Royal Rooters > Sox Minor League News Links, Fri. Aug. 1, 2008

Full Version: Sox Minor League News Links, Fri. Aug. 1, 2008

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

RedSoxAnni

Aug 1 2008, 02:52 PM

Amalie Benjamin - Zink is knuckling down now

On that count, Zink has been a revelation this season, with a 13-3 record and 2.76 ERA for Pawtucket. Opponents have batted only .222 against him.

"I think there's two things in play that we've seen this year that have really helped," Hazen said. "I think the maturity factor, the learning the knuckleball, the consistency of his knuckleball, I think the commitment to his knuckleball. [Tim Wakefield] doesn't throw 2-and-0 fastballs. You have to be able to throw a 2-and-0 knuckleball, or else you're going to get hammered. And Charlie has, finally, I think, found the conviction to throw that knuckleball four-fifths of the time."

Add in a changeup and improved fastball command, and the results have been impressive. Even though he hasn't been as dominant lately, especially when having to be pulled from a start July 19 after giving up five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings, Zink, who turns 29 Aug. 26, has been able to go deep into games and give his team the opportunity to win. Exactly what the Red Sox look for from Wakefield.

...

After allowing just three earned runs in 42 innings with short-season Lowell, Brock Huntzinger was promoted to Single A Greenville Wednesday. The 20-year-old had a 5-0 record and 0.64 ERA with just seven walks, and an opponents' batting average of .168. Huntzinger is consistently around 89 miles per hour with his fastball, but can get it up around 91 when he needs to.

"If he stays healthy, he'll be in the big leagues within, I think, two, three years, whether it's in the bullpen or the back end of a rotation," said Lowell manager Gary DiSarcina. "He knows how to pitch. With Brock, everything's easy. He's one of those kids that throws an easy-looking fastball that jumps on you. His command, he'll throw a fastball where he wants to throw it, in whatever quadrant of the plate he's going."

RedSoxAnni

Aug 1 2008, 03:47 PM

The Providence Journal

Paul Kenyon - PawSox 7, Red Wings 6 -- Bowden struggles, but Kottaras comes through

Catcher George Kottaras was Mr. Clutch once more as the PawSox rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Rochester, 7-6.

Pawtucket caught a break when an error by Red Wings first baseman Matt Macri allowed the tying run to score. Kottaras, who had two walk-off homers last season and who had the hit that won Pawtucket’s longest game this season, on June 12 against Louisville, lashed a single to right to score Keith Ginter with the winning run.

...

Michael Bowden, the latest in the line of highly rated pitching prospects to come through the Boston system, made his McCoy debut and struggled. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits and five runs.

“He was elevated with his stuff,” Johnson said. “That’s one thing all pitchers find as they move up the ladder. Your margin for error becomes much smaller.”

...

Bowden showed the outstanding control he has been noted for. He did not walk a batter. Including his first two starts on the road, he has pitched 15 2/3 innings for the PawSox with no walks and 13 strikeouts, six last night.

Five of the first six hits Bowden allowed were for extra bases, including home runs by Randy Ruiz and Ryan Jorgensen. Bowden retired the side in order only once, in the third.

Paul Kenyon - Trade to Pirates surprises Moss

Moss was not into the deadline watch. He did not expect to be involved in it.

“I had no clue. I honestly didn’t think I was going to be traded,” the 24-year-old outfielder said. “It was weird. It was five o’clock (about 4:50 actually, 50 minutes after the trade deadline when he found out about it).”

...

The other Pawtucket players saw what was happening. They knew immediately that it involved a trade. Some of the players applauded Moss and yelled, “Way to go Mossy,” as he headed in.

Moss followed Johnson into the manager’s office, where he spoke by phone with Boston general manager Theo Epstein. When he came out, he grabbed his own cell, said, “Oh wow,” as he saw a rapidly growing number of messages, then went back into the dugout to call his wife, Allison.

“She already knew,” Moss said later. “I don’t know how all these people knew, but I guess news travels fast.”

“I’m excited. I don’t know where I’m going (to Pittsburgh or Indianapolis, the Pirates’ Triple-A team),” he said. “It’s definitely a good opportunity. I’m just going to try to do the best I can and treat it the same way I would here.”

...

As he digested the news, Moss became more and more upbeat.

“It’s great news,” he said. “Obviously, I love this organization. It’s the only one I’ve known. I’ve basically grown up in it. I’ve been here for six years, since I was 18 years old. But at the same time, I see how it is up there (in the big leagues). Maybe it’s an opportunity to get a little more time than I would have here. I think it all worked out.”

“We’ll be rooting for him because he’ll be in the National League,” Johnson said.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 1 2008, 05:43 PM

Brendan McGair - PawSox lose Moss in trade

It's no secret Boston was actively shopping Ramirez. The shocking part comes from Moss being one of the chips the Red Sox used to unload the malcontent left fielder.

Drafted by Boston in the eighth round in 2002, Moss admitted to being caught off-guard when PawSox manager Ron Johnson beckoned for him to come in from the outfield. The motion came some 50 minutes after 4 o’clock trading deadline, though the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had the deal already complete (with Moss’ name included) shortly after four.

Next thing Moss knows, he’s in Johnson’s office on a conference call with Boston general manager Theo Epstein, vice president of player personnel Ben Cherington and farm director Mike Hazen.

“It was getting to be five o’clock, and I don’t know exactly what (Johnson's motion means). I had no clue; I honestly think I wasn’t getting traded,” said Moss after he had a few minutes to digest the news. “Right now I’ve got to pack my (baseball gear) and my house.”

...

“I’ve basically grown up in this organization; I’ve been here for six years since I was 18-years-old,” said Moss. “Our part of the business is the easy part, playing the game. Let everyone else take care of the other stuff.”

“It’s a business, but it’s also a fraternity,” said Johnson. “(Moss) isn’t the first player I’ve seen get traded, but it could turn out to be a great opportunity for Brandon and Craig.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 2 2008, 05:20 PM

Allen Lessels - Big innings lead to a big victory; The Sea Dogs outslug New Hampshire, then head back to Portland for a brief homestand.

The Sea Dogs scored early and often to knock off the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 13-6 Thursday night at Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

...

The Sea Dogs sent nine men to the plate in the first inning and scored five runs. They had eight batters up in the third and fifth and scored three runs each time.

"Any time you can put together some good at-bats in a row and do it multiple times in the game, it's bound to be a good offensive night," said first baseman Lars Anderson.

Left fielder Zach Daeges had four hits and four RBI. Anderson and third baseman Jorge Jimenez added three hits each. Anderson also walked twice.

...

Lefty Dave Gassner, despite giving up six runs in the second inning, lasted five innings to earn the win.

"He did a real nice job of settling down and giving us the innings we needed," Beyeler said. "He threw about 40 pitches in the second inning and came back in the third, fourth and fifth and did a nice job and got guys out."

Right-hander Mike James pitched three innings of one-hit relief. Miguel Asencio closed it out in the ninth.

Rachel Lenzi - Bob-bob-bobbing along; Bobbleheads continue to be a national craze, including a 34th giveaway at Hadlock since 2002.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 06:49 PM

Stanley's homer backs Drive's shutout pitching

ROME, Ga. -- Jered Stanley's three-run home run in the sixth inning broke a scoreless pitchers' duel and the Greenville Drive went on to beat the Rome Braves, 3-0, Thursday night in South Atlantic League baseball at State Mutual Stadium

...

Doubront (12-6) struck out eight and scattered two hits in six innings. Robert McClain struck out three and allowed one hit in three innings for his second save.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 07:26 PM

Kevin Gray - Portland clobbers Fishers

MANCHESTER – Crooked numbers kept going up on the scoreboard as Portland topped New Hampshire, 13-6, in the year's last meeting between the Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats at Manchester.

Lefties love hitting at Merchantsauto.com Stadium -- and Zach Daeges is no exception. The leftfielder went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs as the Sea Dogs collected 18 hits before a standing-room crowd of 6,642.

Southpaw Dave Gassner, who suffered his worst career start against the Fisher Cats this season, earned the win by going five innings and yielding nine hits.

It didn't matter that Gassner (4-5) was tagged for six earned runs because he had plenty of run support. The Sea Dogs had a 5-0 lead before NH starter Kenny Rodriguez took the mound.

Portland batted through the order in the first inning, capping the rally with a two-run single by Argenis Diaz. Rodriguez (1-3) allowed six walks and was pounded for seven hits, eight runs, before exiting in the third inning.

Kevin Gray's On Baseball: Manny era ends with a sigh of relief

Double-A players were checking their cell phones and watching the news to see which players were dealt yesterday. Sea Dogs reliever Daniel Bard, whose fastball is consistently clocked between 98-100 mph, had been mentioned in a potential trade with Atlanta.

"I think a lot of guys in our organization would almost like to be traded because the Red Sox are such a hard team to break in with," said Bard, who didn't have much to say on Ramirez. "I don't know what the situation was. Obviously, both sides weren't too happy. For me, there's more impact of seeing Hansen and Moss go with him. That opens up some spots and you'll probably see a trickle-down effect of guys getting moved up."

Portland outfielder Josh Reddick, another highly regarded prospect, had a similar reaction, especially since the Red Sox traded away two outfielders.

"It's good. I knew Moss personally, and I hate to see him go. At the same time, it kind of helps my chances," Reddick said.

Was he surprised at the news?

"You know, there was so much talk and rumors and nobody thought he was really going to be traded. I guess all that changed yesterday when he said (the Red Sox) didn't deserve to have him in Boston," Reddick said.

RedSoxAnni

Aug 3 2008, 07:56 PM

The Lowell Sun

Lynn Worthy - Spinners ease past Yankees

Right-hander Kyle Weiland turned in a strong pitching performance (five innings, three hits, one run, five strikouts), and the Lowell Spinners broke the game open with a five-run sixth-inning to defeat the Staten Island Yankees, 7-2, on Mike Lowell Spinners Night at LeLacheur Park.

...

Keowen has become a Yankee killer this week, going 5-for-11 in three games against Staten Island.

"I'm really working on trying to stay up the middle," said Keowen. "I'd kind of got out of my plan and started trying to pull the ball too much and I was starting to strike out more. The last few games I've been trying to work up the middle towards right center, and that really showed tonight."

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.