Kopech is a million dollar arm and $.02 brain. Agreed he's not going to be in the rotation right away and even if he does eventually make it back and pitches, I don't trust him any higher than #5 starter.

_________________

Forgot to log in as HawaiiYou.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

NO on Nelson Cruz. Just as I said NO on Done, LaCucharacha, and DeadEndcarcion. ALL that money should have been spent on pitching.

_________________
Wattabout Kodak Black?

You're not very good at this.

_________________
Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Stick to Raiders threads that no one else cares about.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Kopech can't possibly have more than 100 innings after missing so much time. So even if you are including him as having an impact, you may as well put him on the 60 day and leave him in Arizona to aim for a June 1 start.

Rich Hill would be a good stopgap, because nobody will blink at stashing him on the IL for 15 days at a time, so he's perfect for spotting for 18-20 starts but aimed at the postseason.

_________________
"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Nope, I'm calling you on it.

Caller Bob and many others can't stay out of the lone RAIDER thread. Can't do it.

_________________
Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Rodon is coming back, pending a physical.

Good for him.

_________________

To start? Just seems like a strange reunion given how open he was on criticizing how he was used. Guess it's all on Ricky.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Probably to compete for 5th starter/long relief spot.

_________________

There are going to be a lot of starter's innings to cover out of the 4-5 spot right now. Best case scenario is that Cease/Kopech give you 125. So they will either need to limit their starts or reduce their innings per start. Rodon and Lopez will probably have to take on 5-10 starts each.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I'm not optimistic, but Lopez might still be salvagable as something.

Rodon is done. I don't see how him being on the roster makes the Sox a better ballclub.

_________________

The role that's needed for Rodon, he can't do. I wish he was a guy who could fall out of bed throwing strikes, but he just can't. The signing is part "gold watch" and part Ethan Katz. New pitching coaches are always chock full of ideas. So while I think Rodon will be gone by June, I hope not.

_________________
Wattabout Kodak Black?

It seems like they are still playing for second place. Why are the Twins above them in payroll? Adding Lynn was nice but upgrading at closer when it wasn't a problem last year is annoying at the least.

They haven't spent the Machado money. And they are not going all in at a time when other teams aren't spending. Jerry is going to take the profits with him to his grave.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Closer was a problem because they didn't have one. Colome was the much cheaper player on the market but the upgrade wasn't from Colome, it was from one of their young arm's who has never closed.

Twins made two pretty significant signings this week and Sox fans seem to be shrugging them off as nothing.

Both the Twins and not indians are going to contend. I still think Sox young guys like Robert and Madrigal didn't experience full rookie seasons and Abreu had a career year. After hearing Getz, it seems like they are counting on a rookie who hasn't played above A+ to be the DH on a team that hopes to contend. This team is hardly the playoff certainty it is being portrayed to be

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Amen.

_________________

I am much less concerned about Robert than Madrigal.

Its going to come down to the Sox and Twins. I don't think CLEVELAND BASEBALL TEAM will be a doormat, but they won't seriously contend for the division either.

_________________

Does cleveland even have a full pitching staff yet?

Def seems like it is the Twins and Sox

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I

I am more worried about Robert, who disappeared for an entire month. Madrigal will constantly put the ball in play. We don't have a DH so Robert will have to be a consistent run producer. That's a concern.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

I wouldn't mind it if the DH was some combination of Jimenez and Grandal. However, in order to do that, they would need a better back up catcher and better options in the outfield. They really haven't brought those in yet.

Eloy should DH at least 60 games, probably more. Eaton in LF, Robert in CF, Engel in RF.

Abreu will likely DH some, as well as Grandal here and there.

_________________

There are guys to be had too. Also, you should not go into a season hoping that guys who never have done it become consistent 4th and 5th starters.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

I'm worried Keuchel's smoke machine won't fire up and all his mirrors get broke.

_________________
Wattabout Kodak Black?

That's also a concern. He was good for a couple of months, but...

1. He got hurt and missed several starts that could have clinched it.

2. He blew the playoff game with the chance to advance.

3. He was a 5-6 inning twice through starter now.

For a team worried about peripheral stats when it came to Colome, Kuechel has more of those concerns.

Starting pitching depth needs to be addressed still.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

PECOTA projections have the Sox at 83-79 this year, good for 3rd place behind Minnesota and Cleveland.

Not a lot of faith in Moncada or Robert.

Moncada Projection: .243/.334/.426
Robert Projection: .234/.298/.427

If those guys hit, should be easy to beat projection by at least 5 games.

_________________

It seems like if Moncada is healthy, he hits. If he has ouchies, he doesn't. Let's strategize to keep him healthy.

Me, I worry about the starting pitching. If we only win 83 games, it's going to be because of that. I'm still angry about giving up Dunning. Other pitchers of Lynn's caliber were moved for much less.

_________________
Wattabout Kodak Black?

I think we'll see regression from Abreu. Especially with a longer regular season. If Robert is the Robert from the first month things will be fine. If he's the Robert from the last month we're probably in trouble.

On the pitching side, concern is Gioloto and Keuchel come back to Earth a little and age catches up with Lynn. Will Hendriks be the same guy he was the last 2 years? Or will he fall apart like the last closer we got from Oakland?

_________________

We also lost a mind melding catcher. Grandal is just a guy with equipment on who can occasionally fool an umpire. And occasionally can't catch a baseball. I truly hope he paid attention to how McCann ran his business.

_________________
Wattabout Kodak Black?