Kevin Goldstein Chat #2

BP's prospect guy had another chat yesterday, here are the Red Sox questions.

"RS (Virginia): What's your opinion on two middle infielders who have taken a step forward this year: Asdrubal Cabrera and Jed Lowrie? Both are showing excellent discipline and a reasonable dose of power. What sort of realistic upside are we talking about for each of these guys? Who do you like better?

Kevin Goldstein: Cabrera is a year and a half younger and a better defender, so I'll favor him. He's definitely having a bounceback year, and scouts think it's for real. I'm still not sold on Lowrie, primarily because he's pretty fringy defensively on the left side -- could be a nice utility/part starter in the end.

ekanenh (NH): Justin Masterson. For real?

Kevin Goldstein: He's for real if that means a nice big league reliever, which is what I think he is in the end.

joe (boston): do the yankees sign joel pinero just to get redsox nation second guessing, like they did with bellhorn/embree

Kevin Goldstein: Do you really think at any point during any decision making process, that the Yankees care at all about what Red Sox nation thinks? They really don't, I assure you.

Trieu (Cambridge, MA): A prediction for Lester tonight? Will you be tuning in?

Kevin Goldstein: Not sure I'll watch every at-bat, but I'm planning on watchin a good portion. If there's a pool, gimme a line of:

5 4 3 3 3 3

Felix (Boston): I remember you said in your chats that Hughes is better than Lester and it's not that close. Can you explain please?

Kevin Goldstein: Philip Hughes is an elite pitching prospect who went into the season as the best pitching prospect in baseball. Lester is a very good pitching prospect and one to be excited about, but he's not in Hughes' class.

Steve (Boston): Clay Buchholtz looked extremely dominate at times the other day, 10 ks in 5 innings, what do you predict for his future?

Kevin Goldstein: I think he's one of the top 10 prospects in the game and a future all-star starter.

Jason (Stowe, VT): Regarding the Lester/Hughes non-debate: isn't there a debate whether Lester is even in the Joba class of prospect at this point?

Kevin Goldstein: I'd probably give the slight edge to Joba there. Buchholz/Hughes is a much more salient arguement. I'd still give the nod to Hughes, but I'd take Buchholz over any other Yankee pitching prospect, and there are a TON.

William (Cincinatti): Bailey or Buccholz?

Kevin Goldstein: I'm gonna give Buchholz a tiny edge, but I could go the other way next week. VERY close."