SPPod #169: Why are we here?

It's an existential question, and perhaps an appropriate one as the organization ramps up in the most pivotal offseason in recent memory. First, Chris and Ian recap the Sox representatives' time at the Premier12 tournament, including a quick diversion into the latest news on Noah Song and his military commitment. It's also everyone's favorite time - the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft! Chris and Ian agree on the likely players - 4 of 'em - added to the 40-man roster. Finally, after a quick examination of the list of 42 teams that would lose their affiliation under MLB's radical realignment proposal, the guys got into a topic they've been teasing all offseason: the potential trade of Mookie Betts. What teams are potential landing spots? What is a realistic return? All that and more on this episode of the podcast! 6:45 - Premier12 wrap-up 10:50 - A quick tangent on Noah Song and the military 16:15 - Rule 5 protection projections 27:12 - A quick look at minor league free agents, and a 2013 draft post-mortem 31:44 - Follow-up on the radical restructuring proposal 40:35 - A complete analysis of the potential trade of Mookie Betts   Players mentioned on the show: Bobby Dalbec Tanner Houck Noah Song CJ Chatham Eduard Bazardo Marcus Wilson Yoan Aybar Pedro Castellanos Jhonathan Diaz Rusney Castillo Daniel McGrath Jhon Nunez Jantzen Witte Trey Ball Teddy Stankiewicz Kyle Martin Carlos Asuaje Gabe Speier Mauricio Dubon Jeff Driskel Mookie Betts