Yeah, Lester got sent down to minor league camp today. It drives me nuts to hear about Next Big Things and then see them brought along slowly, but I always remind myself: Jeff Suppan. Believe it or not, Suppan was touted as "The next Greg Maddux" as a minor leaguer. I guess he must have killed a hooker or something.
I wasn't even thinking about age, to tell you the truth, but it is hard to believe Beckett is still only 25. It seems he's been around quite a long time (I guess his performance against the Yanks a few years ago took some years off MY life). You can't argue with picking up Beckett, obviously if his health holds up, but I was wondering if you agree with me on this: Sometimes it seems Boston gets caught up trying to hang with the Yankees when it comes to signing/trading for big names. Whether it's to keep the Yankees or another AL team from going after Beckett, for example, I don't know. But I wondered if Red Sox fans are worried they may start slowly letting more and more of these prize young players go instead of giving them a spot in the lineup. Whether it be Marte, Ramirez, or anyone else down the road, you wonder if they get caught up in the whole Yankee big-name frenzy. They may have the answers they're looking for, long-term, right in their own system.
Incidentally, both Baseball Prospectus... Damn you, Baseball Prospectus! DAMN YOU!!!
Must EVERYBODY talk East Coast? Want the NEXT "Natural"? St. Louis' Albert Pujols is your guy! Shits GOLD, is a true family man and does community up the ass! If Darren McGavin was alive, HE'D have to make shit up to sully AP!
wolfdad Wonderful choice of words to praise a man...geeze, hope AP's and your kids don't read that...."does community up the ass!" OUCH....
Must EVERYBODY talk East Coast? Last I checked, the Boston Globe offices were in Boston. Boston Harbor is also in Boston. You will note Boston Harbor empties into the Atlantic (or near to it). As such, I don't think the typical, Michael-Wilbonesque, cries of East Coast bias apply.
Why don't you post something (coherant with a valid link, not screaming-ish) about the West Coast, WOLFDAD? Last I checked, you didn't subscribe to SpoFi and the rest of us weren't paid journalists.
WTF? I'm not getting that check?
St. Louis' Albert Pujols...shits GOLD...does community up the ass! Anal fixation in aisle five...gonna need a cleanup!
Yeah sorry, yerfatma. rcade's Pope Squatting speaking engagements went over budget this year and none of us are getting compensation.
St. Louis' Albert Pujols...shits GOLD...does community up the ass! He should have taken the jail time over the up-the-ass community service.
What the hell has gone wrong with this thread? It's gone straight to incoherent. I'm starting to see why long-time posters have left.
It doesn't take much. Some idiot saying HAY I DON'T LIEK WHAT UR TALKIN ABOUT and the following snark, while hilarious, does tend to distract from the original topic.
Just this thread, dyams? This happens quite across the board.
Just this thread, dyams? This happens quite across the board. I know. Believe me, it's been getting more and more annoying, and this is the first time I've said anything.
Every potential phenom is generating a fair amount of buzz among each team's respective fans this time of year. A big part of the difference in what gets posted is what papers are covering what team. The coasts will generally have better writers, and Boston and New York are probably the top two destinations for sportswriters. Thus you'll end up with better articles, which make for better reading, and make for better posts, etc. etc. I can say with confidence that the Brewers beat writers aren't for shit. I'd like to post about the potential in Milwaukee's young infield, but most of the coverage goes to the tune of "OMG son of Cecil Fielder is FAT!!! and can't play defense"
But regarding the article: expectations for prospects in Boston and New York have always been pretty high, and in the past ten years have only gotten higher. The level of all-around disappointment when one doesn't pan out has got to be tremendous - and I say this as a fan who is both giddy and anxious regarding the potential of Milwaukee's young infield. I wonder if this rising pressure won't have an effect on player trades/signings, discouraging them from seeking out the Bostons and New Yorks, and pushing them to smaller market teams where they can relax and focus more on playing. Probably not.
Tell me more about Milwaukee's infield, vis-a-vis my roto draft.
yerfatma -- the Brewers' shortstop, JJ Hardy, looks to be an undervalued commodity in fantasy drafts because a horrible first half last year obscured a really good second half. Two other members of Milwaukee's starting infield -- Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder at second base and first base, respectively -- are among the top prospects at their positions (although Weeks really doesn't qualify as a prospect any longer due to a long stint with the big club last year). I've seen Fielder projected at around 25 homers and Weeks has some good pop for a second baseman and some pretty decent speed as well. Third base might as well be ignored for purposes of this discussion -- Corey Koskie will get the lions share of at bats, when honors should probably go to uber-utility man Bill Hall.
A big part of the difference in what gets posted is what papers are covering what team. The coasts will generally have better writers, and Boston and New York are probably the top two destinations for sportswriters. Thus you'll end up with better articles, which make for better reading, and make for better posts, etc. etc. I wish this worked in Los Angeles. Though one of the larger "big market/media" outlets, our sports coverage of teams not Lakers or Angels, in a word, blows. If you read the papers here for information on the Dodgers, you wouldn't even know they had a farm system. I blame it on Bill Plaschke myself. Where is the weepy prose and salivating for our prospects? Nowhere to be found. *straightens bow tie* *clears throat* Pardon me.
