Call it a second chance.
Call it a shot at redemption.
Call it whatever you want but for Javier Lopez and Hunter Jones, their return to Pawtucket shows that the Boston Red Sox haven’t given up completely on the two left-handers.
But they might have been justified in doing so with Lopez.
A “situational” lefty, the 31-year-old Lopez was far from successful in that role this season. In 11.2 innings his ERA was a bloated 9.26. To compound matters, in his first relief appearance for the PawSox – on Thursday – he walked five and allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees.
By the time he was given the hook by manager Ron Johnson, he had thrown nearly 40 pitches.
“I let that inning speed up on me and I didn’t realize that until it was too late,” said Lopez. “I don’t think I was missing the plate by that much and some of those calls could have gone either way.”
Even though he’s only 31, Lopez may prove that axiom that as long as a left-hander is breathing and can reach home plate, he’s got a shot at a job with some team in the minors as well as the majors.
Jones, meanwhile, could – to use a golf phrase – be given a mulligan because at age 25 he was making his first trip to the majors when he was called up on April 15.
“It was the best month of my life,” said Jones, who allowed eight runs in nine innings and struck out seven. “But the most important thing was I learned from some of the hitters.
“They’ll get hits and that will show me what doesn’t work. You pick up some things. You drop other things. It got a little taste of what I need to work on.”
If Jones pitches for Pawtucket like he did last season then he could position himself for another trip to Boston.
EXTRA BASES: Mark Kotsay has returned to Pawtucket for a second rehab stint as he tried to overcome the affects of back surgery and a strained calf muscle … He was scheduled to return to Boston on May 1 but during the second game of his rehab assignment he injured a calf muscle while running to first base.
I’ve never been *quite* as down on Lopez as others seem to be. Is he a good reliever? No, he isn’t. But he is always being compared to the relivers in the Red Sox pen, all strong relievers. The weakest link will always be looked at as, well, the weakest. I think he can help a team, just maybe not this current Red Sox team.
call it he sucks.
And by “help a team” I meant that he can can be their 6th or 7th choice out there. :)
Actually Lopez pitched in relief last Sunday for the PawSox, his first day on the job, when he took over for Bowden in the ninth and had a 1-2-3 inning. Looks like that honeymoon was over quickly.
Lopez and Jones will be back at Fenway, even if it’s in September. They add to the depth of the Red Sox. But I think it will be earlier, because if they show their good stuff for a stint, they would either be important parts of a trade package (lefty pitchers have intrinsic value), or make important contributions to the Sox.
Jones is still maturing as a rookie. Lopez just has to get it back together. Both have proven abilities. I agree with Joe that they would do well on other teams, but think they could also do well for the Sox when they pull it back together.