Pedroia is a marginal defensive 2nd baseman at this point in his development (will not backhand anything) and he is neither quick enough or with enough of an arm to play second. As a plus I like the way he works counts and he hits line drives unlike Loretta. Outside of him Murphy is the next guy who might stick on the roster but as a 4th. (He seems better than Kapler though)
I'll reserve judgement on Ellsbury but that's 3 guys at most out of how many they drafted in the past few years?
I will credit Papelbon as a great find and Meredith was a panic trade just like the trade for Lopez/Riske was.
But, he has shown that he cannot rate bullpen help and his big free agent signings have busted them.
Well, that's the thing, they haven't drafted that many.
In 2003 they got Murphy and Matt Murton (traded in the Nomar deal) in the first round, and Mickey Hall was a bust. That was it for position players in the first five rounds.
In 2004 they got Pedroia in the second round, their only position player selected in the first five. (And from what I've seen and read his 2B defense is pretty good.)
Three out of four making the majors is a pretty decent record.
When you get to 2005 and 2006, if these guys pan out most of them won't be for another two or more years. Ellsbury has been everything he was billed as and is on track to start in CF in 2008 if not sooner, Jed Lowrie had a rough second year and may move back to 2B, Jon Egan had an excellent year but he's only 19 and years away, and Reid Engel is likewise years away if he puts it together.
Likewise the international signings under Theo's rule are long-term things -- Luis Soto was signed in 2003 and is still only 20 years old and 3 years away from the majors, if he can get healthy.