Oh, hell. Lots of talk, no action...so I'm just going to go ahead and do it.

Here it is. The thread for the Lancaster JetHawks, our very own single-A affiliate in the California League.

At this very moment, they trail the Angels-affiliated Rancho Cucamonga Quakes by one game for first place in the Cal League's southern division, with a 7-5 record.

Top Sox prospects on the roster right now include starting pitchers Michael Bowden, Daniel Bard (the Sox #1 pick last year), Justin Masterson, and Kris Johnson. First baseman Aaron Bates (SoxProspects.com's Player of the Week for April 8-14), catcher Mark Wagner, outfielder Luis Soto, and relievers Tim (not Bryce) Cox and Mike Rozier are also in SoxProspects' top 40.

Outfielder Bubba Bell was named Cal League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. Manager Chad Epperson will be among the guests on the JetHawks Clubhouse Show this evening (8pm eastern), available online. So after the big club jumps out to a huge lead against our old friend Tomo Ohka, and the game becomes a snoozefest, there's still some fun on the farm.

Voila. Discuss. Update. Or just check in.

I hope to make my way to a game in the near future. My camera hopes to join me. We both hope to share.

I'm guessing most folks know this by now, but the Jethawks' home park, Clear Channel Stadium, is a hitter's haven that is going to skew a lot of numbers that we see out of the team this year. Someone else may have some more info on this, but my understanding is that the main issue is not the park itself -- the dimensions are actually fairly large -- but the weather. The very warm dry air, combined with very strong winds at night, make the place an absolute launching pad.

The California League as a whole is considered very hitter-friendly for many of the same reasons, but Clear Channel is among the best offensive parks in all of the minor leagues.

As a team so far, Lancaster hitters have an OPS of .918, far and away tops in the league (Inland Empire is second at .778). Their pitchers have compiled a team ERA of 4.59, good for 7th out of 10 teams in the league. Their bullpen, for whatever reason, has largely been excellent.

It's an interesting question as to whether the ballpark could be a detriment to the development of pitching prospects. It could hurt their confidence if they get hit around, but it could also accelerate the learning process. Boston's management apparently doesn't think the ballpark is a danger to the development process, as they've sent 4 of their top pitching prospects to Lancaster to start the year (Bowden, Johnson, Bard and Masterson).

This also may be old news to a lot of folks, but I'll mention it here as well: Boston's High-A team is in Lancaster by default, really. They had been in Wilmington, Del., in the Carolina League and apparently were caught somewhat off guard when Wilmington's management decided not to renew their affiliation. That decision came pretty late in the game and left Boston with very few options -- none on the East Coast.

This will be a fascinating team to watch this year: The hitters could put up some big numbers, while some of the team's top pitching talent is going to get a real trial by fire.

Bowden got a win on Saturday, which was the first win by a JetHawks starting pitcher, I think.

Sweet. I can go up to Lake Elsinore and see the Storm play the Jethawks next month.

Yep, it was. Bowden has been fantastic -- he has a 1.71 ERA, and 3 of his 4 starts have been at home.

Personally, I don't like seeing them in Clear Channel. I'd prefer to see our minor league teamsplaying in parks as neutral as possible with no extreme conditions, so we don't have to worry about the impact on development. Like you said, it was kind of like a big game of musical chairs, and the Sox got stuck in the end. I can't imagine that they see Lancaster as a long term solution, I believe they are locked in for this season and next but I'd imagine that they would jump ship if there are any other openings after 2008, especially on the east coast. It shouldn't be much a problem, since with the Sox popularity you'd think that and city/ballparkwould love to have an affiliated team. They have had a very positive affect on Lancaster's attendanc thus far.

Lancaster knows that this is a 2 year agreement and that is all. The Red Sox would like all of their minor league operations on the east coast anyways. This was the last resort and it will be two frustrating years.

I posted this in the April 23 newslinks, but thought it would be helpful here...

From the Visalia Times-Delta:

Andrew Bettencourt - Red Sox take big gamble

First off, credit must be given to the Boston front-office brass for not only keeping the Red Sox among baseball's elite teams, but stocking up on draft picks in recent years that turned a bare cupboard of a farm system into one of the top ten as determined by Baseball America.

And it's been primarily an arms build-up for the Red Sox with talented pitchers scattered throughout the system.
But why in the world would the Red Sox want to send those pitchers to Lancaster?

Over the last five years, the JetHawks have either finished last or next to last in team earned run average. In recent statistical studies, Lancaster's Clear Channel Stadium as one of the top two hitter-friendly ballparks in all of minor league baseball, the other one being High Desert's ballpark which the JetHawks visit 14 times this season, more than any other league ballpark.

If there was ever a litmus test on whether Lancaster can be a quality home to bonafide pitching prospects, it's this season thanks to the $5 million rotation.


...

"Pitching in Lancaster is going to be a big challenge, but we can't let it be a distraction," Lancaster pitching coach Bob Kipper said during the JetHawks' visit to Visalia this week. "You can look at this in a couple of different ways. One is that Lancaster is not conducive to pitching, and we're going to take our lumps and make the best of it. Or, we don't concern ourselves too much with the ball park and the wind, and do what's necessary to produce quality major league pitchers — and a part of that is about being able to pitch in any environment.

"But for the first seven games we had [in Lancaster], I would say in six of those seven games I saw things that I have never seen in baseball, and I've been part of this game for 25 years."

...


Through Saturday's games, Lancaster ranked seventh in the league in team ERA (4.59). The only starting pitcher to have a win credited to his name is Bowden, who is among league leaders with a 1.71 ERA.
But Bard, a 2006 first-round pick out of North Carolina, has a 14.55 home ERA, while holding the Oaks to one run in four innings at Recreation Park on Tuesday.

It wasn't Boston's intentions to have its Advanced-A affiliate in Lancaster. After losing a game of musical chairs in the Carolina League, the Red Sox were forced to look for a Cal League affiliate, and the choices were limited to Lancaster, High Desert and Visalia.

Well, Bubba Bell, for one, is enjoying the Lancaster era.

He came into tonight's game with a ridiculous line of .365/.447/.703 (yes, he's slugging over .700) and he just went deep again, his 7th HR in the 17th game of the season.

JetHawks won 8-3 - including 4 runs (all unearned) off of starter Yhency Brazoban, who's on rehab assignment recovering from Tommy John surgery. First win of the year for Kris Johnson (in 4 starts). JetHawks split the series. On now to a 3 game series @ home against the league-leading San Jose Giants. Justin Masterson (0-1, 6.00) is on the hill tonight.

Giants player to watch: Baseball America rates SS Emmanuel Burriss as the #4 prospect in the Giants organization. He's off to a slow start (.167 / .253 OBP / .197 SLG, 4 errors), but he does have 10 SB in 13 tries.

Here are the current JetHawks stats. Lest you doubt the effect that Clear Channel Stadium (which was much better when it was named The Hangar) has: 6 players on the team have an OPS greater than 1.000. Only 4 players (2 regulars) have an OPS below .800. JetHawks have played 11 of 18 games at home so far. You do the math.

Johnson pitched very well last night. He seemed to tire in the 5th and walked 4 straight batters, but he only allowed 2 hits and struck out 4, and hadn't walked a batter until there were two outs in the 5th.

Masterson has had an up-and-down night tonight. He allowed singles to the first three batters, then settled down and retired 8 of the next 9 before giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks in the 4th. He set San Jose down in order in the 5th with the help of a double play, and overall has gotten 8 groundball outs, so his sinker seems to be working.

Guess who hit another dinger? No. 8 for Bubba Bell.

The JetHawks came back from an 8-3 deficit and won the game 10-9.

Bowden on the hill for the Jethawks tonight in Lancaster. Two scoreless so far, 1 hit, 3 Ks.

Edit: Bowden got touched for 3 runs on 4 hits in the 4th, but he's now through 6 IP with 1 BB, 9 Ks and a 4-3 lead.

Stud.

Daniel Bard...yikes.

2.2 IP, 4 hits, 6 BB, 6 runs (3 ER), 4 Ks

That's 22 BBs in 13.1 IP.

I don't know what's going on, but Mike Rozier hasn't sucked lately.

4/20: 6.1 IP, 2 ER
4/25: 6 IP, 1 ER
4/30: 6 IP, 3 ER

Two of those starts were at home, making the numbers pretty impressive. Is it possible that the Red Sox didn't flush a $1.5 million signing bonus down the drain when they signed him? He is only 21....

Anni posted this in the Aaron Bates thread already (and I'm sure in the Minor League news links)....but it's worth reading, so if you missed it elsewhere:

Aaron Bates interview w/Amalie Benjamin

From today's Maine Sunday Times:

Kevin Thomas - After windy Lancaster, players breathe easier fielding at Hadlock; Michael Bowden remembers the first time he pitched in the bullpen at windy Clear Channel Stadium in Lancaster, Calif.


Lancaster is located about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, between two mountain ranges. Clear Channel Stadium is a wind tunnel.

Sea Dogs Manager Arnie Beyeler once managed in the California League. He said Lancaster was one of a couple stops where he conducted special "pop-up practice" before a game, so fielders could get a sense of the wind.

Johnson, an outfielder, remembers his first batting practice there. "I'm shagging balls in center field. I go to run after the balls, and they're 40 feet out. It's not even close."

Predictably, Lancaster's games have a slow-pitch softball look to them, including an incredible series with Lake Elsinore, May 18-20. Lancaster lost the first game 30-0, trailed the second game 9-0 before winning 14-12 and lost the third game, 21-6.

...

The Red Sox landed in the California League because they had no place to go after the Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks of the Carolina League ended their affiliation with Boston after only two years.

The Blue Rocks want teams that compete for championships and were upset when Boston promoted some stellar players to Portland (such as Jacoby Ellsbury) before the end of last season.

Lancaster not only provides windy conditions but a logistical challenge for players going down to Class A Greenville, S.C., or up to Portland.

When the Red Sox affiliation agreement with Lancaster expires after the 2008...

Good article on travel in the California League:

Greg Wagner, Antelope Valley Press - Red Sox pick up the tab for travel

SAN BERNARDINO - Last year's version of the JetHawks had to commute to road trips all over the California League.
Thanks to the Boston Red Sox, that's not the case this season.

League rules stipulate that teams must stay in hotel on all trips that are more than 99 miles away, but any treks less than that - Inland Empire, High Desert, Rancho Cucamonga and Bakersfield in the JetHawks' case - can be made by bus.

The Boston Red Sox have elected to pay for the JetHawks to stay overnight in all of those stops aside from High Desert, giving this year's team a much easier trek around the Cal League than the Diamondbacks-affiliated squad had last year.

"You tip your cap to them that they let that happen," JetHawks manager Chad Epperson said. "It shows that they really care about these guys."

Players certainly have appreciated Boston's deep pockets.

"It's fortunate that we're in an organization like that," first baseman Aaron Bates said.

From the Sunday Globe:

Amalie Benjamin - Beware of flying objects; For Sox' California entry, no lead (or popup) is safe


Though Lancaster piqued interest by sustaining a 30-0 loss to Lake Elsinore on May 18, that's not the norm. Try 18-15 or, on this night, a 15-9 win over High Desert.

"No lead's secure," Bell said. "Somebody was asking why somebody [on the JetHawks] was stealing when we were up like five or six runs in the sixth or seventh inning. They were like, 'Why'd he run?' There's no lead that's safe here. I promise you."

All three of the flags at Clear Channel Stadium, at 3:30 p.m. as the team heads out to meet with Epperson, stand straight out. Every detail of each flag is visible, unfurled with the day's 28-m.p.h. winds. Since it's Thursday, it doesn't much matter to the fans exactly how hard the wind is blowing. They know, simply, the harder it blows, the higher the score.

...

There's humor about the place, sure. How could there not be? But there's also an unhappiness that leads most involved to wonder how long the relationship between the Red Sox and JetHawks will last. Especially because every other affiliate in the California League belongs to a team from the American League West or National League West.

"There's just really not a lot we can do about it," Sox director of player development Mike Hazen said, after praising Lancaster, specifically the ownership group. "This is where we are right now. It's where we have to play. We signed a contract for two years. We need to fulfill that contract. We'll see what happens two years from now."

But questions remain. Should a team on the East Coast need an extra player, especially if it's only for a short time, would those playing in high Single A Lancaster get passed over for logistical reasons for someone playing in low Single A? Hazen says no.