Roberts ceiling is unlimited but he is incapable of staying healthy. It's a shame.

The Sox didn't try to compete this year, they chose to lose.

Giolito died. Rip.

Moncada is at 1.2 WAR right now per Fangraphs. If he gets to 2 WAR he will have reached the level of a serviceable starter. I think it's reasonable that he'll get there this year or next. If "serviceable starter" becomes his ceiling it will of course be disapointing, but it won't render him a total bust.

Fuck WAR
WAR is gay
I hate WAR
Don't tell me about WAR

I was going to make that 4 separate posts but I didnt.

The centerpiece of this trade isn't good at baseball right now. The Sox developing a starting pitcher means nothing. They've never had an issue developing starters. You need bats to compete.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

If the centerpiece simply cuts down his strikeouts I'm still fine with this trade. Sale had turned into a whiny, entitled baby who still has an average record in August and September.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

.20 ERA in his last seven starts.

Thats... pretty good.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

August and September starts?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Sale has always been that guy. A lot of great players are whiny and entitled. He has also been 1 of the top 5 to 10 most valuable players in baseball for MANY years now. I would have liked to have gotten a bat that has more potential than 2016 Baez.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

No, his last seven starts overall this year.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Kopech is a special talent. No less so than Sale was coming out of the minors. Will he realize that talent to same extent as Sale? Who knows. It's not likely just from a raw odds perspective. He'll never be a lefty...that's for certain.

Basabe is also someone people forget about but he's a legit CF. Has some issues, he's kind of an outfield version of Moncada, but he's probably a top-100 tier talent. Will he beat out Lugo to be the CF of the future? Probably not that far. And if Robert has a healthy season watch out. But he's useful and carries value. Not worthless at least.

Not so much August over the last 4 years, but definitely Sept. And that can be rationalized pretty easily.

Kopech wasn't supposed to be the entree. It's not really a surprise that the Sox developed a starting pitcher.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Stockton Syndrome.

John or Dick?

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Kopechs on a bit of a different level than anyone since Sale. Even Rodon. His fastball is a special pitch.

Again, just try and pretend that Eloy is the guy you thought Moncada would be. With Madrigal on the way and the looming possibility that Robert could stay healthy for a few weeks and show us what he's made of...Moncada is expendable.

Take a guess?(It takes a Dick to know a Cock).

You guys are going to be intolerable when Kopech and Jimenez come up and aren't immediately stars

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

Kopech is Slovanian for Kyle Farnsworth.

Nobody knows.

Nah, Kopech will be expected to have up and downs.

Not sure where you're getting the idea Eloy might not be a star immediately from. Of course he will be.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

If Eloy doesn't come up and immediately hit the piss out of the ball I'll be disappointed.

_________________

He rakes. Period.

I don't think Sale turned into a whiny baby. He's been quiet as a church mouse since being in Boston. I think he desperately wanted out of this mess, where good careers go to die. I think he was willing to do what it took to get himself traded. Can't say I blame him.

Go, Cubs Go!

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

I tend to view it in this vein. He was either not able to go through a rebuild and waste his years or he knew the Sox and Boras were not going to get him the money he wanted from each other. Either way he had to go and I am ok with it given the rebuild idea.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

You can put your hands over your ears, stomp on the ground, and pretend you can't hear what's going on around you, but WAR isn't going away. You better get used to people citing it, especially when the final grade on this trade comes in three or four years from now.

I think the final grade will come if the Sox contend for anything. If they don't win a few playoff series, then I don't care too much about WAR or OPS or launch angle or number of throws to first per nine innings.

You're absolutely right. If they don't contend for a World Series title, regardless of how well the individual players perform, you will have to consider the rebuild a failure. With my comment, I was just envisioning a time in the future where we can actually compare the WAR the Red Sox got from Chris Sale on his original contract vs. the WAR the White Sox got from Moncada, Kopech, and possibly Basabe and that other guy.