....only we'd use Borchard in LF, CF and RF on a regular basis.  I'd prefer to see Lee gone...but something atleast needs to be done).

 

If someone picks up Paul....who cares?  I am not going to be sad to see him go if someone does claim him.

Yes, Miles is a switch-hitter.

 

Do you consider Harris a lock to make the team? Because I think you have to consider him a contender for that 5th bench spot if you already aren't doing so.

Burke looks spectacular.

Release Joshua Paul

He ran out of options last year. As far as I understand it options work that a player can go up and down as many times in a season. But, each year it happens it counts as a seperate option and now he has to clear waivers, if he clears them this year, then we can continue to send him up and down, I think.

 

Can anyone verify that?

 

Thats why I think Paul will make the team. If he fails, then thats it, they trade him or just see whether he clears waivers or not. If he doesn't clear, then they may tell that team, hey you can trade us someone and then we'll deal him to ya, otherwise were going to keep him.

We have to risk losing Paul....because he is playing terrible this spring.

 

IMO, there is only one battle offensively for the Sox as of right now(because I believe they will go with Olivo)....and that is the 5th bench spot....and the fight is between Miles and Burke.  I've seen that Burke can play both 1B and 3B as well as catcher....which is nice.  However, with having Graffy, we really don't need a util IF....and Miles brings a LH bat off the bench(I atleast believe I saw him bat LH....is he a switch-hitter?)....and speed and hustle....he'd be a good guy to come off the bench in a pinch(and he can probably play suitable CF as well, if necessary).  

 

If Miles proves he can handle util IF....we could see Graffy gone at the deadline for a prospect....and then bring Borchard up and use him like the Twins used Cuddyer last year(all over...1B, 3B, LF and RF....only we'd use Borchard in LF, CF and RF on a regular basis.  I'd prefer to see Lee gone...but something atleast needs to be done).

 

If someone picks up Paul....who cares?  I am not going to be sad to see him go if someone does claim him.

Yes, Miles is a switch-hitter.

 

Do you consider Harris a lock to make the team? Because I think you have to consider him a contender for that 5th bench spot if you already aren't doing so.

He pulled his hammy, and I wouldn't rush him back....he's not exactly going to start anyways.

 

I'd let his hammy get back to 100% before he goes and plays again....because if not, they can hurt you badly. If we want to let him get healthy(which would be the very wise thing to do)....he should sit atleast 2 weeks....and possibly 3 or even 4. Doesn't mean he can't like jog and do sprints after like 2 weeks....once its feeling better. But there is a lot more in baseball than just jogging and sprinting.

 

Besides....he's not even playing that well....otherwise....he'd be fighting for a spot. I do like what I've seen from him defensively from 2B.

dump josh......ill go with that option......

I still don't think we would lost Paul to another club. For someone to claim him, they would have to put him on their 25-man roster. There are lots of veteran catchers in AAA that are better than JP. He won't make a big league club unless the Sox keep him.

 

JMO

dump josh......ill go with that option......

I couldn't agree more.

I still don't think we would lost Paul to another club.  For someone to claim him, they would have to put him on their 25-man roster.  There are lots of veteran catchers in AAA that are better than JP.  He won't make a big league club unless the Sox keep him.

 

JMO

I think the only team that would take him are the Padres.

 

They could also use a power hitter, big time.

I still don't think we would lost Paul to another club.  For someone to claim him, they would have to put him on their 25-man roster.  There are lots of veteran catchers in AAA that are better than JP.  He won't make a big league club unless the Sox keep him.

 

JMO

I think the only team that would take him are the Padres.

 

They could also use a power hitter, big time.

power hitter...*cough* *cough*.. are we still talking about josh paul here??????? lol lol lol lol...i think that the power hitting they need is more likely found in a guy like magglio..........

I still don't think we would lost Paul to another club.  For someone to claim him, they would have to put him on their 25-man roster.  There are lots of veteran catchers in AAA that are better than JP.  He won't make a big league club unless the Sox keep him.

 

JMO

I think the only team that would take him are the Padres.

 

They could also use a power hitter, big time.

power hitter...*cough* *cough*.. are we still talking about josh paul here??????? lol lol lol lol...i think that the power hitting they need is more likely found in a guy like magglio..........

Please tell me you meant that the Padres needed both a catcher and a power hitter?? Certainly you did not mean JP was both? Hell, we are barely sure he is a catcher.

Josh Pauls of the world are a dime a dozen, I do not understand all the JP talk, he has done NOTHING in a SOX uniform.

I still don't think we would lost Paul to another club.  For someone to claim him, they would have to put him on their 25-man roster.  There are lots of veteran catchers in AAA that are better than JP.  He won't make a big league club unless the Sox keep him.

 

JMO

I think the only team that would take him are the Padres.

 

They could also use a power hitter, big time.

power hitter...*cough* *cough*.. are we still talking about josh paul here??????? lol lol lol lol...i think that the power hitting they need is more likely found in a guy like magglio..........

Please tell me you meant that the Padres needed both a catcher and a power hitter?? Certainly you did not mean JP was both? Hell, we are barely sure he is a catcher.

No. Was just mentioning their other need. Carlos Lee would fit over there. We all know I've been a big Brian Lawrence fan for a while, but that ain't going to happen, or I wouldn't think it would.

SF, you are absolutely right. Only because I have no life, shall I provide this list. Of course, all of you have probably already checked out all these names on MLB.com so this is not necessary, but I feel the need to print what you have already read.

 

The following catchers all with Major League experience are in Spring Training with a club but are not on the 40-man roster of that club. Most of these guys will end up in AAA. This is not a complete list.... I merely tried to pick out the most reconizable names.

 

Steve Lomasney

Izzy Molina

AJ Hinch

Tim Laker

Bill Haselman

Matt Walbeck

Mike DiFilece

John Flaherty

Adam Melhuse

Pat Borders

Jorge Fabregas

Chad Krueter

Raul Casanova

Chris Tremie

Eddie Perez

Tony Eusebio

Randy Knorr

Marcus Jensen

Kevin Brown (not the pitcher)

 

This does not include situations like the Sox have where they have 3 catchers on their 40-man roster competing for 2 spots.

 

You can debate who on this list is better than JP or is not better all you want, but that is quite a list of catchers with Big League experience.

 

All of this and 50 cents will buy you a soda, but it does also give you an indication that veteran "backup" type catchers are a dime a dozen.

As far as the Padres go, they have two backup type catchers already, in Wiki Gonzalez and Gary Bennett, not to mention perhaps the best "receiver" in baseball in Humberto Quintero on their AA roster.

 

They need a starter, not a Josh Paul. If Gonzalez is the starter, Gary Bennett would be every bit as good or better than JP as a backup.

As far as the Padres go, they have two backup type catchers already, in Wiki Gonzalez and Gary Bennett, not to mention perhaps the best "receiver" in baseball in Humberto Quintero on their AA roster.

 

They need a starter, not a Josh Paul.  If Gonzalez is the starter, Gary Bennett would be every bit as good or better than JP as a backup.

But didn't Wicki have some injury troubles last season? They had absolutely nothing behind the plate last year. Quintero is real good behind the plate, but he's still got a lot of work to do offensively, of course that aspect of the game is way over-rated when it comes to catching. The real importance is can they call a good game, can they block the plate, and can they gun guys down. All the offense is just a plus.

 

Also, just my opinion but on that list Chad Kreuter and AJ Hinch are the only too that really interest me much. I guess Flaherty wouldn't be too bad eithier. I happen to like Kreuter quite a bit.

I don't expect many of them to interest you, but my point is I would bet they interest their own teams as much or more than JP would.

I don't expect many of them to interest you, but my point is I would bet they interest their own teams as much or more than JP would.

Very True. Of course in the case of many of them, they have signed minor league deals so they won't be subject to waiver claims, like Paul will be. Also, Paul is younger then most of them and for a poor team like San Diego, If I were the GM, I'd say why not take a chance. Kevin Towers is a very good gm though, I got a lot of respect for the Padres entire orgnization, minus the owner whose having some trouble and may not be able to continue owning the Padres.

 

But Towers and Bruce Bochy do a great job, imo.

You are correct that Wiki only played 56 games last year. But my point is that they don't need a Josh Paul, they need a starter.

Of course in the case of many of them, they have signed minor league deals so they won't be subject to waiver claims, like Paul will be.  Also, Paul is younger then most of them and for a poor team like San Diego, If I were the GM, I'd say why not take a chance.

Exactly right and exactly why Paul will never clear waivers.

 

Those who say JP has contributed nothing are speaking with hyperbole; JP has not broken out as a star player by any reckoning, but he has played many games as a solid player on the team. He hasn't made the big mistakes. He has just failed to develop as we thought he would - his upward curve suddenly flattened at the point that we thought he would break out with increased development.