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Rob
Welcome Home, I see you didnt bring the weather back with you, Thanx.



I havent heard much on Josh Bard since he got drafted last year. I was wondering how he has been this spring and what his role might be in the future, and when we might see him. When he got drafted all I heard was how good he was and how fast he will go through the system. Any news would be great.



My Thoughts and Prayers go out to the Greenberg family. I loved reading his articles on the Patriots and watching him on FSN, he will be missed by new england sports fans

I think the poster above meant Daniel Bard...


Rob, I'd be interested in hearing who McLeod thinks is his biggest "hit" and his biggest "miss." Also, which guy has he been most wrong about - both in a positive and negative way?



The mere fact that you may ask him any of our questions puts you up there with Mike Reiss is the preeminent blogger in Boston.

I will give you $500 if you can give me a rational explanation as to why Butch Stearns and Steve Burton are even employed, let alone on WEEI.


Stearns tries to play the contrarian but I think he just reads someone else's opinion and changes a few words to make it his own. I honest to God can't remember the last (or first) time he made a rational, coherent, original point. To this day, his two "claims to fame" are that Schilling ripped him a new one and that obnoxious "Who's better than me?" comment with the WS trophy.



Burton seems like a nice guy but I'm not sure he knows anything about sports other than the fact that he loves hanging out with the athletes.



I think both of them subscribe to the school of thought that sports cliches and regurgitated thoughts equal good talk radio.

Ditto for Mike "Gimme Free Stuff" Adams.

When Clay Buchholz was first drafted there was some concern about off-field issues. There are obviously no problems with him on the field. Has Buchholz shown that the laptop larceny was an isolated "mistake of youth"?

RB,
Does McLeod believe that the Red Sox have an advantage over most teams at the draft because of their deeper pockets, and do they try to use it to their favor when drafting players who other teams might deem unsignable because they would demand more money, i.e. Bard, Hansen?



Chris Nelson

Batavia, Ill.

Also,
Do the Red Sox consider Bryce Cox fast-tracked, as in do they believe he has a realistic shot at getting significant innings in Boston this year or do they want to not rush him like they did with Hansen and Meredith?



Chris Nelson again

I am intrigued by the seeming redundancy, if one could ever exist, between Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Place. Given what looks like a fairly fixed outfield for a few years, especially centerfield with a still young Crisp, how do these players grade out against each other looking a few years into the future? Does having multiple similar prospects make one of them more likely to be included in a trade?


Tim

Red Sox Times

Have the Red Sox made any adjustments to their scouting system instituted last year, in which they broke the country up by thirds to allow targeted players to be seen more frequently?


What are the early reports on top DFE prospect Brandon Belt?



A lot of the high school prospects who dropped in the draft and signed with the Sox last year over slot got a lot of publicity, but what can you tell us anything about JuCo draftee Josh Reddick and UW pitcher Richie Lentz?



Please draft Chad Jones.

Hello Rob,


Here's a few question. Maybe you can pick one or two -



1. Daniel Bard - Great arm, but what secondary pitches will he be working on in his first season of minor league action?



2. Michael Bowden - has the organization ever had the urge to re-make his unorthadox delivery?



3. How badly did you cringe when the Red Sox had to give up the 20th pick in this year's draft to sign Julio Lugo? (not that signing Lugo was a bad thing)



4. Has Jason Place made changes to his swing, and how has he adapted to those changes?



5. How does the elimination of "draft and follow" effect how teams will draft from now on?



6. Do the Red Sox regret not signing Pedro Alvarez (the likely #1 pick in the 2008 draft)?



7. Justin Masterson will be a starter this year. Did you envision him becoming a starter when you drafted him?



8. Lars Anderson. We've heard guys like Jim Callis rave about him before he has even played a game. What can you tell us about where he is now, and what his potential is? btw, how did Lars enjoy taking BP vs. David Wells out in Oakland before he signed with us?



9. Will you be aggressive in signing your draft and follow kids (Brandon Belt, etc.) now that the draft and follow process is being eliminated?



10. Which High School kid that you drafted this year... is the most advanced and most ready for facing advanced minor league action?

Hell, I may as well throw a few more out there...


11. Which kid from this past draft do you feel like you absolutely stole.



12. (crazy question) Given the trade value and scarcity of great pitching, I would be tempted to draft nothing but pitchers. Am I wrong?



13. Kris Johnson. Super-Skinny kid. Does he need to put on some serious weight?



14. Last year you broke up the USA into 4 zones, and also gave your scouts a video camera so more people could "cross-check" a kid. How much help has that been to you?



15. I'm amazed at how fast the picks are made during an MLB draft (even in the first round). When you sit down for a draft, how do you lay out what you are going to do? In the NFL, a team might have a value board and take the highest ranked guy on the board. Do you work similarly?



16. Do you discuss "signability" with every player you draft, before you draft them? Do you already know that a kid like Lars Anderson is going to fall that far before the draft begins?



17. Is Caleb Clay ok? I heard he didn't pitch after he was drafted, because of a tender arm.



18. Kris Negron - really stood out in Futures at Fenway game. Are you hopeful he can stick at SS if he makes it to MLB?



19. I'm going to bed.

Rob,


I was wondering if you could find out anything about Zak Farkes. He was with the Lowell Spinners last year as a 3rd baseman and they were going to convert him into a catcher. Any updates on his progress? Thank you kindly.



Also, I am sorry for the loss of your friend Alan. He was funny and will be missed.

Well, Mike seems to have written a pretty exhaustive list of questions there, but I'll throw another couple into the mix ...


Do you have anyone on the radar that we should be following who maybe doesn't get the national attention yet?



Are there any particular statistics that you look at above others, and are there less-known stats you pay special attention to, like maybe GB rates for pitchers or LD rates for hitters (just picking two out of thin air)?



Is there any level at which you feel a prospect can begin to be thought of in planning for the major league team's future? For example, maybe after some sustained success in AA is the first point where a prospect can be put on the radar for a future roster spot ...

I would like to hear a little more about Mike James. He seems to be having a good spring, and had a great ERA in Wilmington last year. Could he be the closer the Sox are looking for?

You indicated at one point that you believe Justin Masterson may ultimately end up in the relief role at the major league level. Has there been any development on his behalf that has caused you to re-evaluate your opinion?


Anthony, to characterize the drafts as "moneyball" is wildly incorrect. Also, I'm not really sure what you're getting at with regard to BA. If BA's opinion on the farm system is what matters to you, then you should be happy to know that BA has graded Jason's two drafts as the 2nd best and the best in baseball. If BA's opinion is irrelevant and it's actual major league results that matter, then I think the recent performance of Sox Prospects Papelbon, Hanley Ramirez, Youkilis, and Meredith speak for themselves as all four are products of the Red Sox player development system.

Not to mention Papelbon, Lester, and Anibal Sanchez.