Gordon Edes and Baxter Holmes - Red Sox Notebook: Lugo to miss 4-6 weeks
Top pitching prospect Michael Bowden was placed on the disabled list by Double A Portland with a sore calf . . .
Full Version: Sox Minor League News Links, Sun. July 13, 2008
Gordon Edes and Baxter Holmes - Red Sox Notebook: Lugo to miss 4-6 weeks
Top pitching prospect Michael Bowden was placed on the disabled list by Double A Portland with a sore calf . . .
The Providence Journal
PawSox nip Norfolk
Jonathan Van Every hammered his 23rd home run of the season with one out in the 10th inning for the PawSox, who are hitting only .171 through three games of the four-game series against the International League’s worst pitching staff (ERA 4.52). Van Every’s homer made a winner of Hunter Jones, the PawSox’ third pitcher, who followed David Pauley’s seven innings and a perfect eighth by Justin Masterson.
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Yes, Justin Masterson is being converted to a reliever by the Red Sox, but it’s more of a case of being converted back. “I was a closer in the Cape Cod League in 2005,” he said. “It was kind of like it was in Boston. The starters were all doing well, and they needed somebody in relief, so I was it.”
So how well did he do? “I don’t remember,” he said. “OK, I think. I can remember one game where I gave up a walk-off homer to a kid that the other team was ready to send home. After the homer, he stayed for the rest of the season.”
For the record, Masterson had a 1.15 ERA and 10 saves for Wareham and blew only one save, when Babson College’s Teddy Dziuba homered to win for Bourne.
PawSox nip Norfolk
Jonathan Van Every hammered his 23rd home run of the season with one out in the 10th inning for the PawSox, who are hitting only .171 through three games of the four-game series against the International League’s worst pitching staff (ERA 4.52). Van Every’s homer made a winner of Hunter Jones, the PawSox’ third pitcher, who followed David Pauley’s seven innings and a perfect eighth by Justin Masterson.
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Yes, Justin Masterson is being converted to a reliever by the Red Sox, but it’s more of a case of being converted back. “I was a closer in the Cape Cod League in 2005,” he said. “It was kind of like it was in Boston. The starters were all doing well, and they needed somebody in relief, so I was it.”
So how well did he do? “I don’t remember,” he said. “OK, I think. I can remember one game where I gave up a walk-off homer to a kid that the other team was ready to send home. After the homer, he stayed for the rest of the season.”
For the record, Masterson had a 1.15 ERA and 10 saves for Wareham and blew only one save, when Babson College’s Teddy Dziuba homered to win for Bourne.
Ken Lipshez - Dogs take a pair from Rock Cats; The Sea Dogs overcome an early 4-0 deficit to win 8-6 in the first game, then win the nightcap, 2-1.
In the opener, New Britain took a four-run lead, which should have been larger. Portland right-hander Kyle Jackson struggled with his command, issuing five walks in three innings, but the Rock Cats couldn't put the game out of reach before the Sea Dogs stormed back.
Run-scoring doubles by Jeff Corsaletti and Bubba Bell, compounded by a costly throwing error, fueled a five-run fifth-inning rally.
Mickey Hall led off with a single and scored on Bell's double. Ward walked Tony Granadillo, and Corsaletti lined an RBI double to right.
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Granadillo was 3 for 4 in the opener, but saw his 15-game hitting streak come to an end in the second game, which the Sea Dogs won on the strength of Dustin Richardson's pitching and a two-run homer by Daeges.
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Richardson, in his first start since spending a month on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis, allowed just two hits and one walk and struck out four in five-plus innings. He yielded a walk and single to start the sixth, but Richie Lentz came on and the runners were stranded.
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NOTES: Sea Dogs ace Michael Bowden was placed on the disabled list because of a sore calf. Richardson was activated from the DL. ... Portland's Bubba Bell has been selected to participate in the home run derby on Wednesday, prior to the Eastern League All-Star game at Manchester, N.H. The home run derby will begin at 5 p.m., and the All-Star game starts at 7:05.
Kevin Thomas - On Baseball: Getting into the swing of things
Jeff Corsaletti swung at a 2-0 change-up and hit nothing but air.
Sitting in the Hadlock Field box seats, Boston Red Sox Director of Player Development Mike Hazen nodded his approval.
"That is exactly what we've been talking about for him to do," Hazen said.
Swing and miss?
Well, not exactly.
What the Red Sox want Corsaletti to do is swing more.
Contrary to the belief that the Red Sox force their hitters to watch pitch after pitch, they do believe in using the bat.
And in Corsaletti's case, the Red Sox want that bat coming off his shoulder.
In 73 games, Corsaletti, a 25-year-old left fielder, is doing that. He's batting .304 with 11 home runs. On Wednesday, he'll make his second straight appearance in the Eastern League All-Star Game in Manchester, N.H.
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Corsaletti is striking out more -- 56 times through 73 games, as opposed to 37 times at the same point last year.
But his home runs are up, as are his doubles (19 from 10), triples (4 from 1) and RBI (47 from 32).
And Corsaletti is still selective, with more walks this year (50 from 42).
Corsaletti is second in the league in the all-important OPS (.929) -- the combination of slugging percentage (.518) and on-base percentage (.411).
Corsaletti seems more aggressive even as a left fielder, catching more balls against the wall.
"He's turned himself into a pretty good left fielder," Hazen said. "He's made a lot of improvements in the areas we asked him to make improvements on."
Kevin Thomas - Ortiz, Lowrie, Corsaletti
Speaking of outfielders (were we?), today's baseball column features Jeff Corsaletti who is turning back into a prospect.
Corsaletti went 3-for-3 in the first game of a doubleheader sweep Saturday in New Britain ... Zach Daeges hit a 2-run homer in a 2-1 win in the second game, featuring the return of starter Dustin Richardson (5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K) ... Richie Lentz followed for his first save (2 IP, 1 H, 4 K).
Pawtucket won a 2-1 game ... Justin Masterson had his second 1-2-3 relief outing. Facing all left-handers, he got a strikeout, groundout and line-out.
Jason Place hit his 13th home run in Lancaster ... Mike Jones (.320) hit 2 home runs for Greenville and Chad Povich improved to 6-3, 3.29 with 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K ... In the Gulf Coast League, Michael Almanzar (.361) went 2-for-4.
Rock Cats Fall In Opener
Bubba Bell, Jeff Corsaletti and Mark Wagner all doubled in a five-run fifth inning in the opener and Zachary Daeges hit a two-run homer in the nightcap as the Portland Sea Dogs swept a doubleheader from the Rock Cats 8-6 and 2-1 Saturday night before a New Britain Stadium record 8,115.
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In the second game, ...
Dustin Richardon (6-5, 5.62) allowed one run and two hits in five innings for the victory. Richard Lentz pitched two innings for his first save.
Mike Bogen - Affordable choices around
There are, In the Minors decided quite arbitrarily, 11 minor league teams currently operating within day-trip distance, but still outside the 35-mile radius within which your teenage daughter won't be seen with you.
There's one Triple-A International League team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, three teams in the Double-A Eastern League and three in the Short-Season Class A New York-Penn League. The other four teams compete in the independent Can-Am and Atlantic Leagues.
Garry Brown - Knuckler overlooked Sox prospect
Charlie Zink will be 29 years old before this baseball season ends. He has been a minor league pitcher since 2001, always productive but always overlooked when the Boston Red Sox reach into their farm system for help.
Zink has been voted into a role as one of the International League's starting pitchers against the Pacific Coast League in the Triple A All-Star Game, to be played Wednesday in Louisville.
Since being selected for the All-Sar show, Zink has won two starts, his last a seven-inning complete game. That put his record at 10-2, with a 2.28 earned run average. In 118 and two-thirds innings, he has walked 35 and struck out 76.
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From 2005 to the present, Zink has done his share - a 41-18 record and 491 innings pitched. One might say that he is the Wakefield of the minor leagues.
Jones leads Greenville Drive to win
Jones hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings. Povich (6-3) struck out five and walked two, allowing three hits. Javier Garcia pitched the ninth for his second save.
Ryan Kalish, David Mailman and Oscar Tejada each had two hits for the Drive (9-14 South Atlantic League second half).
The Lowell Sun
Spinners can't keep the pace
AUBURN, N.Y. -- The road woes continued for the Lowell Spinners, who dropped their third straight on the current six-game trip as the Auburn Doubledays prevailed, 9-4, in New York-Penn League play before 1,381 fans last night at Falcon Park.
Auburn worked over a pair of Lowell pitchers for 12 hits, breaking open a twice-tied game with five runs in the late going.
After Auburn grabbed an early 2-0 lead, Lowell (11-14) tied it on a two-run homer by Ryan Dent (fourth of season) over the left-centerfield wall in the third.
The Spinners inched ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Deshaun Brooks singled, Tim Federowicz walked and Ronald Bermudez singled to load the bases. Zach Gentile's infield grounder was misplayed as Brooks raced home.
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Brooks finished with 3 hits for Lowell, while lacing 2 each were Dent and Federowicz.
Spinners can't keep the pace
AUBURN, N.Y. -- The road woes continued for the Lowell Spinners, who dropped their third straight on the current six-game trip as the Auburn Doubledays prevailed, 9-4, in New York-Penn League play before 1,381 fans last night at Falcon Park.
Auburn worked over a pair of Lowell pitchers for 12 hits, breaking open a twice-tied game with five runs in the late going.
After Auburn grabbed an early 2-0 lead, Lowell (11-14) tied it on a two-run homer by Ryan Dent (fourth of season) over the left-centerfield wall in the third.
The Spinners inched ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Deshaun Brooks singled, Tim Federowicz walked and Ronald Bermudez singled to load the bases. Zach Gentile's infield grounder was misplayed as Brooks raced home.
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Brooks finished with 3 hits for Lowell, while lacing 2 each were Dent and Federowicz.
Kevin Gray - Solomon becomes sole owner of Fisher Cats
MANCHESTER – Art Solomon is building another minor-league baseball franchise in Kentucky, but he's planting deeper roots in New Hampshire.
The Fisher Cats majority owner and managing partner announced yesterday he has purchased the remaining interest of the franchise from minority owner Drew Weber.
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Weber, owner and CEO of the Lowell Spinners, continues guiding the Red Sox farm team he has owned since 1997. Through Weber's commitment and vision, a Double-A team was brought to Manchester in 2004.
"We appreciate Drew's contributions to the Fisher Cats throughout the years and wish him great success in Lowell," Solomon said.
JetHawks' Win Streak Comes to an End Against Inland Empire
The 66ers jumped out early against JetHawks starter Chris Jones. The lead-off hitter, Trayvon Robinson walked then scored on a double and Inland Empire never trailed. Up 3-1 in the fifth, they pulled away by scoring twice against Jones and five times against reliever Bryce Cox in the fifth inning.
The lone JetHawks run came on a solo homer by Jason Place in the third inning. His 13 home runs are a new personal best.
Jim Leitner - Molldrem signs with Red Sox; Boston lands Boscobel native
Craig Molldrem will gladly trade an opportunity to pitch in an All-Star Game for a return to a Major League Baseball-affiliated organization.
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"My No. 1 goal is to catch the eye of a big league organization and get back to affiliated ball," Molldrem said this spring after being released by the Florida Marlins organization and signing with the independent league Saints. "I'm not here to fall into some sort of comfort zone. My body feels too good, and I've been throwing the ball too well to give it up.
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Molldrem, 26, became one of the most dominant relievers in the American Association with a fastball clocked in the mid-90s. The former University of Minnesota star was 0-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 23 relief appearances.
In 34 1/3 innings, he gave up just eight runs on 21 hits while walking 10 and striking out 35. Opponents hit a miniscule .176 against him.
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The 6-foot-6, 205-pound reliever made his debut with the Lancaster JetHawks of the Advanced Class A California League on Friday evening. Molldrem retired all six batters he faced in Lancaster's 17-8 drubbing of Lake Elsinor. He struck out one batter.
Tony Graham - Claws winning streak ends; RBC grad Kalish hits two doubles
The Drive, the South Atlantic League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, scored the game's first five runs and withstood a Lakewood rally attempt in the ninth inning in snapping the BlueClaws' four-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory in front of 7,010 at FirstEnergy Park.
Greenville's Ryan Kalish, a graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School, hit two doubles pacing a 10-hit attack.
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Greenville right-hander Chad Povich (6-3) allowed just three hits over six innings while striking out five and walking two
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The presence of Kalish drew an enthusiastic group of his home town rooters for the second night in a row, many of whom bought tickets through Red Bank Regional's Diamond Club during the school year.
His father, Steve, said over 400 were on hand to root for his son.
"It's a great time,'' Steve Kalish said. "Ryan is really enjoying being home and seeing all his family and his friends. He loves playing in front of all these people.''
Kalish, who batted leadoff, extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He sliced an opposite-field double to left and was stranded in the first inning.
Gulf Coast League - Red Sox outlast Twins, 3-2
With the bases loaded and one out, Andrew Frezza scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Joseph Testa. A Jeff Natale sacrifice fly made it 3-1.
Former Riverview High standout Kyle Snyder made a rehab start for the Red Sox. He allowed three hits and a run in three innings, stiking out four.
Pete Ruiz pitched three innings for the win, allowing an unearned run. Pedro Perez threw three innings for a save.
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