How can you possibly rank Lavarnway as low as 9th in this system? Even 4th seems low.

What is that list?

There’s so much talent in the low minors now that, just with normal luck and normal development, next year really should be a good year for the minors. Which would be nice.

Xander Cage (Ask Vin Diesel): You think Xander Bogaerts could be top 10 by seasons end?

Kevin Goldstein: He COULD be. That does not mean I'm saying he will be.

Nater1177 (levittown pa): Brandon Jacobs as a top 50 guy is higher than I would have expected. What have you heard/seen that has him so highly regarded?

Kevin Goldstein: Fantastic combination of performance and tools.

Brian (Chicago): Are there guys that missed the list with 80 tools?

Kevin Goldstein: Plenty of 80 runners. Some put an 80 of Jose Iglesias' glove.

Nater1177 (Levittown Pa): Speaking of Iglesias..did he garner any consideration near the bottom of list based on the stellar glove and 'youngest in AAA' standing?

Kevin Goldstein: He did not.

Bill Simmons (Grantland Office): I haven't seen the Red Sox farm system this bad in a long time. Tell me something good to cheer me up!

Kevin Goldstein: I think their system is quite good actually, especially in terms of depth.

No longer young for his age, his stuff is fine, but it's time for him to produce.

Scouting Report: Average-to-better contact projection. Sits back on breaking pitches well, but will need to work on catching up with high-velocity fastballs on inner third. Above-average approach and strike zone management skills. Brings a plan to the plate. Grinds out at-bats. Average power projection. Tends to hit with too much upper body and produce a lot of topspin. Improvement with lower half swing mechanics can push projection to solid-average. Learning how to muscle up when he gets his pitch. Fringe-average speed. On the slow side tracking balls in left field with about average range. Plus arm and solid accuracy to the bases.

Doesn't sound that good.

Far from loaded when it comes to future stars, but still one of the deepest systems around with prospects at every level that bear watching.

Sox screwed the pooch on this one. No reason to let Theo negotiate with the Cubs until AFTER compensation was agreed upon.

It's kind of like the Scutaro deal, its not so much that the value is far above what they got but it seems like they got the least they could have reasonably gotten.

In its own right, the Red Sox’ agreement pending MLB’s background investigation with right-hander Simon Mercedes to a signing bonus of $800,000 (first reported by Ben Badler of Baseball America and confirmed by a major league source) is noteworthy because it represents the addition of a high-ceiling power arm into the Sox system.

Mercedes has what one evaluator called an “XXL power frame” at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He features an above-average fastball that registers in the low- to mid-90s as well as what the evaluator called an above-average curveball. He will enter the Sox system as a starter, though for him to remain there, it will require some development of his repertoire. At the least, however, he has the makings of a power arm out of the bullpen.

...

However, it is noteworthy for other reasons as well that underscore that the Sox’ approach to the international amateur market has changed with the change from former VP of International Scouting Craig Shipley to new director of international scouting Eddie Romero.

Simply put, Shipley never would have signed Mercedes. He refused to sign players who lied about their documentation. Mercedes appears to have done just that, as Badler reported that he changed from being a 16-year-old named Jeffrey Tapia to an 18-year-old (with a listed birth date of Feb. 27, 1992) by his current appellation of Simon Mercedes. He agreed to a deal with the Giants for a $400,000 signing bonus in early 2011, but the Major League Baseball background investigation into Mercedes resulted in a one-year declaration of his ineligibility to sign by MLB, according to Badler.

Well, if you're armchair GM, what's more than they could have reasonably gotten?

Seriously what bothers is the how more than the what. What I always liked about Theo is that there seemed to be a process to everything. In this case (and Scutaro) is that the process isn't obvious to me. The foresight and planning that to me we're lynchpins of the Theo Epstein era are not evident in the way the Theo negotiation played out or the handling of Scutaro.

Maybe I'm missing something though.

If you believe in Aviles why pick up the option?

If you believe in Aviles why pick up the option?

Because they would have had to pay a $1.5M buyout. This way they get a cheap sinkerballer who might be useful and pay nothing.

If the Sox had planned to shop Scutaro from the beginning of the offseason, rather than waiting until most rosters were set, they should have done quite a bit better than Mortensen.

All this talk about Scutaro being the starting SS is ridiculous. He cant play SS. He's a 2B. Credit the front office for realizing this and move on.

MCoA's appraisal of him as very valuable at 1/6 for 2012

That may be the number on Scutaro's paycheck this year, but he would have cost the Sox a little over $9M with the 40% tax on his $7.67M CBT salary.

Edit: Too bad we didn't wait until the Phillies were overrun by locusts.

But why single out Scutaro's salary as the one causing the luxury tax hit?

Sure, but the cupboard's pretty bare there; not sure they'd have gotten anything much better than they did.

It's an issue of marginal cost. Keeping Scutaro would have cost them $9M more than not keeping him did.

... unless they traded Beckett or someone else. But I see what you mean.