Red Sox Draft Preview: Part 1 of 8

The 2009 MLB Amateur Draft is set to get underway on the evening of June 9, and we will be previewing the draft in seven daily parts until then, followed by live, up-to-the-minute coverage on Draft Day. In the first segment, we preview the Draft’s new prime time format, in addition to providing some general draft information.

Prior to the 2007 season, the draft took place behind closed doors via conference call. The best draft fans could hope for was to follow along online using MLB.com’s draft tracker. In 2007, Major League Baseball, in the hopes of following the ratings success of the NBA and NFL drafts, decided to televise the Draft on ESPN2 and MLB.tv. Still, day one of the 2007 Draft got underway at 2:00 pm ET, a far cry from prime viewing hours. Day 2 - rounds 6-50 - was not televised. The 2008 Draft followed the same format. While these drafts were not ratings blockbusters, televising the draft in those first years was mostly intended as a catalyst towards future interest.

This year, the draft is going prime time. The first round will be broadcast live from MLB’s Studio 42 on the MLB Network beginning at 6:00 pm ET on Tuesday, June 9. Day One will consist of rounds 1-3, including the supplemental compensation rounds after the first and third rounds. While the first round will be broadcast live on the MLB Network, the remainder of Day One will be broadcast via live video stream on MLB.com, with added coverage on MLB Tonight. Additionally, the draft has now been spread over three days. The latter two days can be followed on MLB.com - Day Two will start at noon on June 10, starting with the fourth round and going approximately through the 30th round, and Day Three will take place on June 11, concluding with the 50th round.

First Round Order

1. Washington

2. Seattle

3. San Diego

4. Pittsburgh

5. Baltimore

6. San Francisco

7. Atlanta

8. Cincinnati

9. Detroit

10. Washington

11. Colorado

12. Kansas City

13. Oakland

14. Texas

15. Cleveland

16. Arizona

17. Arizona

18. Florida

19. St. Louis

20. Toronto

21. Houston

22. Minnesota

23. Chicago White Sox

24. LA Angels

25. LA Angels

26. Milwaukee

27. Seattle

28. Boston

29. NY Yankees

30. Tampa Bay

31. Chicago Cubs

32. Colorado

Red Sox Day One Picks

28 - First Round

77 - Second Round

107 - Third Round

Red Sox Day Two & Three Picks

138 - Fourth Round

168 - Fifth Round

27th pick in rounds 6-50 (30 picks per round)

Informational links

Red Sox Draft History - SoxProspects.com

Major League Rule 4 Summary - SoxProspects.com Wiki

Baseball America - Top 100 Draft Prospects - Stats

Baseball America - Draft Prospects 101-200 - Stats

Preview Schedule

June 2: Red Sox recent draft history, potential logjams, and areas of weakness

June 3: Players linked to the Red Sox

June 4: Draft Preview Podcast

June 5: High School players that could slip due to signability

June 6: First Round Mock Draft

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DSL Red Sox preview

The 2009 Dominican Summer League Red Sox season got underway yesterday with a 5-4 win over the DSL Dodgers. With MILB.com and the official DSL website a little slow on the take for DSL Red Sox details, SoxProspects.com is your only spot for up-to-date info on the DSL Red Sox. Here’s a rough sneak preview of the 2009 DSL Sox roster.

Catchers
Aly Gonzalez – July 2008 signee, key player to watch ♦
Leonel Escobar (C/DH) – 2008 DSL All Star, player to watch ♦
Derwin Pinto – went to spring training in 2008, did not make GCL team

Infielders
Pedro Chourio (1B/3B) – big corner infielder returning for third year in the DSL
Lewis Urena (2B/3B/CF) – small, speedy utility player with some plate patience
Juan Ugas (3B) - $300,00 bonus baby from July 2008, key player to watch ♦
Heiker Meneses (SS/2B/3B) – another small, speedy utility player with some plate patience
Pedro Gonzalez (1B/OF/DH) – failed to impress in first two years in the DSL

Outfielders
Javier Gutierrez (LF/RF) corner outfielder with some power potential
Keury De La Cruz (CF) – March 2009 signee out of the Dominican Republic
Curtney Doran (RF) – January 2009 signee out of Curacao

Starting Pitchers (projected rotation)
Raynel Vellette – pitched with Sox in 2008 Instructional League, not invited to 2009 spring training, player to watch ♦
Danny Dilon – returning starter from 2008 squad (2.96 ERA, 5.71 K/9)
Javier Jimenez – impressive ERA numbers for two seasons, less then stellar peripherals
William Cuevas – July 2008 signee out of Venezuela, key player to watch ♦
Yunior Ortega - August 2008 signee, player to watch ♦

Bullpen
Antony Alvarado - highly touted July 2006 signee, missed 2007 and 2008 with arm problems (could break starting rotation)
Nestor Lastreto –lanky lefty with decent numbers (also could break rotation)
Wilfi Santana – converted outfielder was decent in 2008
Ronaldo Juan –conversion to the mound did not go well in 2008
Juan Rodriguez - nice pitcher’s frame, poor control
Eduardo Medina – January 2009 signee
Luis Diaz - January 2009 signee
Luis Bastardo – mediocre all around numbers
Israel Perez – once somewhat highly regarded, Perez was unimpressive in 2008
Alexander Mateo – also put up poor performance in 2008
Samuel Garcia - ditto
Ernesto Reyes – hasn’t shown much in first two DSL stints
Francisco Taveras - newly signed LHP

Might be back later in the season
Felix Sanchez – athletic centerfielder, growing into his frame, vying for GCL roster spot
Randy Consuegra – former $100K bonus baby missed most of 2008 for unknown reasons, also looking for spot on GCL roster
Rafael Espinosa (2B/SS) – July 2007 signee has failed to come as advertised, may also have visa issues

Skipping to the GCL
Oscar Perez - catcher received $712,500 bonus in July 2008 ♦

2008 DSL Players headed for the States in 2009
Manny Rivera – 2008 ML Latin Program Pitcher of the Year vying for a spot with Lowell ♦
Roman Mendez – similarly impressive prospect also looking for spot with Spinners ♦
Jose Garcia – highly regarded signee known for his defense, struggled offensively in 2008 ♦
Eddie Lora – struggled mightily in mid-season promotion to the GCL in 2008, no lock to make GCL squad in 2009

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Fife impressive in first start for Drive

5/31 Cup of Coffee: On Saturday, Indianapolis edged Pawtucket 4-3 in 13 innings. Clay Buchholz started and went 6.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. He did not allow a walk while striking out 3. Marcus McBeth threw 1 inning giving up a run on 1 hit. Hunter Jones went 1.1 innings and although not charged with giving up a run allowed 1 hit and a walk. He was charged with a blown save. Rocky Cherry pitched 0.2 of an inning and retired both hitters he faced striking out 1 of them. Javier Lopez tossed 1.1 innings allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Fernando Cabrera threw 1.1 innings and was charged with the loss allowing 1 run on 3 walks. He had a strikeout. Chris Carter went 2 for 6 with a RBI. Travis Denker went 2 for 4 with a home run. Gil Velazquez went 2 for 5 and scored a run.

Connecticut edged Portland 4-3. Adam Mills pitched 5.2 innings giving up 4 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks. He had 2 strikeouts. Dustin Richardson threw 1.1 scoreless, hitless frames striking out 2. Chad Rhoades tossed a scoreless inning fanning 2 of the 3 hitters he faced. Aaron Bates went 2 for 3 with a RBI and is now hitting .341. Argenis Diaz went 2 for 4.

Frederick defeated Salem 8-4. Casey Kelly threw 5.2 frames allowing 8 runs on 9 hits and a walk. He struck out 4. Andrew Dobies went 1.1 frames allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Jose Alvarez pitched 2 scoreless innings giving up 2 hits and a walk. He had a strikeout. Jon Hee went 3 for 5. Che-Hsuan Lin went 3 for 4 with a RBI.

Greenville edged Charleston 3-1. Stephen Fife, in his first start of the year, went 4 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit and a walk. He had a strikeout. Mitch Herold threw 3 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits and a walk. He fanned 4. Felix Ventura pitched 2 scoreless innings. He allowed a hit and a base on balls. He struck out 4. David Mailman went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Anthony Rizzo and David Marks each had a home run.

Player of the Night: Stephen Fife who returned to action by throwing 4 innings allowing just 1 hit.

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Exposito perfect at plate in Salem win

5/30 Cup of Coffee: On Friday, Indianapolis doubled the score on Pawtucket 14-7. Enrique Gonzalez threw 4.1 innings giving up 8 runs on 9 hits and a walk. He had 4 strikeouts. Randor Bierd went 0.2 of an inning allowing 5 runs on 5 hits. Jose Vaquedano pitched 3 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He had a strikeout. Chip Ambres went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Carlos Maldonado went 2 for 4 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Freddy Guzman went 2 for 4 and scored 2 runs. Paul McAnulty went 1 for 3 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Connecticut downed Portland 10-3. Ryne Lawson threw 4.2 innings giving up 8 runs on 8 hits and 5 walks. He fanned 4. Richie Lentz pitched 1.1 frames and did not allow a run or a hit. He walked 1 while striking out 3. TJ Large pitched an inning giving up a run on 2 hits and a walk. He struck out 2. Blake Maxwell tossed an inning allowing a run on 3 hits. Aaron Bates went 2 for 5. Jon Still went 3 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI.

Salem defeated Frederick 5-2 behind the strong starting performance of Kyle Weiland who allowed just 1 run over 6 innings of work. He did walk a batter and had 4 strikeouts. Ryne Miller threw 3 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits and a walk. He fanned 3. Luis Exposito was perfect at the plate going 4 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI. Che-Hsuan Lin went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

In the completion of Thursday's suspended game, Charleston blanked Greenville 2-0. Hunter Strickland threw 5 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He did not give up a walk and had 2 strikeouts. Yeiper Castillo threw 2 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. He fanned 4. Lance McClain threw 2 clean innings recording a strikeout. Will Middlebrooks went 2 for 3. In the regularly scheduled game, Charleston edged the Drive 5-4. Fabian Williamson went 3 innings allowing 3 runs on a hit and 6 walks. He struck out 4. Michael Lee went 3.2 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks. He had 3 strikeouts. Armando Zerpa threw 2.1 scoreless, hitless frames. He allowed 4 walks while striking out 5. David Mailman went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Tim Federowicz went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI.

Player of the Night: Luis Exposito who went 4 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI

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Bates continues to swing hot bat for Sea Dogs

5/29 Cup of Coffee: Louisville defeated Pawtucket 5-2. Michael Bowden threw 4.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 3. Billy Traber tossed 1.1 frames giving up 1 run on 4 hits and a walk. He had a strikeout. Javier Lopez went 1.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. Rocky Cherry threw a scoreless, hitless inning giving up a walk. He had 2 strikeouts. Chris Carter and Angel Chavez each went 2 for 5. Dusty Brown went 2 for 3. Jon Van Every went 2 for 2. Travis Denker went 2 for 4.

Portland downed New Hampshire 10-5. Junichi Tazawa went 5 innings giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks. He had 7 strikeouts. Chad Rhoades went 1.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He had 2 strikeouts. Chris Province went 1.1 scoreless innings allowing 4 hits. Bryce Cox pitched a scoreless, hitless 9th allowing 1 base on balls. Lars Anderson went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Aaron Bates went 4 for 4 with 2 home runs, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI.

Lynchburg hammered Salem 12-1. Bryan Price went 3.1 inings giving up 8 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 6. Robert Coello threw 3.2 frames and did not allow a run. He gave up 3 hits and a walk. He fanned 4. Derrick Loop pitched an inning and gave up 4 runs on 4 hits. He fanned 2. The Salem offense had 4 hits spread out over 4 different players.

Charleston was leading Greenville 2-0 when the game was suspended in the top of the 7th inning.

Player of the Night: Aaron Bates whose 4 hits produced 2 homers, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI

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Strong start earns Kelly promotion to Salem

Just two days after Bryan Price was called up from Low-A Greenville to High-A Salem, fellow 2008 draftee Casey Kelly will now be joining him in the Salem rotation. Kelly, the organization's first-round pick last June, had been laying waste to South Atlantic League hitters, posting a 6-1 record in 9 starts so far this season. He had accumulated a 1.12 ERA and 39 strikeouts against only 9 walks in 48.1 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .184 batting average. The Florida native, who was drafted as both a shortstop and as a pitcher, will continue to pitch for Salem until he reaches his pre-established 100-inning limit for the season. Mike Lee, who had been pitching in extended spring training, will replace Kelly on the Greenville roster. A corresponding roster move for Salem will be announced when Kelly officially reports to the team tomorrow.

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The Ladder- 5.28.09

Junichi Tazawa

The Line: After impressing during Spring Training with the Boston Red Sox, Tazawa is off to a strong start in his transition to baseball in the United States with the Portland Sea Dogs. Covering 49 1/3 innings on the season, his 47 strikeouts rank third in the Eastern League and batters have hit just .227 against the right-handed starter on the season. After getting his footing in April, Tazawa has turned it on in May, firing 28 innings covering 5 starts while racking up 28 strikeouts against 7 walks and holding batters to 21 hits. He’s only given up 5 earned runs during the stretch and hasn’t allowed a home run in his last 29 1/3 innings pitched. Tazawa had his strongest outing of the season on May 12 against Trenton, limiting the Thunder to 3 hits over 6 shutout innings while fanning 7 and only issuing 1 free pass. Getting tougher when the pressure rises, Tazawa has held batters to a .135 average with runners in scoring position and punched out 18 in those situations.

The View: Tazawa has come over from Japan as advertised and impressed with his quick transition to facing professional batters. His fastball sits 88-92 with the ability to top out around 93 when he reaches back. His heater tends to flatten out some at higher velocities, but it shows some late tail at the lower end of his range. Tazawa has controlled lineups with his advanced arsenal of off-speed pitches and relies on them to keep hitters off-balance. His hard-breaking backdoor slider sits in the upper 70’s and is his go-to out pitch. With its late break that nips the corner of the plate on his arm side, this pitch has been effective against left-handed batters, as they have the tendency to give up on it or swing over the top of it. Tazawa also utilizes a split-change that has the action of a forkball and is also tough on lefties, running down and in. His stuff has been much tougher on lefties to this point in the season. Tazawa can also lean on a low 70’s slow curve that he could feature more against right-handed batters to keep them off-balance, along with consistently establishing the inside portion on the plate with his fastball to keep them from leaning over the plate. His above-average command of his entire repertoire allows him to throw a strike with any one of his offerings and has kept Eastern League batters guessing so far this season.

Ryan Lavarnway

The Line: Splitting time between catcher and DH with Greenville, Lavarnway has posted a .275/.339/.490 line, good for an OPS of .829 on the season and for second on the Drive. He’s tagged 13 extra-base hits including 4 home runs in 102 at-bats after struggling some with Lowell late last season while coming back from a wrist injury suffered prior to signing with the organization. Lavarnway has heated up in May and is currently riding a 9-game hitting streak, going 13 for 34, including a 4-hit performance against Augusta on May 22 in which he clubbed a tape-measure shot and also drilled a double. He’s knocked all 4 of his home runs against right-handed pitching and held in against them well on the season, posting a .288 batting average.

The View: Lavarnway has shaken off the rust from his layoff last season and has gotten himself into a groove at the plate. He has excellent power and despite struggling with Lowell last season, he featured some of that power in limited at-bats. Lavarnway can hit a fastball, especially one out and over the plate to him, where he can extend his arms and utilize his strong lower body. He can occasionally be tied up with fastballs up and under the hands, but he’s been quick on the ball during his recent streak while taking advantage of pitcher’s mistakes. Lavarnway’s walks have been a little down this season, but he has the reputation as a hitter with good discipline at the plate. Over the next 100 or so at-bats, it will be interesting to track how his patience trends and whether he cuts down on his strikeouts a bit. Lavarnway can be susceptible to breaking balls low and away, which will be an area that he’ll continue to have to work on to keep pitchers from attacking him there as the season wears on. With May coming to a close, he’s given a glimpse of the type of power can continue to develop with more experience against professional pitching.

Trending Up

Luis Exposito has begun to heat up and is 21 for his last 71. After struggling in April, Exposito has been looking more comfortable at the plate and looks to be returning to the form that elevated him within the system last season. Over his last 10 games, he has tallied 6 extra-base hits and has been making contact at a better rate. Look for Exposito to carry his recent trends into June…Over his last 21 1/3 innings, knuckleball pitcher Charlie Zink has held batters to 10 hits and only given up 3 earned runs. After getting off to a rocky start in April, Zink has had his knuckler going recently and gotten back to his 2008 form…Off to a very tough start in 2009, Che-Hsuan Lin has begun to turn the corner in May as well, posting a .796 OPS over his last 24 games. Lin has only fanned 2 times in his last 10 games after getting bit by the strikeout bug to start the season. His contact rates have been trending upwards and he looks to be back on track heading into June, looking much more comfortable and relaxed in the box.

Trending Down

Jorge Jimenez has cooled off in the month of May and is currently stuck in a 5 for 35 skid at the plate. He’s recently been lunging at the ball and has not making much solid contact during his funk. Of some concern is the 1 extra-base hit he has in 41 at-bats against left-handed pitching on the season…Right-handed reliever Richie Lentz has struggled since returning from the DL, especially with his control, though his velocity appears to be down some as well. Lentz has walked 13 batters in 11 1/3 innings during the stretch and hasn’t looked particularly sharp in his outings. He’s allowed an earned run in 4 straight appearances and looks like he is aiming the ball rather than letting it go…Mitch Dening is 4 for his last 32. He is without an extra-base hit in the recent slump and has had 4 multi-strikeout games over that stretch. Dening’s OPS has dipped to .515 in May after posting a .861 mark in April.

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Zink leads PawSox to 2-0 win

5/28 Cup of Coffee: Charlie Zink tossed 7.1 scoreless 1 hit innings to lead Pawtucket to a 2-0 win over Louisville. He walked 6 and had 2 strikeouts. Jose Vaquedano retired the 2 batters he faced. Fernando Cabrera pitched the 9th and retired three straight striking out 2 of them. John Otness went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

New Hampshire edged Portland 7-6. Felix Doubront went 2.2 innings giving up 5 runs on 4 hits and 3 base on balls. He fanned 2. Blake Maxwell threw 2.1 frames allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. He struck out 1. Richie Lentz threw a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. Justin Hedrick pitched the final 2.2 frames and gave up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. He allowed 5 hits and a walk. He had 3 strikeouts. Ryan Khoury went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Bubba Bell went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI. Jorge Jimenez went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Jon Still went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Lynchburg doubled the score on Salem 4-2. Dave McKae went 1.1 frames allowing 1 run on 3 hits. He had 2 strikeouts. Kyle Fernandes gave up 2 runs on 2 hits an a walk in 2.2 innings of work. He fanned 1. Andrew Dobies made his first appearance of the season and threw 2 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit. He had a strikeout. Jason Rice threw 2 scoreless, hitless innings giving up 2 walks. He struck out 3. Jon Hee went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Greenville split a doubleheader with Rome taking the first game 5-3. Stolmy Pimentel threw 5 innings giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He fanned 4. Mitch Herold pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. He had 2 strikeouts. David Mailman went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Kade Keowen went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 2 with a run scored and a RBI. Rome took the second contest 4-3 in 10 innings. Brock Huntzinger went 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 4. Leandro Marin tossed 2 scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit but walked 1. He had a strikeout. Felix Ventura pitched 2 innings giving up the winning run on 2 hits. He fanned 3. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 5 with a run scored. Zach Gentile went 2 for 3.

Player of the Night: Charlie Zink who threw 7.1 scoreless, 1 hit innings in Pawtucket's win

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Q&A with Pete Hissey

The Red Sox selected outfielder Pete Hissey in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB draft out of Unionville High School in Pennsylvania. Hissey was offered a scholarship to the University of Virginia but ultimately decided to turn pro. In 2008 he played in 15 games between the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the Lowell Spinners. This season he broke camp with the Low-A Greenville Drive. Jonathan Singer of SoxProspects.com recently had a chance to discuss some baseball with Hissey.

JS: Coming into this season, what were some things that the Red Sox wanted you to focus on this year?
PH: The Red Sox just wanted me to go out and play a full season. There were really no specific parts of my game that they wanted me to focus on. It's my first year, so the best way to get adjusted to professional baseball is by playing a full season.

JS: So far you have not gotten off to the start you likely wanted in Greenville. Can you describe some of the reasons for that and what adjustments you will need to make in order to have success at this level and beyond?
PH: I have had some ups and downs so far this season and that is just the nature of the sport. If you would have given me this question two weeks ago, I would have said I was doing great. I have improved a lot over the course of the first two months and I am still acclimating to the lifestyle and to the fact that we play every single day, so I stay away from looking at statistics and concentrating on improving daily.

JS:Describe both the scouting and recruitment process that you went through. Did many pro teams give you attention? How many NCAA schools did you give consideration too?
PH: Virginia was my dream school, so once they gave me an offer I accepted and did not worry about the other schools. It is a great university and I wanted to attend, but I was given the opportunity to sign with the Red Sox and I did not want to turn that down. This time last year the recruitment process was heating up and I was talking to most teams. Before the draft though, I told every team I was going to college no matter what, as I thought I was. The Red Sox were one of the few teams who kept talking with me, however, and it ended up working out to sign with them.

JS: What was draft day like for you?
PH: Draft day was a great experience, but it definitely dragged on for an entire day. The first round took four hours, but after that it started to pick up pace. I was with a couple of close friends when I got the call. It was a special moment because everything I had worked so hard for seemed to have paid off.

JS: Was there a part of you that always wanted to go to the University of Virginia? Did the Red Sox have to hit a certain number in order for you to give up your commitment to Virginia?
PH: I absolutely wanted to attend Virginia. I looked at my decision as choosing between the best of both worlds. I saw Virginia as the best school I could attend and the Red Sox as the best organization. My decision was a win-win and I am ecstatic at how it worked out. The Red Sox made my decision a lot easier when they brought my family and me to Fenway for a workout. The front office was really down to earth and they even let my brother, dad, and mom hit on the field. It was a great day and it made me feel really comfortable about the organization.

JS: We ask this of all our prospects - give us a self scouting report on Pete Hissey.
PH: I play the game hard and will keep the defense on its toes. I defend well and try to help the team win. I'll let you guys finish up on the scouting report. I know SoxProspects.com loves to do that.

JS: So far this season, what teammate in Greenville has impressed you the most and why?
PH: Casey Kelly has been extremely impressive. He is an outstanding pitcher and does everything with such ease. It is a lot of fun to watch him pitch. On the offensive side, Tim Federowicz has really stood out. He's a great guy and adds a lot of leadership and maturity to the team.

JS: Recently you had John Smoltz with the Drive on a rehabilitation assignment. Can you tell us what that like to be in the presence of what many think will be a future Hall of Fame inductee?
PH: It was an honor to get to play with John Smoltz. He's a great guy and was very approachable in the locker room. He talked with us and shared some of his A-ball stories from 1986. He also bought us an incredible post-game spread which was very generous of him.

JS: Who has been the most influential person so far in your Red Sox career?
PH: I would say that my most influential people in my life are my family. Having their support is such a blessing and knowing that if I fail or succeed I will always have them cheering me on is a great feeling. God blessed me with a great family and great friends so I am just so thankful for it all.

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Smoltz makes start for Sea Dogs

5/27 Cup of Coffee: On Tuesday, Louisville downed Pawtucket 7-5. Kris Johnson started and went 2.2 innings allowing 7 runs on 9 hits and a walk. He had 4 strikeouts. Marcus McBeth threw 2.1 scoreless frames giving up 1 hit. He fanned 4. Hunter Jones tossed 2 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He had 2 strikeouts. Rocky Cherry pitched a clean inning recording 1 strikeout. Sean Danielson went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Paul McAnulty went 2 for 4. Angel Chavez had 2 hits in 4 at bats and scored a run. Travis Denker went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Portland defeated New Hampshire 5-1. John Smoltz in his second rehab start went 3.1 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits. He fanned 2. Jarod Plummer threw 3.2 scoreless frames allowing 3 hits and 2 walks. He had 2 strikeouts. Dustin Richardson pitched the final 2 innings and did not allow a run. He gave up 2 hits and recorded 3 strikeouts. Mark Wagner went 2 for 5. Aaron Bates continued to be hot going 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Jorge Jimenez went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Ryan Kalish went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Lynchburg blanked Salem 3-0. Seth Garrison got the start and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 2. Ryne Miller threw 2 scoreless, hitless frames. He gave up 2 base on balls and had 2 strikeouts. Jose Alvarez tossed a scoreless inning giving up 1 hit. Jon Hee went 2 for 4 in the game.

The Greenville-Rome game was postponed.

Player of the Night: Aaron Bates who had a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI in the Sea Dog win

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Price promoted to Salem

After posting a 3-2 record and a 2.45 ERA in 8 starts for the Low-A Greenville Drive, Bryan Price has earned a promotion to High-A Salem and will take a spot in the team's starting rotation. In 44.0 innings, Price struck out 40, walked 12, and yielded a .223 batting average against South Atlantic League hitters before getting the promotion. He will be taking the roster spot of Eammon Portice, who was temporarily assigned to Lowell. A supplemental first-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2008 draft out of Rice, Price plied his trade for the Spinners last season, going 1-3 with a 3.83 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 40.0 innings.

In other news, Salem relief pitcher Josh Papelbon has been placed on the disabled list. He will be replaced by Andrew Dobies, who had been pitching in extended spring training. The younger brother of Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon, Josh is 3-1 with a 4.98 ERA and 11 strikeouts against 7 walks in 21.2 innings out of the Salem bullpen.

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Pitcher of the Week, May 18-24: Fabian Williamson

Having pitched 7.0 scoreless innings yielding only 2 hits and no walks while striking out 8, Fabian Williamson has run away with SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week honors for May 18 - 24. The 20-year-old lefthander limited South Atlantic League hitters to a microscopic .167 OPSA over his 2 appearances for Greenville. He is now 3-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 35.2 innings for the Drive and has earned his way into the starting rotation. Williamson was originally drafted in the 22nd round by Seattle in 2006 and was acquired by the Red Sox this January for relief pitcher David Aardsma. He is currently the 41st ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.

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Player of the Week, May 18-24: Ryan Lavarnway

After posting an eye-popping .467/.529/.733 line with 1 double, 1 home run, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored in 15 at bats, Greenville catcher Ryan Lavarnway has been voted the SoxProspects.com Player of the Week for May 18 - 24, narrowly beating out Salem outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin (.364/.483/.545) by just one vote. A sixth-round selection by the Red Sox in the 2008 draft out of Yale, Lavarnway now hitting .276/.342/.469 on the season with 8 doubles, 3 home runs, and 16 RBI in 98 at bats. He is currently splitting catching duties for the Drive with fellow 2008 draftee Tim Federowicz, having appeared in 14 games behind the plate and in 12 games as the Greenville designated hitter. He is currently the 36th ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com

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Buchholz almost perfect in PawSox win

5/26 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket's Clay Buchholz had retired the first 24 hitters he faced on Monday and entered the 9th inning with a chance to make history. He, however, allowed a single to the first batter he faced before retiring the next 3 hitters to record a complete game, 1 hit 3-0 win over Louisville. He struck out 7. Dusty Brown went 3 for 4 with a home run. Travis Denker went 2 for 3.

Connecticut edged Portland 9-8. Adam Mills threw 4.2 innings giving up 7 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. He fanned 1. Chris Province went 1.2 frames giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk. He struck out 1. Chad Rhoades pitched 1.2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and a walk. TJ Large threw a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. Mark Wagner went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Lars Anderson went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. Jon Still went 3 for 5 with a run scored. Argenis Diaz went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Ryan Khoury went 2 for 3 with a run scored and 3 RBI.

Salem was idle on Monday.

Greenville downed Rome 5-1 behind the strong performance of Casey Kelly who threw 6 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He struck out 3. Lance McClain threw a scoreless inning allowing 2 hits. Armando Zerpa tossed 2 innings and gave up a run on 3 hits. He fanned 2. Ryan Dent went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Anthony Rizzo went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Kade Keowen went 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. Mike Almanzar went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Player of the Night: Clay Buchholz who threw a complete game 1 hit shutout striking out 7 and came within 3 outs of throwing a perfect game

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Bates homers and drives in 3 in Sea Dog win

5/25 Cup of Coffee: Sunday's action saw Scranton/WB down Pawtucket 10-4. Enrigue Gonzalez threw 5 innings giving up 8 runs on 10 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 6. Jose Vaquedano pitched 3 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. He had 3 strikeouts. Javier Lopez threw a clean inning of relief. Angel Chavez went 2 for 4 and scored a run. John Otness went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Portland defeated Connecticut 8-3 behind the strong start of Ryne Lawson who went 7 innings allowing just 1 run. He gave up 4 hits and 2 base on balls. He had 3 strikeouts. Richie Lentz did not retire a hitter or give up a hit but was charged with 2 runs on 2 walks. Bryce Cox pitched the final 2 innings and did not allow a run or a hit. He walked 1 and had 2 strikeouts. Ryan Khoury went 2 for 5 and scored twice. Aaron Bates went 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. He is now hitting .327. Ryan Kalish went 1 for 3 with 3 RBI.

Salem edged Winston-Salem 5-4. Jose Capellan went 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits and a walk. He had a strikeout. Jason Rice threw 2 scoreless, hitless innings allowing 1 walk. He had a strikeout. Josh Papelbon tossed a clean inning recording a strikeout. Derrick Loop threw a scoreless 9th giving up a hit and a walk. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI. Mike Jones went 3 for 5 and scored a run. He is now hitting .303. Luis Exposito went 2 for 4.

Greenville blanked Rome 1-0. Fabian Williamson pitched 4 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. He fanned 5. Hunter Strickland also threw 4 scoreless frames allowing 2 hits and a walk. He had 4 strikeouts. Felix Ventura finished off the game throwing a scoreless 9th giving up 1 hit. Kade Keowen and Zach Gentile each went 2 for 4 in the game.

Player of the Night: Aaron Bates who had a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI in Portland's win

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Sox affiliates winless on Saturday

5/24 Cup of Coffee: It was not a very good day for Sox affiliates as allthree teams that were in action were unsuccessful Scranton hammered Pawtucket 9-2. Michael Bowden got the start but lasted only 2 innings giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk. He struck out 2. Marcus McBeth threw 2 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He fanned 3. Billy Traber tossed 2 innings and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and a base on balls. He fanned 2. Rocky Cherry was the only PawSox pitcher that did not give up a run. He threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He struck out 2. Hunter Jones pitched the 9th and allowed a run on 2 hits. He fanned 2. The offense managed just 5 hits with no player having more than 1.

Connecticut trounced Portland 12-1. Blake Maxwell lasted 3 innings giving up 3 runs on 8 hits. He had 2 strikeouts. Justin Hedrick went 2.1 frames allowing 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. Dustin Richardson went 1.2 innings allowing 2 runs. He did not allow a hit but gave up 2 walks. He struck out 2. TJ Large threw an inning giving up a run on 2 hits and a walk. He had a strikeout. Chad Rhoades pitched the final inning allowing a run on 2 hits and a walk. He fanned 2. The Sea Dog offense produced just 6 hits with Juan Apodaco going 2 for 3.

Wilmington downed Salem 5-3. Kyle Weiland started and gave up all 5 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks over 5 innings. He fanned 5. Robert Coello pitched 2 perfect innings of middle relief recording a single strikeout. Derrick Loop threw a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Luis Exposito went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

The Greenville/Augusta game was postponed.

Player of the Night: Robert Coello who threw 2 perfect innings of relief in a losing cause

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Greenville pounds out 19 hits in win over Augusta

5/23 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket edged Scranton/WB 2-1 behind the 8 inning performance of Charlie Zink. He allowed just 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 3. Fernando Cabrera earned the save pitching a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. He fanned 1. Mark Kotsay went 2 for 3. Dusty Brown went 2 for 3 with a home run.

Connecticut edged Portland 3-2. Junichi Tazawa threw 6 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits and 2 walks. He had 5 strikeouts. Chris Province went 2 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits. He fanned 2. Chad Rhoades pitched a clean 9th inning recording a strikeout. Aaron Bates went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Winston-Salem defeated Salem 8-7. Eammon Portice threw 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 7. Kyle Fernandes went an inning allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He struck out 2. Ryne Miller tossed 1 inning giving up a run on 2 hits and a walk. e had 2 strikeouts. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Jason Place went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Mike Jones went 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Greenville outscored Augusta 13-10. Caleb Clay tossed 6 innings giving up 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 base on balls. Yeiper Castillo went 1.2 innings giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks. He had a strikeout. Armando Zerpa pitched the final 1.1 frames and gave up just 1 hit. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Tim Federowicz went 4 for 6 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Ryan Lavarnway went 4 for 6 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. Kade Keowen went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Will Middlebrooks went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Zach Gentile went 3 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Player of the Night: Ryan Lavarnway who had 4 hits, a homer, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI

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Anderson drives in 4 in Sea Dog win

5/22 Cup of Coffee: Thursday's action saw Scranton/WB hammer Pawtucket 14 to 1. Kris Johnson started and went 2.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 2. Jose Vaquedano went 1.2 frames giving up 4 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks. He fanned 1. Chris George tossed 2.2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He had a strikeout. Rocky Cherry pitched a clean inning fanning 2 of the 3 batters he faced. Javier Lopez pitched 0.2 of an inning allowing 4 runs on a hit and 5 walks. He fanned 1. Billy Traber got the final out. Chris Carter went 2 for 4 with a home run.

Portland downed New Hampshire 10-3. Felix Doubront tossed 5 scoreless innings allowing 4 hits and a walk. He had 6 strikeouts. Justin Hedrick threw 1 scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. Richie Lentz went 1.1 innings giving up 3 runs on a hit and a walk. He fanned 3. TJ Large pitched 1.2 scoreless frames allowing 1 hit. He had 2 strikeouts. Mark Wagner went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Lars Anderson went 2 for 2 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 4 RBI. He also walked 3 times. Jon Still went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Zack Borowiak went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a RBI.

Salem edged Wilmington 2-1. Dave McKae allowed 1 run on 6 hits and a walk over 5 innings of work. He fanned 4. Robert Coello threw 2 scoreless innings allowing a hit. He struck out 2. Jason Rice pitched 2 scoreless, hitless innings allowing 2 walks. He fanned 3. Jason Place went 2 for 4 in the game.

Augusta defeated Greenville 8-3. John Smoltz in his first rehab start threw 3 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He had 2 strikeouts. Stolmy Pimentel went 3 innings giving up 6 runs on 5 hits and a walk. He had 5 strikeouts. Leandro Marin tossed 2 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He fanned 3. The Drive had 5 hits spread out amongst 5 different players.


Player of the Night: Lars Anderson who reached base 5 times producing 2 runs and 4 RBI

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Jones sent back to Triple-A, Matsuzaka to start Friday

According to Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal, Hunter Jones has been optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room on the 25-man roster for Daisuke Matsuzaka, who will start Friday against the Mets at Fenway Park. Jones had made 8 appearances out of the Boston bullpen since being called up on April 15, allowing 8 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks in 9.0 innings, striking out 7. He had pitched 3.2 scoreless innings for Pawtucket before his call up. Matsuzaka, meanwhile, had gone 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA in 3 Triple-A rehab starts. He allowed just 2 earned runs on 9 hits and 5 walks in 11.2 innings, striking out 14. Prior to going on the disabled list with shoulder soreness, Matsuzaka had gone 0-1 with a 12.79 in his first 2 starts of 2009.

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Bates drives in 3 in Sea Dog win

5/21 Cup of Coffee: On Wednesday, there were no games scheduled at the AAA level.

Portland downed New Hampshire 7-2. Jarod Plummer pitched 5 innings and did not allow a run. He gave up 4 hits and walked 3. He had 3 strikeouts. Chris Province threw a scoreless inning allowing up 1 hit. He had a strikeout. Dustin Richardson went an inning allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 1. Bryce Cox pitched 2 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He had a strikeout. Aaron Bates went 3 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI. Jon Still went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Juan Apodaca went 2 for 3 and scored a run. Zach Borowiak went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI.

Wilmington defeated Salem 8-4. Seth Garrison went 4.1 innings giving up 5 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks. He fanned 3. Jose Alvarez threw 2.2 frames giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. He struck out 2. Josh Papelbon pitched the final 2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He fanned 1. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 4. Che-Hsuan Lin went 2 for 4 and scored 2 runs. Jared Stanley went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Augusta edged Greenville 4-3. Casey Kelly pitched 5 innings allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. He fanned 3. Fabian Williamson threw 3 perfect innings of relief. He had 3 strikeouts. David Mailman went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 4 with a home run.

Player of the Night: Aaron Bates who had a home run and 3 RBI in Portland's win

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SoxProspects.com Podcast, Episode 3

In our May 2009 Podcast, we talk about our early season impressions, Dan Bard and future closers, and Ryan Kalish, among other topics, all while experimenting with remote podcasting via Skype. The discussion runs about 55 minutes and includes Mike Andrews, Chris Mellen, Ian Theodoridis, Chris Hatfield, and a telephone appearance by Jonathan Singer. Hope you enjoy!

The Links

Full Link

iTunes Link

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The Ladder- 5.20.09

Tim Federowicz

The Line: Off to a solid start with Greenville, Federowicz is carrying an OPS of .801 through 28 games and an overall line of .272/.336/.465 with 12 extra-base hits. Driving the ball at a more frequent rate than he did in 2008, he got off to a quick start with home runs, hitting 4 in the month of April. He already has 5 more extra-base hits than last season in 13 less at-bats. Federowicz has been making more consistent contact in the month of May, posting a .306 average through 12 games (he hit .246 in April) including a 4-hit game May 14 against Augusta and a 3-hit game May 8 against Savannah. Always impressive behind the plate, Federowicz has been controlling the running game with his plus arm and handling the pitching staff well thus far. He has also shown off his arm recently, recording 3 caught stealings and 1 pickoff in his last 4 games.

The View: Defense is Federowicz’s biggest strength in his current overall package and he projects as an above-average defender at the major league level. His cannon arm and strong receiver skills are his two biggest assets behind the dish. After looking a bit worn down in the batter’s box at times during his stint at Lowell, Federowicz’s solid start to this season has begun the bring the type of hitter he could become into focus. Getting beat on or being behind a lot of fastballs last season, he’s turned more balls around for solid contact into the gaps and has been quicker on the ball, pulling the ball for harder contact to start 2009. However, his strikeout numbers have been elevated from his 2008 rate (22% vs. 16%) and he has been walking less frequently this season as well (7% vs. 13%). While the hard contact has been there, it will be interesting to see how the adjustments go with his approach and patience at the plate over the coming weeks. Given the demands and physical nature of the catching position, it will also be worth tracking how he holds up 250 or so at-bats into the season. Looking solid thus far, Federowicz has taken the first steps towards becoming a consistent hitter to complement his plus defensive skills and started to lend clues into the type of results he’s capable of producing offensively.

Clay Buchholz

The Line: Finding himself back in Triple-A to start the 2009 season, Buchholz has pitched himself back into position to crack the big league rotation. Featuring all 4 of his pitches on the young season, through 39 1/3 innings he’s fanned 42 batters against 12 walks while only giving up 23 hits and 7 earned runs. Buchholz had a string of 3 starts in a row without giving up an earned run and racked up 25 strikeouts over 20 1/3 innings in those starts, highlighted by an 11-strikeout performance covering 8 shutout innings on May 13 against Toledo. Making batters earn their way on base, Buchholz only walked 3 batters over that stretch, but even then hitters didn’t have much success earning their way on either, managing only 7 hits. Right-handed batters have hit him at a microscopic .110 clip thus far into the season, and batters overall have hit a robust .161 against Buchholz.

The View: After a disastrous 2008 rookie campaign with the Red Sox, Buchholz has gotten himself back on track to contribute at the major league level in 2009. His resurgence has been highlighted by the return of his sharp off-speed stuff that too many times hung or was elevated in the zone in 2008. Buchholz’s change-up has been diving out of the zone, causing hitters to wave over the top of it. The depth and fade has returned to the pitch after more resembling the action of a slider last season, and has been his best pitch in 2009, helping him rack up the strikeouts. His true 12/6 curveball has had the bite and hard break that catapulted him to the major leagues back at the tail end of 2007. Buchholz has mixed his slider in from time to time and the different looks have been tough on batters, producing a lot of weak contact against him. Still prone to struggles with his fastball command, Buchholz has been able to get on top of his fastball more this season, but this aspect of his repertoire will still need to improve for him to have sustained success in the major leagues. His velocity has been consistently 92-94 MPH with his fastball. Buchholz has given up 3 home runs on the season, but 2 of these were in his last outing on May 19 against Buffalo. Keeping his fastball in the lower portion of the strike zone will keep his home runs against down and in the process indicate that his command of the pitch is becoming more consistent. Buchholz has been dominating opponents this season, and a continuation of this dominance will only strengthen his case for returning to the major leagues, while allowing him to work the last of the kinks out at Triple-A.

Trending Up

After getting off to a slow start, David Mailman has been on a tear recently, going 12 for his last 35, with 3 extra-base hits and only 2 strikeouts over that stretch. The sweet swinging lefty has cut down on his strikeouts this season and has been making much harder, more consistent contact. After looking comfortable at the plate in spring training, Mailman has found that comfort level in May and has 8 extra-base hits after hitting only 3 in the month of April. He’s still looking for his first home run of 2009, but the ball has been coming off his bat well…Now pitching out of the ‘pen, lefty Dustin Richardson has been holding hitters in check. Batters are now hitting .175 against him and he’s only given up 1 home run in 23 innings of work. Along with his deceptive fastball with some nice downward tilt, Richardson’s curveball has improved this season and he’s been using it more as a weapon at any point in the count, sometimes grabbing strikes on the corners with it. He has 30 strikeouts on the season…Jon Hee is 19 for 63 since joining Salem and recently hit his first professional home run. Hee has struck out 5 times over the stretch and has been solid in the field.

Trending Down

Ryan Dent is 7 for his last 40 after getting off to a hot start with the Drive. The strikeout bug has bit again, as Dent has 14 strikeouts over the current stretch. The extra-base hits have been there (he has 10 on the season), but the bouts of inconsistent contact have shown again after a tough 2008 season with Lowell. Dent has a smooth, compact swing, but his pitch recognition was extremely raw coming into the system and has been a strong developmental need for him. Improvement in this area will allow Dent’s natural skills to come to the surface more consistently, as so far they’ve only broken through in spurts, including his fast start to begin the season…Michael Almanzar is currently in an 8 for 42 funk with 10 strikeouts over the stretch. He’s has trouble making solid contact and only has 1 extra-base hit during the current slump. An extremely raw player, Almanzar will be prone to highs and lows, sometimes on the extreme ends while his experience catches up to his skills. Look for him to break out a bit once he can keep himself back and off his front foot, and improve how he picks up breaking balls…Since starting off the season with 10 scoreless innings, Kris Johnson has now given up 22 earned runs in his last 22 1/3 innings on 31 hits. Johnson hasn’t been fooling many batters, as they have been sitting on his fastball to produce a lot of hard contact. He has not been able to go deeper than 5 2/3 innings in any of his outings. He has kept the ball in the park though, only giving up 3 homers on the season, and can be effective once he sharpens his command a bit more and learns to trusts his stuff with Pawtucket.

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Youkilis back in the Boston lineup, Velazquez back to Pawtucket

After a brief stay on the 15-day disabled list with a stained left oblique and 2 rehab appearances for Pawtucket, first baseman Kevin Youkilis is back in the Boston lineup for tonight's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Youkilis had been placed on the DL on May 12, retroactive to May 5, and went 0 for 6 with a walk during his Triple-A rehab stint. To make room for Youkilis on the 25-man roster, Gil Velazquez will return to Pawtucket once again. During his brief tour with Boston, his second on the season, Velazquez did not receive a plate appearance and appeared in only 1 game defensively, relieving Julio Lugo at shortstop on May 16 in Seattle. He will likely be available for Pawtucket's game tomorrow night against the division-leading Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

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Chavez leads PawSox to win over Buffalo

5/20 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket edged Buffalo 4-3 on Tuesday. Clay Buchholz started and went 4.1 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. He had 5 strikeouts. Marcus McBeth threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing just 1 hit. Billy Traber threw a clean inning. Fernando Cabrera earned the save pitching a scoreless, hitless 9th. He allowed a walk and had a strikeout. Chris Carter went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Angel Chavez went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Iggy Suarez went 2 for 3 with a home run.

New Hampshire blanked Portland 3-0. Ryne Lawson tossed 5.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 4. Chad Rhoades threw 2.1 clean frames fanning 1. TJ Large pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 walk. Bubba Bell went 2 for 4 in the game.

Wilmington defeated Salem 9-7. Jose Capellan went 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 1. Ryne Miller threw 2 innings allowing a run on 2 hits. He struck out 3. Derrick Loop pitched the final 2 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits. He had a strikeout. Jon Hee went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Mike Jones went 2 for 5 and scored a run. Luis Exposito went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI.

Greenville was idle last night.

Player of the Night: Angel Chavez who had 3 hits including a home run which produced 2 runs and 2 RBI

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Pitcher of the Week, May 11-17: Clay Buchholz

Pawtucket RHP Clay Buchholz continued his 2009 dominance pitching eight shutout innings of four hit ball at Toledo (Tigers) May 13, striking out 11 while walking none, earning himself SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week honors for May 11-17. Buchholz is 2-0 with a 1.60 earned run average with the PawSox on the season, allowing seven earned runs on 23 hits (.161 BAA) over seven starts, striking out 42 while walking 12 in 39.1 innings of work. This is Buchholz's third SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week award of 2009.

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Player of the Week, May 11-17: Jorge Jimenez

In 24 plate appearances spanning six games Portland 3B/1B Jorge Jimenez scalded the ball to the tune of .476/.542/.714 (10 hits in 21 at-bats) with one home run and two doubles, scoring three runs and batting in six, and taking two bases on balls, garnering 86.8 percent of votes cast and SoxProspects.com (position) Player of the Week honors for May 11-17. With the Sea Dogs in 2009 Jimenez, 24, is batting .344/.412/.492 (.904 OPS) with three home runs, seven doubles and three triples in 122 at-bats over 33 games, scoring 16 runs and batting in 27. He is currently the 26th ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.

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Strickland has strong performance in losing cause

5/18 Cup of Coffee: On Monday, Buffalo downed Pawtucket 9-2. Enrique Gonzalez lasted 6 innings and gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and a walk. He struck out 6. Chris George retired 1 batter but not before allowing 3 runs on 2 base on balls. Rocky Cherry pitched the final 2.2 frames giving up 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks. Angel Chavez went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. John Otness went 2 for 4.

Portland was idle on Monday.

Wilmington defeated Salem 5-2. Kyle Weiland threw 6 innings giving up 5 runs on 6 hits and a walk. He fanned 6. Kyle Fernandes tossed 2 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He struck out 2. Josh Papelbon pitched a scoreless 9th allowing a hit and a walk. He struck out 1. Che-Hsuan Lin went 2 for 3 with a RBI. Matt Sheely went 2 for 3.

Rome took both games of a doubleheader against Greenville. The Braves took the first contest 4-1. Bryan Price threw 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. He fanned 7. Mitch Herold tossed 2.1 scoreless innings allowing a hit and a walk. David Mailman went 2 for 3. Rome edged past the Drive 2-1 in the second game. Hunter Strickland pitched 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. He did not allow a walk while fanning 2. Armando Zerpa threw a clean 7th inning. No Drive player had more than one hit.

Player of the Night: Hunter Strickland who allowed 2 runs over 6 innings

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Bowden throws 8 scoreless innings no-decision start

5/18 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket edged Buffalo 3-2 in 11 innings on Sunday. Michael Bowden started and threw 8 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits and 4 walks. He had 7 strikeouts. Javier Lopez threw a perfect 9th inning. Jose Vaquedano pitched 2 innings and was credited with the win despite giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Paul McAnulty went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Travis Denker went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Angel Chavez went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI.

New Britain downed Portland 4-2. Junichi Tazawa went 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and a base on balls. He struck out 7. Dustin Richardson went 2 innings and gave up a run on a hit and 3 walks. He fanned 3. Bryce Cox threw 1 clean inning. Jon Still went 2 for 4.

Salem defeated Winston-Salem 7-5. Eammon Portice gave up 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in 4 innings of work. He had 2 strikeouts. Robert Coello tossed 2 scoreless innings allowing just a walk. He fanned 3. Jason Rice threw 2 perfect innings of relief fanning 4 of the 6 batters he faced. Derrick Loop tossed a scoreless inning giving up 1 hit. Jon Hee went 2 for 3 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Zak Farkes went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.

The Greeville-Rome game was postponed due to rain.

Player of the Night: Michael Bowden who threw 8 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts.

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Lin drives in 5 in Salem win

5/17 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket edged Buffalo 3-2 on Saturday.Charlie Zink started and lasted 6 innings. He allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He fanned 4. Billy Traber threw a scoreless, hitless inning giving up a walk. Marcus McBeth pitched a clean inning striking out 1. Fernando Cabrera tossed a clean 9th inning. No Pawtucket player had more than a single hit.

Portland split a doubleheader with New Britain taking the first game 5-4. Felix Doubront threw 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He had 2 strikeouts. Chris Province pitched the final 2 innings allowing a run on a hit and a walk. He had a strikeout. Bubba Bell went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Lars Anderson went 2 for 4 with 2 home runs. Jorge Jimenez went 3 for 4. New Britain took the second match 4-1. Justin Hedrick allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 base on balls over 4 innings of work. He fanned 1. Richie Lentz worked the last 2 innings allowing a run on 3 hits and a walk. He had a strikeout. The Sea Dogs managed just 2 hits in the game.

Salem hammered Winston-Salem 12-3. Dave McKae threw 6 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. He did not allow a walk while fanning 4. Ryne Miller pitched 2 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He had 2 strikeouts. Josh Papelbon threw a clean 9th inning. Mike Jones went 2 for 4 and scored 3 times. Jason Place went 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. Luis Exposito went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Che-Hsuan Lin went 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 5 RBI. Jared Stanley went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI.

Rome blanked Greenville 4-0. Brock Huntzinger went 3 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits. He fanned 1. Leandro Marin pitched 2 innings giving up a run on a hit and 2 base on balls. Lance McClain went the final 4 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. He had 4 strikeouts. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 4.

Player of the Night: Che-Hsuan Lin who had a home run, 2 runs scored and 5 RBI

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Guzman signed, Corsaletti traded

According to PawSox broadcaster Dan Hoard, the Red Sox have come to terms with outfielder Freddy Guzman on a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Pawtucket, just five days after he was released by the Seattle Mariners. Guzman had been hitting just .214/.244/.310 with 4 steals in 13 games for Tacoma at the time of his release. He is best known for his speed on the basepaths, having led the International League in stolen bases last year with 56 in 101 games while playing for the Toledo. He hit a combined .272/.337/.394 with 5 home runs, 60 RBI and 71 steals between two minor league levels in 2008. Back in 2003, he led all of minor league baseball with 90 stolen bases across three levels. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Padres in 2001, Guzman owns a career .275/.351/.368 line with 46 triples, 18 home runs, and 402 steals in 696 minor league games. To make room on the Pawtucket roster, Boston traded outfielder Jeff Corsaletti to Pittsburgh. Corsaletti was struggling in limited playing time with the PawSox, and has the potential to thrive in a new organization.

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