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August 31, 2008 at 5:35 AM

Buchholz dominant, throws 8 scoreless innings with 10 Ks


8/31 Cup of Coffee: On Saturday, Buffalo edged Pawtucket 11-10 in 10 innings. Devern Hansack went 2 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. He had 2 Ks. Jose Vaquedano tossed an inning giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 BB. He had 1 K. John Switzer pitched 2 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits. He had 2 Ks. Lincoln Holdzkom went an inning and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and a BB. Marcus McBeth went 3 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Chris Smith (1-5) took the loss giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He had a K. Josh Wilson went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Joe Thurston went 2 for 5 and scored a run. Jason Lane went 2 for 5 and scored 3 times. Dusty Brown went 3 for 4 with a run scored and 3 RBI. Kieth Ginter went 2 for 5 and scored 2 runs. Gil Velazquez went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Sean Danielson went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Portland blanked New Hampshire 7-0 behind the dominant start of Clay Buchholz. He threw 8 shutout innings allowing 2 hits and a BB. He fanned 10. Mike James finished the game off with a clean 9th. Argenis Diaz went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. Aaron Bates went 3 for 4 with a RBI. Tony Granadillo went 3 for 4 and scored twice.

San Jose shutout Lancaster 1-0. Blake Maxwell (5-9) threw 7 innings allowing 1 run on 6 hits and a BB. He had 6 Ks. Craig Molldrem went 1 inning and did not allow a run or a hit. He gave up a BB and had 1 K. Mike Jones, Luis Exposito and Daniel Nava all went 2 for 4 in the game.

Hickory edged Greenville 7-6. Chad Povich (8-7) went 5 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Javier Garcia threw 2.2 frames giving up 3 runs on 6 hits. He had 1 K. Lance McClain faced 1 batter and retired him. David Mailman went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Carlos Fernandez-Oliva went 2 for 5. Oscar Tejeda went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. Tom Di Benedetto went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Lowell scored 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Oneonta 5-4. Hunter Strickland threw 5.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. He had 7 Ks. Dan Buller pitched 2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Armando Zerpa (1-0) went the final 1.1 frames and did not allow a run on 1 hit. Mitch Dening went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. Ryan Lavarnway went 2 for 3. Casey Kelly went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Player of the Night: Clay Buchholz who tossed 8 shutout innings allowing just 2 hits while striking out 10
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August 30, 2008 at 5:20 AM

Matsuo tosses 7 scoreless, 2 hit innings in Drive win


9/30 Cup of Coffee: Buffalo blanked Pawtucket 2-0. Charlie Zink (14-6) went 8 innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks. Kyle Snyder threw a scoreless 9th allowing 2 hits. He fanned 2. The Paw Sox managed only three hits in the game.

Portland downed New Hampshire 9-2. Kris Johnson went 4.2 frames giving up 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 5 Ks. Chad Rhoades threw 2 scoreless hitless innings allowing 1 BB and fanning 2. Daniel Haigwood pitched 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings. He walked 1 while striking out 3. Aaron Bates went 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI. Lars Anderson went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. John Otness went 2 for 5 and scored 2 runs.

Stockton edged Lancaster 8-7 in 10 innings. Chris Province went 4 innings allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and 3 BB. He had 1 K. Kyle Fernandes went 2 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits. He fanned 4. Josh Papelbon pitched a clean inning. Bryce Cox threw 2 scoreless, hitless innings allowing 1 BB. He had 4 Ks. Cody McAllister took the loss going 0.2 innings and giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He had a K. Jason Place went 2 for 5 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Yamaico Navarro went 2 for 5 and scored a run.

Greenville blanked Asheville 16-0. Terumasa Matsuo (7-5) tossed 7 scoreless innings. He allowed 2 hits and 1 BB. He had 8 Ks. Eammon Portice pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits. He had 2 Ks. David Mailman went 3 for 6 with a home run, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. Carlos Fernandez-Oliva went 2 for 6 with 3 RBI. David Marks went 2 for 4 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI. Michael Almanzar went 4 for 6 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Manny Arambarris went 3 for 6 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Will Vazquez went 2 for 6 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Tom DiBenedetto went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI.

Hudson Valley downed Lowell 4-1. Stolmy Pimentel pitched 5 innings allowing 1 run on 6 hits and 2 BB. He had 6 Ks. Charlie Rosario went 2 scoreless frames giving up 2 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Mitch Herold (3-1) pitched 1 inning allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. The Spinners offense produced 8 hits scattered among 8 different players.

Player of the Night: Terumasa Matsuo who threw 7 scoreless innings allowing just 2 hits while fanning 8





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August 29, 2008 at 9:34 PM

Bowden to make debut Saturday


The Red Sox have called up RHP Michael Bowden from Pawtucket and is scheduled to start and make his major league debut in Saturday's game against the White Sox. Bowden, 21, has an 0-3 record with a 3.38 ERA in 40 innings over seven games (six starts) with the Paw Sox, allowing 15 earned runs on 40 hits (.261 BAA), striking out 29 and walking five. A supplemental first-round pick in 2005 as compensation for losing Derek Lowe to free agency, Bowden becomes the fifth member of that draft class to make the major league roster (Ellsbury, Hansen, Buchholz, Lowrie). He will fill the roster spot opened when 1B Sean Casey was placed on the DL earlier today. Bowden is currently the second ranked prospect overall in the organization by SoxProspects.com.
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at 5:06 PM

Beckett, Casey moved to DL; Ross called up


The Red Sox have placed RHP Josh Beckett (elbow swelling) and 1B Sean Casey (neck strain)on the disabled list and have called up C David Ross from Pawtucket. Ross, 31, was signed as a minor league free agent August 20. In 19 games with the Paw Sox, Ross is hitting .250/.269/.348 (.671 OPS) line in 64 ABs (14 hits) with two home runs, two doubles and a triple, scoring ten runs while batting in six. According to a team press release the Sox will move to fill the other open big league roster spot after tonight's game.
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at 6:06 AM

Sox affiliates winless in 4 games


8/29 Cup of Coffee: Thursday was not a good night for Sox affiliates as all four teams who played suffered defeat. Portland was shut out by New Britain 2-0. Adam Mills (0-5) went 6.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 BB. He had 7 Ks. Richie Lentz threw 1.1 scoreless frames allowing 2 hit. He fanned 3. Miguel Asencio pitched a scoreless frame giving up 1 hit while fanning 1. The Sea Dogs managed just 3 hits in the game spread among 3 different players.

Stockton downed Lancaster 6-1. Chris Jones (7-9) went 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 8 hits and 1 BB. He had 4 Ks. Jason Blackey threw 1 inning allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and a BB. The Jethawks had only 3 hits in the game.

Asheville pounded Greenville 11-1. Jose Capellan (3-6) threw 2 innings allowing 7 runs on 7 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Mike Rozier went 3 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks. Kyle Foster pitched 3 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Carlos Fernandez-Oliva had half of the Drive's hits going 2 for 3.

Hudson Valley defeated Lowell 6-2. Bryan Price (1-3) went 4 innings allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 BB. He had 2 Ks. Jorge Rodriguez threw 2 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Dennis Neuman went 2 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits. He had 2 Ks. The Spinners had 5 hits that were divided among 5 different players.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox finished their season in third place in the Southern Division with a record of 28-27.

Player of the Night: Richie Lentz who threw 1.1 scoreless innings recording 3 Ks.
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August 28, 2008 at 6:25 AM

Weiland tosses 5 no hit innings to lead Lowell


8/29 Cup of Coffee: On Wednesday, Pawtucket blasted Lehigh Valley 14-4. Edgar Martinez lasted 2 innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits and 4 BB. Lincoln Holdzkom (6-5) threw 4 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Jon Switzer threw a scoreless frame giving up 1 hit. Hunter Jones went 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and a BB. Every one of the PawSox hitters had at least 1 hit with 7 of the 9 having multiple hit games. Josh Wilson went 3 for 6 and scored 2 runs. Chris Carter went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Gil Velazquez went 3 for 5 with a home run, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI.

New Britain blanked Portland 2-0. Dustin Richardson (7-9) went 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits and a BB. He had 6 Ks. TJ Large threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. He had 4 Ks. Daniel Haigwood pitched a scoreless, hitless inning allowing 2 BB. The offense managed just 3 hits spread among 3 players.

Stockton defeated Lancaster 7-2. Felix Doubront (1-1) went 4 innings giving up 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Felipe Garcia went 2 innings allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 3 BB. He fanned 2. Josh Papelbon tossed 2 perfect innings of relief recording 2 Ks. Mike Jones went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Greenville downed Asheville 9-4. Jose Alvarez (8-8) went 6 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and a BB. He fanned 6. Ryne Miller threw 1.1 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits. He had 1 K. Lance McClain pitched 1.2 clean frames. He had 3 Ks. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Zach Penprase went 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. David Marks went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI. Michael Almanzar went 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI. Will Vazquez went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Lowell downed Hudson Valley 5-3. Kyle Weiland (3-2) threw 5 scoreless, no-hit innings. He allowed 1 BB while striking out 8. Armando Zerpa went 2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He fanned 3. Seth Garrison went an inning giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He had 1 K. Robert Romero pitched 1 inning allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He had a K. Mitch Dening went 2 for 5 with a RBI. Will Middlebrooks went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Casey Kelly went 2 for 4 and scored 2 runs.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox defeated the Orioles 6-3. Scott Lonergan threw 2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He had 1 K. Swen Huijer pitched 3 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits. Manuel Jimenez went 3 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 2 BB. Leandro Marin pitched a clean 9th with 1 K. Bryan Peterson went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Chih-Hsiang Huang went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. Joantoni Garcia went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Ken Rogue went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Player of the Night: Kyle Weiland who threw 5 scoreless, no hit innings with 8 Ks to lead Spinners to win
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August 27, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Pitcher of the Week, 8/18-24: Felix Doubront


In his JetHawks debut Lancaster LHP Felix Doubront worked five scoreless innings of three hit ball, striking out nine while walking none and holding opposing batters to an .167 BAA, earning the win on the road at Bakersfield (Rangers) and was recognized as SoxProspects.com Pither of the Week for August 18-24. Prior to his promotion, Doubront, 20, was 12-8 with a 3.67 ERA over 23 starts with Greenville, allowing 47 earned runs on 115 hits in 115.1 innings of work, striking out 118 and walking 24. He was previously voted Player of the Week of July 28-August 3. Doubront is the 29th ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.
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at 11:58 PM

Player of the Week, 8/18-24: Kris Negron


Lancaster 2B Kris Negron was as hot as the California Desert sun last week, hitting four home runs, one double and a triple en route to posting a .533/.531/1.033 (1.564 OPS) line in 30 ABs (16 hits) and dominating the voting for SoxProspects.com (position) Player of the Week of August 18-24. He also batted in and scored eight runs and stole two bases. Negron, 22, is batting .343/.381/.676 (1.057 OPS) in 102 ABs (35 hits) in 28 games with the JetHawks, hitting seven home runs, seven doubles and three triples, with 21 runs scored and 18 RBI, five stolen bases. He has also seen action with Greenville (92 games) and Portland (four games) this season.
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at 8:00 PM

Thurston designated for assignment


To make room for the newly acquired OF Mark Kotsay, the Red Sox have designated 2B Joe Thurston for assignment.
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at 2:20 PM

Sox acquire Mark Kotsay for Luis Sumoza


The Red Sox have acquired outfielder Mark Kotsay from Atlanta in exchange for Lowell Spinners outfielder Luis Sumoza. Kotsay will join the club before tonight's game against New York. More news to follow on corresponding roster moves in Boston and Lowell.

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at 6:13 AM

Diaz's 5 hits and 4 runs lead Sea Dogs to doubleheader sweep


8/27 Cup of Coffee: On Tuesday, Pawtucket downed Lehigh Valley 11-4. Bartolo Colon threw 3 innings allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Marcus McBeth (2-1) pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He fanned 4. Beau Vaughn threw 2 scoreless innings giving up 2 hits and 2 BB. He had 2 Ks. Chris Smith went 2 innings and did not allow a run giving up 1 hit. He fanned 3. Chris Carter went 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. David Ross went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Keith Ginter went 2 for 5 with 1 run scored and 2 RBI. Jeff Natale went 4 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Gil Velazquez went 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Portland swept their doubleheader against New Britain by scores of 6-4 and 7-2. In the first game, Ryne Lawson went 4 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 RBI. He had 3 Ks. Mike James threw 2 scoreless frames allowing 1 hit and a BB. He had 1 K. Daniel Bard pitched a 1-2-3 final frame with 2 Ks. He lowered his ERA to 1.99. Jorge Jimenez went 3 for 4 and scored twice. Argenis Diaz went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. Zach Daeges went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. In the second game, Dave Gassner (8-5) threw 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Chad Rhoades pitched a clean final inning with 1 K. Argenis Diaz went 3 for 4 with a home run and 3 runs scored. He raised his BA to .304. Jorge Jimenez went 2 for 4 and had 2 RBI.

Lancaster defeated Stockton 6-2. Derrick Loop (5-0) went 5 innings giving up 1 run on 7 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Cody McAllister went 2 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit. He fanned 3. Bryce Cox threw 2 clean frames recording 2 Ks. Yamaico Navarro went 3 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI. He is now hitting .369. Luis Segovia went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a RBI.

Staten Island defeated Lowell 9-1. Yeiper Castillo (3-5) threw 3 innings giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 BB. He had 2 Ks. Dan Buller went 2 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Stephen Fife went 3 frames allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 BB. He had a K. Luis Sumoza went 3 for 4 with a run scored.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox took both games of their doubleheader against the Twins by scores of 3-2 and 6-3. Pedro Perez threw 4 innings allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Michael Lennox (2-3) pitched 2 scoreless frames allowing 2 hits. He fanned 1. Dustin Mercadante pitched a scoreless final frame allowing 1 hit. Wilfred Pichardo went 2 for 4 and scored a run. In the second game, Cesar Cabral (2-5) went 5 innings giving up 3 runs on 9 hits. He fanned 8. Anatanaer Batista threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Wilfred Pichardo went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored. Pete Hissey went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Carson Blair went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Bryan Peterson went 2 for 2 with a run scored and a RBI.

The Dominican Summer League is over for the Red Sox. They finished third in their league with a record of 43-27.

Player of the Night: Argenis Diaz who was 5 for 7 on the night with a home run, 4 runs scored and 2 RBI




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August 26, 2008 at 7:47 PM

Sox Activate Wakefield, Drew to DL


The Boston Red Sox activated RHP Tim Wakefield prior to tonight's baseball game against the New York Yankees. Wakefield, 7-8 3.67 ERA, had been on the DL with stiffness in the back of his right shoulder. OF J.D. Drew has been placed on the DL with back spasms. Drew has missed the last six games and the Sox are hopeful he'll be ready to play next week when he is eligible to be activated.


In other roster moves, RHP Chris Smith was optioned to Pawtucket prior to tonight's game and OF Joe Thurston was called up to take Smith's place on the 25-man roster. RHP Bartolo Colon was transfered from the 15-day to 60-day DL to open up a spot for Thurston on the 40-man roster.
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at 4:16 PM

Epperson Cal League Manager of the Year


Lancaster Manager Chad Epperson has been named California League Manager of the Year for the second season in a row. The JetHawks clinched a playoff berth by taking the first-half title and are 3.5 games up in first place (74-59) in the South Division to close out the season. If the JetHawks clinch their second-half title, it would complete a two season half-title sweep for Epperson's tenure ...Former JetHawks OF Josh Reddick, now with Portland, was named a California League post-season All Star along with Portland teammate 3B Jorge Jimenez.
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at 3:30 PM

Bailey, Zink International League MVPs


1B/OF/DH Jeff Bailey, currently with the major league club, has been International League Most Valuable Player and his Pawtucket teammate RHP Charlie Zink has been named Most Valuable Pitcher. In 109 games with the Paw Sox, Bailey (29) is hitting .301/.405/.562 (.967 OPS) over 418 ABs (126 hits) with 25 home runs, 28 doubles and three triples, scoring 88 runs and batting in 75. Zink (29) is tied for the league lead with 14 wins (five losses) and owns a 2.92 ERA, allowing 54 earned runs on 137 hits over 166.1 innings pitched in 27 starts, striking out 103 and walking 46 and holding opposing batters to a .222 BAA. They are the first teammates to win both awards since 1995. They were both also named International League season-ending All Stars along with teammates OF Chris Carter and 2B Joe Thurston. Carter is currently the #16 ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com and Thurston and Zink are SoxProspects.com's first and fourth rated post-prospects, respectively.
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at 3:00 PM

Top pick Kelly joins Spinners


The Red Sox have promoted their first-round pick SS Casey Kelly to Lowell in order to facilitate getting him more regular at-bats with the Gulf Coast League season coming to a close Wednesday, August 27. Kelly posted an .173/.229/.255 (.484 OPS) line, hitting one home run and five doubles in 98 ABs (17 hits) with the GCL Red Sox, scoring ten runs and batting in nine. He is currently the eighth ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.


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at 6:10 AM

Navarro perfect at plate in losing cause


8/26 Cup of Coffee: On Monday, Pawtucket doubled the score on Lehigh Valley 4-2. Eric Hull went 5 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. He struck out 7. Jose Vaquedano (4-1) went 1.2 scoreless frames giving up 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Jon Switzer threw 1.1 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He had 3 Ks. Kyle Snyder pitched a clean 9th inning. Joe Thurston went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Jeff Corsaletti went 2 for 3 with a run scored and 2 RBI.

New Britain edged Portland 6-5. Clay Buchholz threw 7 innings allowing 4 runs on 5 hits. He fanned 8. Richie Lentz (1-2) pitched 1 inning and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits. Miguel Asencio threw a scoreless 9th allowing 1 BB. He fanned 1. Argenis Diaz went 2 for 5 with a run scored. Aaron Bates went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Modesto downed Lancaster 10-3. Blake Maxwell (5-8) threw 5 innings allowing 5 runs on 9 hits. He had 6 Ks. Josh Papelbon went 1 inning allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 2 Ks. Craig Molldrem pitched the final 3 innings giving up 1 run on 4 hits and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Yamaico Navarro went 4 for 4 with a run scored. He raised his average to .361.

Augusta downed Greenville 6-4. Brock Huntzinger (1-3) went 3.2 frames giving up 6 runs on 7 hits and 1 BB. He fanned 3. Javier Garcia threw 3.1 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit and a BB. He fanned 4. Eammon Portice pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and 1 BB. He fanned 2. Jared Stanley went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Rafael Cabreja went 2 for 3 with a RBI. Zach Penprase went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Lowell defeated Staten Island 6-3. Hunter Strickland (5-3) threw 5 innings giving up 1 run on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 6 Ks. Charlie Rosario went 2 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He had 2 Ks. Mitch Herold threw a scoreless inning allowing 2 hits. Robert Romero pitched a clean 9th. Ryan Lavarnway went 1 for 4 hitting a grand slam home run in the first inning.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Pirates edged the Red Sox 7-6. Wang-Yi Lin went 4.2 innings giving up 5 runs on 7 hitsand 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Jennel Hudson threw 3.1 perfect innings of relief. He fanned 3. Leandro Marin (1-1) went 1 inning allowing 2 runs on 1 hit and a BB. Wilfred Pichardo went 2 for 5.

Player of the Night: Yamaico Navarro went 4 for 4 and scored a run
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August 25, 2008 at 6:40 AM

Blair goes 4 for 7 with a homer and 5 RBI in doubleheader sweep


8/25 Cup of Coffee: On Sunday, Pawtucket defeated Lehigh Valley 8-5. Charlie Zink (14-5) went 7 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 2 Ks. Lincoln Holdzkom threw a scoreless, hitless inning. He fanned 1. Hunter Jones earned the save pitching a scoreless 9th allowing 2 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Jason Lane went 2 for 5 with a RBI. George Kottaras went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Gil Velazquez went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI.

Harrisburg downed Portland 5-2. Kris Johnson (8-9) threw 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. TJ Large went an inning allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 2 BB. He had 2 Ks. Daniel Haigwood pitched a clean inning with 1 K. Zach Daeges went 2 for 5 with a RBI. Jorge Jimenez went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Lancaster edged Modesto 5-4. Chris Province went 6 innings allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Kyle Fernandes threw 3 clean innings recording 2 Ks. Bryce Cox (2-2) went 1 scoreless inning allowing 2 hits. Jason Place went 2 for 5 with a home run. Yamaico Navarro went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Mike Jones went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Augusta blanked Greenville 7-0. Chad Povich (8-6) threw 4 innings allowing 6 runs on 7 hits and a BB. He fanned 2. Mike Rozier went 3 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Kyle Foster pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. David Marks went 2 for 3.

Lowell doubled the score on Staten Island 4-2. Stolmy Pimentel (5-2) went 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks. Armando Zerpa went 2 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. He had 3 Ks. Seth Garrison pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. Jon Hee went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Deshaun Brooks went 1 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox swept a doubleheader against the Reds by scores of 10-2 and 2-0. In the first game, Scott Lonergan pitched a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Jeremy Kehrt (3-2) went 4 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Manuel Jimenez threw 2 perfect innings of relief fanning 1. Wilfred Pichardo went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Carson Blair went 2 for 4 with a home run and 5 RBI. Joantoni Garcia went 2 for 4 and scored a run. In the second contest, Ryan Pressly threw 4 scoreless innings allowing 4 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Pete Ruiz (2-1) threw 2 scoreless, hitless innings. He gave up 1 BB and fanned 2. Dustin Mercadante pitched a scoreless final inning allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Wilfred Pichardo went 2 for 2 and scored 2 runs. Carson Blair went 2 for 3.

Player of the Night: Carson Blair who went 4 for 7 with a home run and 5 RBI in the doubleheader

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August 24, 2008 at 9:43 PM

Q&A with Baseball America's Jim Callis


Baseball America's Jim Callis recently had time to share his thoughts on the Red Sox 2008 draft with Soxprospects.com's Jonathan Singer. Jim Callis is the Executive Editor at Baseball America who also was a contributor towards the 2008 Prospect Handbook and ESPN's 2008 Draft Coverage.

Jonathan Singer: Who were some of the prospects other than Casey Kelly that Boston liked with the #30 pick?

Jim Callis: They chose so low in the first round that you don't usually hear a lot of names associated with that pick. Like everyone else, I thought the Red Sox had some interest in Reese Havens, but he went before them. Before the draft, I had heard them mentioned with Bryan Price, whom they took with their sandwich pick. I heard after the fact that they had some interest in Lonnie Chisenhall, who went one pick in front of them to the Indians. They were very high on Kelly, though, and I don't think they would have popped Chisenhall over him.

JS: Do the Red Sox have a draft budget or do they evaluate each prospect on their own merits, assign a value, and spend as much as they need to within their parameters?

JC: Every team has a budget, but the Red Sox must have as much flexibility as anyone. Obviously, they're as financially well off as any club this side of the Yankees. My impression is that if they think there's a player they want to make a run at, they can. They went well over slot to get Kelly in the first round, Pete Hissey and Ryan Westmoreland in the fourth and fifth rounds, and as far as we can tell, became the first team to crack the $10 million barrier in bonuses for a single draft. (The Royals became the second after signing Hosmer.) And even after doing all that, they offered $2 million for first-round talent Alex Meyer, their 20th-round pick.

JS: So far Casey Kelly has struggled at the plate in the GCL. How long before the Red Sox get him on the mound where many have said he is even a better prospect?

JC: The Red Sox thought Kelly was advanced as any high school pitcher in the draft. They also had some scouts who thought he had a brighter future as a shortstop. He wants to play shortstop right now, and because he had more options than the average draftee (not only could he have attended college, he also could have played quarterback at Tennessee), allowing him to play shortstop was a key part of signing him. He'll pitch in instructional league, and I think there's a good chance that he'll open 2009 as a pitcher/DH, and once he hits an innings limit, spend the rest of the season as a shortstop.

JS: Reports had the Red Sox offering $2 million to Alex Meyer. Did the Red Sox feel they could sign him for that offer?

JC: I think they had their doubts, but I also think they felt like that was a worthy offer for a pitcher considered a first-round talent. Only a handful of high school pitchers ever have gotten a $2 million bonus, and no player drafted after the fifth round ever has gotten such a bonus. They never said this, but if a player doesn't want $2 million dollars, maybe he just doesn't want to sign at this point.

JS: In 3 years who will look more foolish. Alex Meyer for turning down $2 million or the Red Sox not offering more money for a top high school pitching talent?

JC: I think there's a good chance that Meyer will be an early-first-round pick after three years at Kentucky. But I don't see how anyone could call the Red Sox foolish for not offering more than $2 million. As I said, very few high school pitchers ever have been offered that much. They sent a plane to Indiana to bring him to Boston for a physical on deadline day. They pulled out all the stops to try to sign him. I think Meyer has risked more by not signing for $2 million than the Red Sox did by not offering more money. But if he wants to go to college, that's his choice.

JS: The Red Sox paid $3 million for a pair of outfielders in Peter Hissey and Ryan Westmoreland. Give us your take on both and which of them has the higher upside?

JC: Westmoreland has more upside, but they're both similar in they're very athletic outfielders with good speed and hitting ability. The power is probably going to be the last tool to develop for each of them. If you project them out, Westmoreland may profile best as a center fielder and Hissey as a right fielder. Westmoreland has been compared to fellow Rhode Islander Rocco Baldelli, and Hissey has been likened to Paul O'Neil.

JS: It seems like Westmoreland was committed to the $2 million number. How many teams were scared off because of that or was it because of his Vanderbilt commitment?

JC: I think both those things scared teams off. We saw a lot of players sign for over-slot money, but most of those fell lower in the draft than where their talent alone would have dictated. Westmoreland's asking price was the equivalent of the 11th overall pick in the draft, and he wasn't going to go that high, so he fell. Another factor in him sliding to the fifth round is that it's harder to evaluate players in the Northeast because of the lack of competition and the weather. I have had other teams tell me that given better exposure, Westmoreland would have drawn much more attention. We fell into the same trap too, as he ranked No. 113 on our Top 200 Prospects list.

JS: The Red Sox took a trio of college pitchers in the first 3 rounds in Bryan Price, Stephen Fife and Kyle Weiland. All three of them so far are having success in Lowell. What are your thoughts on each of them?

JC: They all have good points and bad points. Price has a tremendous sinker and a hard slider, but Rice didn't trust him enough to pitch him much in 2006 and 2007. Fife also didn't have a lot of success before 2008, but he has an interesting array of pitches. Weiland has a good arm and a deeper repertoire than most relievers, but he also got hit hard much harder than he should have at Notre Dame in the spring. While Price and Weiland were relievers in college this year, the Red Sox may try them as starters.

JS: The Red Sox signed a couple of late round players at the deadline. Which of Hunter Cervenka, Carson Blair or Kyle Stroup has the most upside?

JC: He probably has the lowest profile of the three, but I wouldn't be surprised if Blair becomes the best of the bunch. He's an athletic kid who's probably going to move from shortstop to third base because of his size, but he really profiles well at the hot corner. Cervenka and Stroup do have strong arms.

JS: The Red Sox spent a draft record $10 million plus this year and did not sign any big names in the international free agent market. Do you think that the Red Sox felt like the international free agent market was weaker than in previous years and thus put more money towards the draft?

JC: I'll have to admit that I don't follow the international market as much as the draft. The draft keeps me plenty busy and Ben Badler is all over the international stuff for Baseball America. So I don't know the answer to this question, but my impression is that if the Red Sox liked some international talent, they would have pursued that just like they did in the draft, and I don't know that they would have cut back on the draft. They're sparing no expense to find talent.

JS: Did the Red Sox come away with any impact players in this draft?

JC: The two obvious ones are Kelly and Westmoreland. There aren't many players in the draft with higher ceilings. Hissey and second-round shortstop Derrek Gibson also have a lot of upside. Price could move through the minors very quickly.

JS: Give us your assessment of the Red Sox draft as a whole and will spending all this money prove to be beneficial to the Red Sox 4-5 years down the road?

JC: It's too early to know much for certain, but right now it looks as good as anyone's 2008 draft. If Kelly and Westmoreland pay off like the Red Sox think they will, what look like huge bonuses right now will be bargains.

JS: Which player or players the Red Sox drafted that could end up being steals?

JC: I mentioned Blair earlier, and I think he's a real sleeper. I thought the Red Sox got a pair of nice catching values in sixth-rounder Ryan Lavarnaway and seventh-rounder Tim Federowicz. Righthander Mike Lee (eighth round) and outfielder Bryan Peterson (11th) are two more interesting guys.
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at 6:47 AM

Jimenez hits 3 run homer to stage Sea Dogs comeback win


8/24 Cup of Coffee: On Saturday, Rochester edged Pawtucket 4-3. Michael Bowden went 6.1 frames allowing 3 runs on 6 hits. He had 6 Ks. Kyle Snyder (1-4) threw 1.2 innings giving up 1 run on 1 hit. He had 1 K. Josh Wilson went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. Jeff Corsaletti went 3 for 4 with a run scored.

Portland downed Harrisburg 5-2. Adam Mills went 6.2 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits. He had 3 Ks. Chad Rhoades (4-3) went 0.2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and a BB. Daniel Bard went 1.2 scoreless frames allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Tony Granadillo went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Trailing 2-1 going into the 8th inning, Jorge Jimenez hit a 3 run homer to stage a Sea Dog come from behind win. He ended up going 1 for 4.

Lancaster edged Modesto 8-7. Chris Jones went 4.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 8 hits. He had 6 Ks. Cody McAllister (4-1) threw 2.1 frames giving up 2 runs on 2 hits. He had 3 Ks. Felipe Garcia threw 1 scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. Jason Blackey pitched a scoreless 9th despite giving up 3 hits. Jason Place went 3 for 4 and scored a run. Luis Exposito raised his BA to .311 by going 3 for 4. He scored 2 runs. Aaron Reza went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a 2 RBI. Matt Sheely went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Greenville edged Augusta 2-1 despite being outhit 10-2. Terumasa Matsuo (6-5) threw 6 innings allowing 1 run on 7 hits. He had 6 Ks. Lance McClain pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He fanned 2. Felix Ventura pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 2 hits. He had 1 K.

Lowell downed Brooklyn 2-1. They were also out hit by a count of 9-3. Bryan Price went 1.1 frames allowing 1 run on 5 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Dennis Neuman threw 2.2 scoreless frames allowing 3 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Jorge Rodriguez went 3 scoreless frames allowing 1 hit. He had 4 Ks. Robert Romero (1-0) threw 2 perfect innings recording 4 Ks.

In the Dominican, the Red Sox edged the Dodgers 4-3. Brandon Ulloa pitched 5 shutout innings allowing 5 hits. He had 4 Ks. Javier Gutierrez went 3 for 3 with 2 RBI.

Player of the Night: Jorge Jimenez who hit a dramatic 3 run homer in the 8th inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and lead the Sea Dogs to a win.





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August 23, 2008 at 6:37 PM

Aardsma to DL, Pauley back up


The Red Sox have placed RHP David Aardsma on the disabled list (groin) and have recalled RHP David Pauley from Pawtucket ... the team also recalled RHP Chris Smith from the Paw Sox before last night's game to fill the roster spot vacated by RHP Clay Buchholz.
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at 5:43 AM

Negron's 5 hits and 2 homers lead Lancaster to win


8/23 Cup of Coffee: Rochester defeated Pawtucket 5-1. Edgar Martinez (7-3) went 3.1 innings allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks. Beau Vaughn threw 3.2 frames giving up 1 run on 1 hit. He fanned 3. Marcus McBeth threw a clean inning striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced. David Ross went 2 for 4 with a home run.

Harrisburg edged Portland 2-1. Dustin Richardson (7-8) went 5.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 7 Ks. Richie Lentz threw 1.2 scoreless innings. He allowed 2 hits and fanned 1. Mike James pitched a clean inning. Mickey Hall went 2 for 4.

Lancaster blanked Bakersfield 9-0. Felix Doubront (1-0) threw 5 scoreless innings allowing 3 hitsand a BB. He had 9 Ks. Derrick Loop threw 3 innings aloowing 1 hit. He fanned 2. Craig Molldrem went 1 inning allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Kris Negron went 5 for 5 with 2 home runs, 3 runs scored and 5 RBI.

Greenville downed Greensboro 6-4. Jose Capellan threw 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits. He had 4 Ks. Javier Garcia went 2 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and a BB. He had 5 Ks. Ryne Miller threw a scoreless 9th allowing 2 hits. Carlos Fernandez-Oliva went 2 for 5 and scored a run. Jared Stanley went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI. Oscar Tejeda went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Michael Almanzar went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Lowell edged Brooklyn 2-1. Kyle Weiland pitched 5 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He fanned 3. Charlie Rosario went 1.2 innings. He allowed 1 run on 1 hit. He had 2 Ks. Mitch Herold (3-0) threw 1.1 clean frames. He fanned 2. Seth Garrison pitched a 1-2-3 inning with 1 K. Luis Sumoza went 2 for 4 with a home run.

The Gulf Coast League game between the Red Sox and the Orioles was suspended in the first inning with the score 0-0.

In the Dominican, the Blue Jays edged the Red Sox 2-1. Manuel Rivera (4-3) threw 3 innings giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks.

Player of the Night: Kris Negron who went a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 5 RBI
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August 22, 2008 at 10:04 AM

Q&A with Jason McLeod


In 2003, Theo Epstein brought Jason McLeod on board as Boston's Director of Scouting Administration. By 2005, McLeod took over the scouting department as Director of Amateur Scouting, and since that time McLeod has done a phenomenal job building the Red Sox minor league system from the ground up, drafting players such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Justin Masterson, Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Michael Bowden, and Jed Lowrie. McLeod recently capped off the 2008 draft "signing" season by spending over $10-million in draft signing bonuses, which is believed to be a draft record. By many expert accounts, the Red Sox ended up with the top draft haul of 2008. McLeod is already well into the scouting process for the 2009 draft, but he took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions from Mike Andrews and the staff of SoxProspects.com.

Mike Andrews: Understanding that its difficult to evaluate a draft with much precision within a year's time, what are your impressions of Boston 's 2007 draft haul as of August 2008?
Jason McLeod: The first things that come to mind are the injury to Nick Hagadone and Anthony Rizzo’s cancer diagnosis. Both had been coming off impressive debuts (including the Instructional League) and were off to fine starts in 2008. It was an obvious disappointment when Nick went down with the UCL tear, then an even bigger shock when Anthony was diagnosed. On the bright side, Nick is progressing with the normal rehab process of Tommy John surgery and Anthony has been to Fort Myers a couple of times to do light tee drills and to take groundballs. We look forward to having both back on the field at some time in 2009.

As for the rest of the group, there have been some of the normal ups and downs, and results have varied. We took a lot of high school players in 2007, and as with the majority of high school kids in their first full years, there have been some struggles. But in those struggles have also come development, adjustments, and a better understanding of what they need to do to prepare themselves and be successful over a full season. This holds true for both the position players and pitchers. The end-of-year results may not reflect it, but the process and adjustments many of these kids have made over this year have been good, and we look forward to what those end-of-year results will look like in the future.

MA: What have been the major changes in your approach to the draft since you came on as scouting director, and what has influenced those changes?
JM: We’re not reinventing the wheel here. We are simply looking for players who can make an impact on our organization. Within that thought process, we ask our scouts to work extremely hard in getting to know these players inside-and-out. The Draft is a great mechanism that allows us to supply our organization every year with talent. It is our job to properly identify, evaluate, and put ourselves in position to select those talented players.

MA: We noticed you at a few Spinners game earlier this summer. Is that part of a self-evaluation process, or more just playing a role in the development side of things? Is there a process that you use to evaluate your success and improvement areas in the drafting process?
JM: I see all of our minor league clubs throughout the summer with an emphasis on evaluating our full season teams and writing reports on those players. I like to see Lowell and the GCL for a number of reasons. Mainly, it’s to see how our younger players (mostly the first years) are adapting to the professional environment. Also, I don’t get the opportunity to see all of the players we draft in person, so often times it is the first look I get at some of our draftees. Self-evaluation also plays a part in seeing your own organization. There are going to be plenty of times that players don’t hit the projections you’ve placed on them as amateurs, as well as times they surpass what you projected on them. It’s a learning process for me and I find myself continuously asking why a certain kid does or does not hit those projections. Make no mistake, any time I’m at a ballpark, I’ve always got the “evaluating” cap on.

MA: What are the traits that you focus on most when scouting high-school age position players and pitchers? Which of those traits are personified by Casey Kelly and Derrik Gibson?
JM
: Athleticism is always important, but it’s not just how fast a kid can run or how high he can jump. Athleticism on the baseball field can often be defined by how easy a kid's actions are. This can be applied to both pitchers and position players. Baseball players come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have a certain way they control their bodies. Derrik and Casey are both athletic in their own way. Casey has an easy, graceful nature about him both in the field and on the mound. Derrik is more of the fast twitch, quick burst variety. What both have is an understanding of how to play the game the right way, and they have the skill and athleticism to do it. We’re always looking for tools in all the players we scout which are easily identifiable as it pertains to speed, power, arm strength, etc. The mental psyche of a high school player will always play a big part in our selecting them, because it is the mental maturity that will allow the player to handle not only the learning curve, but also the natural growing-up process involved with being away from home.

MA: In the early rounds you selected a few college-age pitchers without a ton of "mileage" on their arms, including Bryan Price, Stephen Fife, and Kyle Weiland. Each are excelling at Lowell so far this year. What attracted Boston to those pitchers? Is the plan to use them each as starters in 2009?
JM: Simply put, we liked the size and stuff of all three and felt they all had a chance to start down the road. Price and Weiland were relieving in college, but our staff felt they had the attributes we look for in starting pitchers. As with most college relievers, they weren’t easy to see because it’s rare you get a guarantee on whey they will pitch. However, with the looks we did get we were confident that with their ability and the work of our player development staff, they would be able to make the transition. Stephen Fife was pitching in a launching pad in Utah, but really came on midway through the season, and we liked that he could sink the baseball while showing us a plus curveball and a very usable change up. Their early results have been good, and we look forward to continuing their development in the Instructional League with the thought of all three being in starting roles next year.

MA: College catchers Ryan Lavarnway and Tim Federowicz were selected back-to-back in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. What can you share with us in terms of the differences and similarities of their present tools? Might Lavarnway get some time in the field at other positions?
JM: Catching is always a position of need, and you can never have too many. There are differences in their games with FedEx being a bit more advanced defensively, and Ryan being a more offensive oriented guy. Ryan is just coming back from a hand injury that sidelined him for about three months, so he’s rightfully gotten off to a slow start as he gets his timing back. FedEx has been very good defensively and has been impressive throwing would-be base-stealers out. We selected both because we feel they have major league potential as catchers, so right now there are no plans to expose either one of them to another position.

MA: Pete Hissey and Ryan Westmoreland both inked above-slot signing bonuses at the August 15th deadline. What attributes did you see in those players that other teams might have missed in passing on them?
JM: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I wouldn’t say other teams “missed” on them. We felt (and feel) that both players have a chance to be very good, and their bonuses are a reflection of that. It is true that there wasn’t a lot of scouting activity on them, at least while I or other members of our crosschecking staff were in attendance. This could be due to the cold weather high school factor, as well as both being good students with commitments to quality academic institutions. As for their abilities, both players are very athletic and showed advanced hitting approaches from the left side of the plate. Both are plus runners and have shown quality actions in centerfield during our time scouting them. Physically, Ryan is the stronger of the two as he is big and broad, with Pete being more lean and slender. We’ve had the opportunity to see both play against quality competition in the summer with wood bats, and they did nothing but solidify our convictions of their abilities.

MA: Since you have become the scouting director, it has been apparent that the Sox attempt to take full advantage of the period between the draft and the signing deadline(s) to evaluate the late-round "signability picks". How has this evaluation process evolved - is it as much a scouting process as it is a recruiting process?
JM: I think anytime you have the opportunity to “control” a players' draft rights (in the case of a summer follow, it’s approximately two months), you establish a relationship with a player and his family. During this relationship building, there is a natural recruitment process that goes on as it pertains to informing the player about our organization. You have to remember, most of the high school players we draft have already signed scholarships from the prior summer or fall, so that particular university has had 9 – 12 months of relationship building. In the case of a summer follow who is unsure of signing, we have about two months to inform them of what it would be like to be a member of our organization.
Most of the summer process is simply scouting the player and getting to know how important the game is to him and if he truly wants to sign now. A perfect example is the Lars Anderson signing in 2006. Most clubs thought Lars was unsignable. He didn’t have the best spring to support the purported bonus amount that was being thrown around, and on top of that he was a 4.0 student with a scholarship to Berkley. We took him late in the draft and got to spend plenty of time not only evaluating, but also getting to know him and his family that summer. By the time August rolled around, it was apparent to us that he was one of the better high school hitters in that draft. Most importantly, after educating him about professional baseball and the Red Sox organization, he wanted to sign.

MA: What function does the "Fenway Summer Classic" play in that process?
JM: The Fenway Classic was the great brain child of my assistant, Amiel Sawdaye. It provided us the opportunity to see our drafted players against quality competition in a major league setting. In addition, it allowed the players and their families to get a feel for our organization and access to ask any questions that came to mind. I’m proud to say we ended up signing eight of the players who attended that day.

MA: Its been reported that the Red Sox spent over $10-million in signing bonuses in this draft, which is likely a draft record. Did you go into the signing period looking to make a big splash, or was it just a matter of really liking the players that fell to you in the draft?
JM: We go into each draft looking to take the best players we possibly can. With 29 other clubs selecting, it’s tough to predict who is going to be around at a certain selection. It’s just so happened that we’ve identified players whom we believe have high upside with a chance to reach our projections, and those players have been on the board when we’ve selected in later rounds.
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