With the conclusion of every major league season comes the beginning of the second season of “minor” leagues in baseball – the Winter Leagues. This 2009 off-season, the Sox have placed 17 promising prospects across four leagues, including some of the most exciting names in the organization, such as Casey Kelly, Ryan Kalish, Jose Iglesias, and Yamiaco Navarro.

The Winter Leagues are one of the more interesting annual rituals of the MLB, aside from maybe the Rule 5 Draft, as every MLB team pours their most highly touted prospects into one pool where they duke it out for organizational supremacy.

The Sox farmhands have had some ups and downs results this season, with limited highlights as no one player has been anything to write home about.

Top prospect Casey Kelly, recently profiled on the Sox home page, has put together a decent line, with four walks in 20 plate appearances, albeit with 6 strikeouts. It’s nice to see that he’s been able to put up an .838 OPS after posting a putrid .224/.305/.313 line in A-ball this year. However, it’s impossible to draw any firm conclusions based on just 16 AFL at-bats.

Personally, I’d be interested to see the team work him as a pitcher this off-season so that he can get some polish against better hitters to accelerate his timetable to the majors. This could help the team with their lack of pitching depth in the upper minors. With organizational depth at short and few upper level pitching prospects, it’s easier to see Kelly as a starter instead of a pitcher.

However, with the struggles of Navarro at the plate in double-A this season (.185/.270/.304) and Iglesias still being an unknown commodity, it makes a lot of sense to keep Kelly’s options open at short. In the end, giving Kelly a few additional at-bats at this juncture won’t hurt anyone, especially since he is still very early in his development as a prospect, having just turned 20 one month ago.

Jose Iglesias is another prospect worth monitoring this off-season. Having just been signed into the Red Sox organization, the powers that be are still getting a look at his skills with the lumber. There is tremendous potential in Iglesias, as his glove is an exceptional tool.

Though his power upside has been doubted by many scouts, Iglesias can overcome this shortcoming and become a good hitter by focusing his development on improving his contact skills and strike zone judgment. Chone Figgins and Marco Scutaro are about the best case scenario for this kind of hitter. Neither possess much power, but both have an excellent knowledge of the strike zone and are patient batters who draw pleny of free passes. With that said, developing plate discipline is one of the more difficult attributes for a hitter to develop, so expecting this kind of outcome will leave fans disappointed. Still, if there’s any one development to watch for in Iglesias, it’s his plate discipline. If he can learn this skill, he’ll have a tremendous career.

Unfortunately, Iglesias has demonstrated just adequate strike zone judgment thus far in his career, having posted just 17 walks among 317 at-bats in Cuba in 2008 and 3 BBs in 44 AFL PAs this season. However, his 7 strikeouts are encouraging as is the home run he hit, as he failed to leave the yard in 314 at-bats for La Habana last season.

Ryan Kalish is another favorite pulling a tour in the AFL. Kalish will benefit greatly from the added time at the plate.  The Sox were hoping he could build on his very good 2009, where he dominated at high-A and held his own at AA. He hasn’t impressed in ‘Zona thus far, posting a .244/.313/.268 line in 41 at-bats, including 12 Ks.

Two things the team will look for out of Kalish this off-season will be to continue hitting for power and to refine his approach at the plate. Remember, Kalish had a lost 2007 and a very poor 2008, having hit just 8 home runs in 520 at-bats between the two seasons. 2009 was far better, as he hit 18 long balls in 506 ABs and posted a positive BB:K ratio in A-ball. Hopefully, Kalish will be able to turn it around before the end of the AFL year.

In all, the Sox hitting prospects in the Winter Leagues have been a bit underwhelming. Mark Wagner has been by far the team’s best hitter, posting a .346/.455/.615 line in the Dominican Winter League. Beyond the Wagner, however, the team has slumped across the board, with Luis Exposito placing third behind Kelly with  a .259/.310/.407 line and Yamaico Navarro pulling up the rear with a .125/.125/.250 line in 16 ABs.

The pitching has been a plus, however – though, the Sox’ farmhands playing winter ball aren’t exactly the cream of the crop. Felix Doubront is perhaps the Sox’ best prospect on duty down south, though his stuff isn’t the greatest. Even so, there’s nothing that can be said of his performance as he hasn’t pitched much yet, having recorded just two innings to date.

Two notable performances go to Robert Coello and Richard Lentz – two non-notable prospects. Coello has been very good, posting 22 Ks against 9 BBs in 20.1 innings. Lentz, on the other hand, has been superb, with 11 Ks against just 2 BBs in 10.2 IP. Temper your excitement, however, as both were born in 1984. Still, they make easy underdogs to root for – especially, Coello, who threw in the independent leagues in 2007.

And, congratulations to Dustin Richardson, a 25 year-old relief prospect who made East roster for the AFL Rising Stars Showcase. You may remember Richardson for his 3.1 scoreless innings this year for the big club, which came on the heels of 97 Ks in 74 innings between Portland and Pawtucket.

For those prospects we missed, here’s the complete list of Red Sox farmhands pulling duty in the Winter Leagues:

Batters

Juan Apodaca

Luis Exposito

Jose Iglesias

Ryan Kalish

Casey Kelly

Yamaico Navarro

Mark Wagner

Pitchers

Jose Alvarez

Randor Bierd

Jose Capellan

Yeiper Castillo

Robert Coello

Felix Doubront

Richard Lentz

Leandro Marin

Chris Province

Dustin Richardson

With Game 6 of the World Series to be played in New York, it’s time for the Phillies to pull out all the stops. For those of you still watching, put on your rally cap and buy a Philadelphia jersey. For those of you not watching, you’re missing one of the great all-time post-season performances from the incomparable Chase Utley. Even if Philadelphia loses, it would be a shame if Utley did not win series MVP, as he has slugged 5 home runs in 5 games, including 3 off C.C. Sabathia and two last night. If there’s any one reason the Phils are still alive, it’s name is Chase Utley.

Wagner – TJ Perrini

Catcher Mark Wagner could have done a verbal tap dance and made numerous excuses for his drop-off at the plate last season with the Portland Sea Dogs.

But as he prepared to report to spring training this year in Fort Myers, the chances of that happening were slim and none. And “Slim” already had left for Texas.

“There was one point where I was leading the team in batting average … I was hitting .353 early on with a decent amount of at-bats,” recalled Wagner, who was promoted from the Sea Dogs to Pawtucket on June 28. “It was like, ‘Man, I’m hitting great. I just can roll out of bed and hit.’

“Slowly, over time, I fell a little bit but I was still hitting .330. Then, I was hitting .310. I started to notice I was spiraling (downward). It was a surprise (rude?) awakening where I kind of got away from my routine a little bit.

“That was total 100 percent blame on me,” continued Wagner. “It was just a lack of mental toughness on my part where I let my routine slide. Then, all of a sudden, I tried to do too much. I tried to sprint to catch up — to get back on top. It was one of those things where you can’t just all of a sudden pick up and go again.”

Just how much did Wagner spiral?

His average plummeted to .219 and both his slugging percentage (.363) and on-base percentage (.304) were mediocre at best.

Those stats were a far cry from the ones Wagner racked up after he was picked in the ninth round of the 2005 draft by Boston.

In 2006, for example, he hit .301 in 96 games with Greenville. And, in 2007 at Lancaster, he hit .318 with 14 home runs and 82 RBI in 95 games.

Moreover, he developed into Boston’s best defensive catching prospect according to Baseball America.

Among other things, he led all Double-A catchers with a .997 fielding percentage and ranked second in the Eastern League in throwing out 42 percent of attempted base stealers.

“Looking back on (2008), it was a heck of a learning experience for me,” admitted Wagner, who was hitting .301 with 18 doubles, three home runs, 23 RBI and a .410 on-base percentage in 42 games with Portland. “That’s what I really learned last year in Portland … how to stick with the process and how to stay within yourself and that, when you start to slump, you can’t get it all back in one game.

“I felt there were times when I hit the ball quite well and didn’t get the result, which is when I tried even more.”

Fortunately for Wagner, the organization sent him to the Arizona Fall League. Even though he only played in 18 games for Scottsdale, his stats were a quantum improvement over the ones he posted with Portland.

Wagner hit .288 with four home runs and eight RBI.

“I had a great opportunity to go out to the Arizona Fall League where you see some of the best prospects and I did very well,” he said. “I talked with some of their hitting coaches, like Dave Joppie and Victor Rodriguez. They helped me reassure myself. They would say ‘You know you’re a good hitter. Go out and do what you’ve done and you’re going to be just fine.’

“They told me to stay with the process and that people know I can hit better than this. I had a great time out there, especially after a long season in Portland. My body was a little fatigued but I still felt I did very well out there.”

Ironically, despite his proficiency behind the plate (at the time of his promotion, he was leading Eastern League catchers with a .997 fielding percentage), Wagner only has been a full-time catcher for five years.

Wagner pitched and played shortstop much more than he caught at Mayfair High School in Lakewood, Calif. And he initially was drafted by the Atlanta Braves.

“They really liked how I could hit,” said Wagner. “I went to Turner Field for a tryout. But at the end of the day I thought ‘You know what? I think I’m going to go to college because it would be a better route.’

“At the time, I felt I was still kind of young and had a lot of options in front of me. I had an extremely great opportunity at Cal-Irvine and a number of colleges. I mean, I was going to be paid to play baseball at school.

“There’s nothing like going to college when you’re younger,” continued Wagner. “That’s one of the great experiences you’re going to have. I decided to go that route and see how it worked out. It did because it brought me to where I am now.”

Wagner, who signed after his junior year, was a utility player his freshman year at Cal-Irvine. But the following season, then-head coach John Savage put him behind the plate full time.

“It was more like catching is a commodity even at (the minor league) level or in college,” said Wagner. “If you want to be a Division I team that’s going to go to the College World Series, you must have a good catcher.

“I always was athletic enough and capable enough to catch some very good guys. We had some very good prospects on our pitching staff at Cal-Irvine and they needed a guy to take care of them. I seemed to fill the bill better than anybody else.”

During the transition process, first under Savage and then Dave Serrano who was named the coach prior to Wagner’s junior year, he received a crash course in catching.

“It was everything in general, from receiving to take care of the pitchers to blocking pitches in the dirt,” he said. “It was the whole nine yards but I picked it up pretty well.”

Under Serrano, Wagner was allowed to start calling pitches instead of relaying them in from the bench.

“Serrano was the pitching coach at Cal-State Fullerton and I worked hard with him,” said Wagner. “He let me really work on calling pitches. I could say ‘I think we should throw this.’ I really got more leeway there.”

Wagner also absorbed perhaps the most important lesson a catcher can learn.

“The number one rule is to make sure you get your pitcher a ‘W’ for that night,” he said. “I feel it’s a process a lot of guys go through. Maybe it might be more difficult because, with catching, there’s so much more of the mental aspect — taking care of pitchers, calling a game, controlling a game and stuff like that.

“At the end of the day, you can be a big league catcher only by taking care of your pitching staff.”

Whether or not Wagner will be able to “take care” of a pitching staff in Boston remains to be seen. But he realizes what he has to do in order earn a shot, even though he was placed on Boston’s 40-man roster during the off season.

“One thing I think is going to help me get to where I want to be, which is behind the plate at Fenway, is just refining all of my game — constantly being able to make sure I’m on top of it whether it’s blocking, throwing, hitting — whatever,” he said. “I’ve got to realize this is what I’m doing at this point and just do my absolute best to make sure I give it all I’ve got – to make sure I’m not slacking off anywhere and continue to grow in all aspects and making sure I’m receiving the ball as best as I can.

“I can’t take one pitch off. I’ve got to do whatever it takes to the best of my ability so I can let the pitcher know I’m there for him and am going to do my best to get him that win tonight.

Fortunately for Portland, Monday is an off day.
The Sea Dogs can use the time to lick their wounds after dropping five of six games to the Connecticut Defenders.
Perhaps Sunday

I took a day off today and thought I

One of the lesser talked about mates of the Red Sox this year has been Jason Varitek, which is curious considering that he’s making a large chunk of money and is, according to several different sources, the most important member of the Red Sox right now.

The last time we talked about Varitek, it was May 9th and I was wondering if it was the end of the line for Tek. I said:

His numbers on the season prior to last nightǃÙs game: .240/.318/.347. That is worse than his 2006 season, which is the season that raised many concerns among Red Sox fans, after he finished at .238/.325/.400 in 103 games, his lowest total since 2001, when he broke his elbow diving for a foul ball.

Since then, Varitek has quieted the rumbling to the point that we’ve simply stopped noticing him. I’ve noticed a lack of publicity — good or bad — about Varitek this year, which means he’s doing enough to not warrant criticism, but not doing enough to be thrust in the forefront.

Here are his month by month statistics, followed by his cumulative line:

April – .239/.325/.358
May – .311/.416/.541
June – .234/.322/.403
July – .294/.398/.368
August – .241/.317/.352
Cumulative – .265/.359/.409 (.229/.336/.333 since the All-Star Break)

This is not good. He seems to alternate good months with bad, but even his good months aren’t that good. It’s plainly obvious: Varitek has lost all semblance of power. If he continues on his current progression, he is projected to finish the season with 18 doubles, four triples, 14 HR and 71 RBI. His 18 doubles would be the lowest since his 11 in his injury-shortened 2001, and his 13 in 221 AB in his rookie year for the Red Sox. In other words: the lowest of any year in which he appeared in at least 100 games.

His homers would be his third lowest, and that’s with him on pace to appear in 137 games. He had 12 homers in 103 games last year. If you throw out last year, it will be his lowest tally since 2002, when he was recovering from a broken elbow and 2000, the year before he busted out. Let’s look at triples. Believe it or not, he’s already set a career season-high for triples with three. Go figure, huh? His RBIs are staying around the norm, basically because he’s always hit sixth or seventh in the order (over 1,000 at-bats in these spots).

All in all, his OPS will check in at .768, which is better than last year (thanks to the horrific .238 average last year). Factoring in his injury-marred 2001 season and rookie year, it will be his fifth lowest OPS.

Here’s how good Varitek was and could have been: if he hadn’t been hurt in 2001, which definitely contributed to his subpar 2002 and he posted a “normal” stat line that he did in 2001 and 2003-5, he would have had five straight seasons of OPS’ around .860. For comparison’s sake, only Jorge Posada (talk about the contract year!) and Victor Martinez are out-OPSing .860.

I hate watching Jason Varitek these days, because it’s apparent he’s not capable of doing enough damage anymore. Look at the doubles total. 18. 18. Every starter has already passed 18, and only the bench players lag behind Varitek in this category.

Throughout all this, we need to remember something, though; even though his lack of production is stark considering his history and overall offensive contribution while factoring in other positions, he is still good enough to be one of only 11 catchers to qualify for the batting title. Of those 14, he ranks seventh in overall OPS. This means, offensively, he is the seventh best hitting catcher. Factor in his play-calling, his defense, his leadership … it’s easy to see why he’s considered the best, or at least in the top three, catcher in the game.

I suppose the point of this article is to just point out how much Varitek has tailed off offensively. He’s been the seven-hole hitter basically all year long, but I think that it’s time to start viewing him as the eight-hole hitter. However, it’s also important to realize that just by showing up to the park every day and being below average with the bat makes him an above average catcher. As for the things that are not easily quantified? The defense, pitch-calling, leadership? Off the charts, and coveted by many around the league. Current and former Red Sox players rave about Varitek. There’s a reason for this.

So, I’ve decided that the offense doesn’t matter to me. As long as he’s not a black hole (black hole: OPS under .700), I support Jason Varitek as a member of the Boston Red Sox. The one thing I can’t support, however, is his contract. $10 million a year is set aside for the creme de la creme, and Varitek jumped on that contract at the perfect time: coming off a World Series win and with one more great year left in the tank.

I am in no way advocating that we make Jason Varitek depart after his contract expires in 2008 … but his next contract better be a healthy cut under $10 million. A cut as in … cut in half.

To round out this post, I thought I’d rattle off the names of every principal catcher in the Sox system as sort of a glimpse into what we have in the pipeline should Varitek depart and we not plug the hole via trade:

AAA: George Kottaras (age 24), .237/.315/.400 (he’s been improving these numbers)
AA: John Otness (25), .197/.239/.240
Hi-A: Mark Wagner (23), .315/.405/.528 (this is in hitter-friendly Lancaster)
Mid-A: Jon Still (22), .292/.432/.542 (spending most of his time at 1B, just promoted to Hi-A)
Mid-A: Paul Smyth (24), .319/.357/.560 (just converted to catcher from the outfield)
Mid-A: Jon Egan (20), .201/.315/.402 (On the DL for much of 2007)
Low-A: Ty Weeden (19), .243/.311/.361

The only bright spot looks to be Still, and he’s going to end up a first baseman. Ouch.

The results of the poll that ask who should be our fifth hitter in our Fire Brand created lineup ended up not being even close. Mike Lowell ran away with the vote, getting 72 percent of all votes. J.D. Drew trailed, getting 20 percent, and Kevin Youkilis brought up the rear at seven percent. Youkilis’ horrific slump, which I will not talk about (la la la, can’t hear you), is definitely hurting his candidacy in this perfect lineup.

Next up is who bats… sixth! Is it J.D. Drew? Kevin Youkilis? Jason Varitek? Julio Lugo? You decide.

Over the last three years, I have written an exhaustive review of nearly every single player in the Red Sox’s minor leagues. I called them the “Organizational Depth Charts.” While I may one day return to them, my life has been so crazy these past few months with the Red Sox, MVN.com launching, and oh yeah, school. (Who cares about school, right?) I never got the time to sit down and start my research, and it is too late now. It literally took me six months to produce six articles. It was a matter of finding all the people, looking at their statistics, and cobbling it all together.
This year, I will present to you the 2006 Fire Brand Minor League All-Stars. These are my handpicked choices for the best at the position the Red Sox has to offer, and will be in the form of a 25-man roster. By the way, if you haven’t seen the joy that is SoxProspects.com yet… well, you need to. Please note this roster does not include Craig Breslow (please, Tito, put him in the major leagues next year!) Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen or Jon Lester because I felt they spent too much time in the major leagues – and they did, as they are not considered prospects anymore. They must also have played for the minor leagues, thereby disqualifying people such as Daniel Bard and Lars Anderson.
First, the lineup:
CF Jacoby Ellsbury – Ellsbury split time between Wilmington and Portland this year. For Wilmington (high-A) he notched 244 AB, hitting .299/.379/.418 with seven doubles, five triples, four home runs and 25 stolen bases (nine caught). In 198 AB for Portland, he hit .308/.387/.434 with 16 SB (8 CS). While his stolen base ratio needs to improve, he is showing the same kind of level to level consistency Pedroia has displayed. He played in the Arizona Fall League for Peoria, hitting .276/.342/.371 and should be in Boston no later than September, or earlier if injuries ravage our outfield. But let’s think positive!
2B Dustin Pedroia – Pedroia is likely to man second base for the Red Sox come Opening Day and continue to do so for quite a number of years. Before I turn to his minor league numbers, for the Red Sox Pedroia hit a meager .191/.258/.303 in 89 AB. Welcome to the majors, kid. Pedroia’s predicted 2006 PECOTA forecast (make sure you note it’s 2006, not 2007, a potential negative) was a .297/.371/.467 line in 551 plate appearances. Personally, this sounds like Pedroia’s ceiling (attainable ceiling, not maximum ceiling), not his rookie year. Either way, Pedroia looks like he could be a great complement in the bottom of the lineup next year, even if you adjust those crazy PECOTA numbers downward. Anyways, in the minor leagues in 2006 he hit .305/.384/.426 and provided a steady presence at shortstop while also seeing time at second and third.
RF Brandon Moss – Moss repeated the year at Portland and improved on his .268/.337/.441 numbers from a year ago, this time going .285/.357/.439 and drawing interest from several teams as trade bait. Moss, who hit 12 HRs, also led Portland to the Eastern League Championship, first in franchise history. Moss has an outside shot at developing into a starting outfielder as evidenced by his 36 doubles, but he strikes me as a career tweener – a backup outfielder good enough to pass as a starting outfielder on the right team. Jay Payton redux, I suppose. This is not a knock on Moss, but the fact that he and the next batter are in the power positions in the lineup is … well, bad.
1B Luis Jimenez – Signed as a minor league free agent, Jimenez opened in Portland and the 24-year old hit .276/.371/.471 with 22 2B and 17 HR. He struck out 90 times in 395 AB and we are his sixth organization. He has high power potential, but strikes out far too much and is inconsistent. Expected to break camp with the Pawtucket Red Sox, if he can put it all together he could become a viable option at first base. Until then, he’s just filler and as I expressed with Moss, Moss and Jimenez in our power positions for our All-Star minor league lineup is a bad thing.
3B Chad Spann – Spann arrived on the scene in 2003, hitting .312/.379/.413 after a lousy debut in 2002 as a fifth rounder. It took him until 2006 again to realize that 2003 potential, and was a cog of the lineup, hitting .294/.361/.472. He has had injury troubles and has too much inconsistent year to year stat totals, but if the 23-year old can ever put it together … look out. He could man third for us in the coming years, but odds are against that. Hitting 28 doubles and 10 HR for Portland however will grab some eyes and he could be trade bait, just like Brandon Moss.
LF David Murphy – Long frustrating the Red Sox, Murphy has shown enough solid development that he can be considered a future major leaguer – maybe even as a starter. Hitting .267/.355/.447 for Pawtucket, the 24-year old earned a promotion to Boston and hit .227/.346/.409. The plate discipline is what I like to see, and his name has been bandied about in trade rumors with the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies. Lately we’ve been hearing the Texas Rangers, too. If he is not dealt, expect Murphy to be the first option for an outfield need at the big league level.
C George Kottaras – Theo has said Kottaras is not big-league ready, but after a full season at Pawtucket, could be joining the Red Sox for good in 2008. I for one believe he’s the minor league option should Doug Mirabelli or Jason Varitek get hurt. For San Diego’s AA team in 2006, he hit .276/.394/.451 and earned a promotion to their AAA club, but hit only .210/.286/.361. For the Red Sox he was returned to AA and helped spark the SeaDogs to the title. (Wouldn’t that be weird – your season being over, but then being traded and winning it all with your AA club? Would you feel like you could celebrate hard?) Anyways, his AAA experience was the first time his OPS had been below .813, so there’s definite offensive potential here. I’m not ready to anoint him the next Jason Varitek, but I’m excited about this guy.
DH Jeremy West – The DH for the club spent the year at AA. The 25-year old hit .269/.342/.431 with 13 HR and is mainly a DH, but has caught and played first base. Considering his age and the fact he didn’t exactly destroy AA pitching, I wouldn’t get too excited. Not to harp on this, but with our #3, #4 and DH minor league All Stars who they are … we really should hang onto Wily Mo Pena.
SS Kris Negron – Bit of a surprise, right? The 20-year old was drafted out of Cosumnes River (sorry, Kris. Never heard of it.) and hit .261/.340/.373 for the GCL Red Sox before being promoted to Lowell and dazzling the Red Sox fans at ‘Futures at Fenway.’ For Lowell, he hit .393/.485/.536 and while it’s too early to get excited, he did steal 15 bases combined with only one caught stealing. He could develop into a nice leadoff man and could be stepping into Julio Lugo’s shoes in five years (or earlier, considering he’d be 25 by that time).
Now, your bench…
C Mark Wagner – The 22-year old came out of nowhere to have a .842 OPS for Greenville and put him on the prospects map. Doesn’t excel in one area, but isn’t below average in any either.
IF Jed Lowrie – Struggled after a move from 2B to SS . Flat out hit in college and continued that for Lowell but his defensive switch and injuries may have contributed to his .726 OPS for Wilmington. He will have to have a big 2007 to establish himself.
IF Tony Granadillo – Picked in the AAA phase of the Rule 5 draft in 2004, Granadillo hit .283/.360/.455 in his age-21 season. He can play second, third and short and looks to be an intriguing option as a future utility man.
OF Jason Place – We all know who Place is – drafted in the first round this past year, he hit .292/.386/.442 with 4 HR and whiffed 33 times. The to be 19-year old (I’m getting old) is ticketed for Greenville.
OF Carlos Fernandez – The 20-year old surprised in 2005 when he hit .347/.416/.505 for the Venezuela Summer League. Coming to the GCL for 2006, he hit .297/.376/.458. Signed as an international free agent, Fernandez has some serious potential here and will be tested in Lowell. He could end up being a five-tool player in Boston if he keeps progressing.
And our starters who will be taking the ball every fifth day…
SP Clay Buchholz – Is there anything Buchholz can’t do? He went 9-4 with a 2.62 ERA for Greenville. A promotion to Wilmington didn’t faze him at all as he went 2-0 with a stellar 1.13 ERA. Named the second best Boston prospect behind Jacoby Ellsbury, Buchholz supposedly has “ice-water” running through his veins and has very good pitches. Buchholz has the potential to become a #1 starter for us, and could anchor our rotation for a long time to come. Considering the young pitchers currently on the Red Sox plus Buchholz and Bowden (listed below) … pitching could be very easy to come by the next decade.
SP Michael Bowden – Paired up with Bowden for the last year, Bowden figures to pair up with Buchholz again in Lancaster (formerly Wilmington). For Greenville, he went 9-6 with a 3.51 ERA and then moved onto Wilmington and got rocked in his only start, coughing up five runs in five innings. Bowden’s fastball tops out at 95 and has an unorthodox delivery. Having the delivery tested out returned that he was not harming himself at all with the delivery, so it remains. I have not seen the delivery, but can’t wait to see how exactly it is unorthodox.
SP Kason Gabbard – Gabbard made his debut for the Red Sox this past year, notching a very respectable 3.51 ERA in four starts and three relief appearances. The 6′2″ lefty was promoted after a 2.57 ERA for Portland in 73.2 IP, but staggered a bit in Pawtucket with a 5.23 ERA and going 1-7 in eight starts (one relief appearance). Expected to return to Pawtucket, Gabbard could be the first option out of the gate ahead of Lester should a starter be needed.
SP Devern Hansack – Hansack went 8-7 with a 3.26 ERA for Portland. While there are questions about his age (he could be anywhere from 24-28 ) he did impress in two starts with the big league club, tossing a five-inning no hitter and ending up with a 2.70 ERA over 10 IP. Hansack has been bandied about in some circles as a possible solution to Boston’s closer void this year. I’m not going to comment on whether or not he’d be the right man because I simply don’t know, but anytime you throw an unknown into the closer’s role …
SP Kris Johnson – Undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2005, Johnson majorly impressed after being selected in the first round this past year. Starting 13 games and relieving in one, he tossed 30.2 IP of an 0.88 ERA. How does a 22-year old with an 0.88 ERA go 0-2? I don’t know, but the lefty flat out dominated Lowell and should get the call up to Greenville.
Those are our starters, who have the luxury of being followed by our shutdown bullpen.
CL Bryce Cox – A 97-mph thrower, Cox completely stole the show at Lowell and Wilmington. For Lowell he posted a 1.59 ERA in 5.2 IP. The majority of his time came at Wilmington where he had a 0.74 ERA in 24.1 IP, 25 K, and a 2.78 ERA. Has already been anointed Boston’s future closer.
RP Justin Masterson – Masterson easily stole the show at ‘Futures at Fenway’ and posted a 0.88 ERA for Lowell, all 14 games coming in relief, throwing 31.2 IP. Drafted in the second round, Masterson was so giddy in his post-game interview at Futures at Fenway that a lot of us are rooting for him, and he will become a starter for Lancaster behind Buchholz and Bowden next year.
RP Edgar Martinez – E-Mart spent the whole year in Portland, and the 24-year old had a 2.61 ERA and 12 SV in 69 IP, also with an encouraging 3.26 K/BB (59/18). He was selected for the 2006 Future Games and could come up in 2007 to help what will probably be a beleaguered bullpen.
RP Phil Seibel – Recently dealt for Brendan Donnelly, Seibel completely shut down the competition at three Boston levels after recovering from Tommy John Surgery. The 28-year old lefty could see the majors at some point in his career (and likely will) and there is reason for that. He pitched for the Red Sox a couple innings in 2004, but the only thing holding him back is that he is already 28.
RP Kyle Jackson – Jackson had been a starter as recent as 2005 (full-time in 2004) but in 2005 and 2006, has been used as a reliever. For 2006, he had a 1.59 ERA for Wilmington and then a 2.45 ERA for Portland, logging 45.1 and 36.2 innings at each respective level. He got lit up in the AFL but nonetheless had a good year.
RP Ryan Phillips – Okay, I’m cheating. He’s a starter, but we need a long man and a spot starter. So Phillips it is. The 22-year old had a 3.26 ERA in 16 GS for Greenville, after dominating Lowell the year before. Picked in the 11th round in 2004, the lefty threw four innings for West Oahu in the Hawaiian Winter League and holds a lot of promise.
Let’s hope that we see all of them in a Red Sox uniform one day.