Royal Rooters > Sox Minor League News Links, Thurs. July 31, 2008

Full Version: Sox Minor League News Links, Thurs. July 31, 2008

Royal Rooters > WE'RE TALKIN' BASEBALL > DOWN ON THE FARM

RedSoxAnni

Jul 31 2008, 03:08 PM

Gordon Edes - Red Sox Notebook: Crisp homer a long shot

Minor league shortstop Casey Kelly, the team's No. 1 draft choice in June, played in a Gulf Coast League game in his hometown of Sarasota for the first time, and it was an occasion worth remembering. Kelly, playing against the Gulf Coast Reds, managed by his father, Pat, had three hits, including his first professional home run . . .

RedSoxAnni

Aug 1 2008, 03:40 PM

The Providence Journal

Paul Kenyon - Red Wings 8, PawSox 3 -- PawSox look sluggish in early game

David Pauley, bidding to join teammate Charlie Zink in the league lead with 13 victories, was not as sharp as he has been as his team lost, 8-3, to Rochester.

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Pauley went five innings, allowed six hits and four runs, only two earned.

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Jeff Natale, a former Trinity (Conn.) College star, homered in the fifth. It was Natale's second game back. He had begun the season at Portland, where he played last season.

The second baseman played only six games with Pawtucket before suffering a fractured left forearm when he was hit by a pitch April 21. He was the offensive player of the year in the Boston system in 2006, when he hit a combined .304 with 17 homers and 87 RBI for Greenville and Wilmington. He entered this year with a career on-base percentage of .440 in his first three seasons. He walked 222 times in 310 games.

Paul Kenyon - Red Sox' trade gains often mean PawSox' loss

Even with 12 players receiving call-ups already this season, Pawtucket has been at the top of the I.L.-North standings all season. The team has a chance to win a pennant and set a franchise record for victories. Still, what happens in Pawtucket is not the top priority.

"The focus in this organization is and always will be to develop players to help the big club,'' Johnson said. "Of course we want to win. We all want to win. I've been managing for 16 years. I want to win. But the reason we're here is to help Boston win.

"I think the players we have here at this level have to maturity to deal with it in the right way,'' Johnson added.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 1 2008, 05:39 PM

Brendan McGair - "People are watching" at trade deadline

“I think trades benefit the players,” said Carter, he himself a trade case after Boston acquired his services last August from Arizona in a three-way deal that sent Wily Mo Pena to Washington. “They go to a team that wants them or uses them more.”

“We could all be pieces; it’s the business end of it,” said first baseman/outfielder Brandon Moss, whose locker was next to Murphy’s last season in Pawtucket. “”We take care of the game and (the front office) takes care of the business end.”

Johnson also advised the PawSox not to get consumed or wrapped up during an uncertain time, for fear it may carry over onto the field. “You don’t want to make it a big issue.”

“If I thought about (the deadline), I’d drive myself crazy,” said Moss. “It’s one of those things that if they feel they can get something done, and I’m a part the deal, then that’s what they have to do. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 05:23 PM

Allen Lessels - This time, Cats gain advantage; The Sea Dogs take a 9-2 beating as their back-and-forth season against New Hampshire continues

The Fisher Cats scored two runs in the first inning and collected six runs on six hits in the fourth to chase Portland starter Adam Mills to grab an 8-0 lead. Kyle Phillips, the eighth batter of the inning, delivered a two-run single for the final runs.

Mills (0-3) allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs in 32/3 innings. He walked three and struck out one.

"He got ahead of guys and then just didn't finish guys," Beyeler said. "But they swing the bats. They got some balls up and they drove them. They're pretty good at that."

T.J. Large relieved to get David Smith for the final out in the fourth and allowed one run over 31/3 innings.

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The Sea Dogs finally scored in the seventh with an unearned run. Lars Anderson, who had singled, scored when Jorge Jimenez worked a bases-loaded walk.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 07:20 PM

Kevin Gray's On Baseball: Portland's Diaz, glove wizard

MANCHESTER – FUTURE BIG-LEAGUE STARS Jed Lowrie, Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez all played shortstop for the Portland Sea Dogs.

Now meet Argenis Diaz, a 21-year-old from Venezuela whose name can be added to the elite group of shortstops who've played for Portland.

Diaz, defensively, might already be a better fielder than his predecessors. (Pedroia mostly played second base for the Sea Dogs but also spent time at shortstop.)

Fisher Cats fans witnessed the human vacuum cleaner in the first inning last night. Diaz fielded a Ryan Patterson grounder up the middle, ranging past second base, and made a perfect throw to steal a hit.

Watching the graceful Diaz in motion is a rare treat for sports fans, like watching an Olympic figure skater or gymnast. Athletic and fluid are words that come to mind.

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Diaz is among almost 50 Latin players signed to professional contracts by Boston. He caught the eye of the Red Sox as a young teenager and signed as an international free agent shortly after his 16th birthday.

"The first time I saw him in Florida (at spring training), I had to ask how old he was," Reddick said. "I was like, you're 18? What? I thought he was 20-something."

Diaz showed the whole package last night, ripping a couple liners up the middle, including a shot that felled New Hampshire starter Robert Ray, as part of a 3-for-4 night. He sprinted from first to third base on a single to center field by Iggy Suarez.

A career .274 hitter in the minors, Diaz must spend the next couple seasons improving his bat, but he's not far away from the majors. By the time Omar Vizquel finally retires, perhaps Diaz will be the game's best gloveman from Venezuela.

"My father (Argenis) played baseball, not pro, but it was his dream to play in the big leagues. He has taught me a lot," Diaz said.

Kevin Gray - Snider homers in Fishers 9-2 win

Portland's Adam Mills (0-3), still looking for his first Eastern League win, yielded 10 hits, eight runs and exited in the fourth inning.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 07:52 PM

The Lowell Sun

Carmine Frongillo - Gentile tower of power in Spinners win over Yanks

Gentile, an infielder who played his college ball at Western Michigan, can hit for average, runs well and gets the job done in the field. Oh yeah, his bat generates some pretty good pop for a player his size.

His talent was on display last night as Gentile was a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple and 2 RBI as the Lowell Spinners topped the Staten Island Yankees, 5-2, at LeLacheur Park.

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Gentile, who plays second base but was used as the designated hitter last night, singled and scored in the first. He stroked an RBI double and scored in the fifth. And ripped an RBI-triple and scored in the seventh.

"I felt pretty uncomfortable lately at the plate," said Gentile. "My swing hasn't felt real smooth. Finally tonight things felt good. Hopefully, I can keep it rolling. I've been getting a few hits here and there but for the most part I've felt a little rough around the edges. But that's part of baseball you go through slumps."

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