March 6, 2011 at 11:27 AM
Fort Report: March 6
Today's minor league notes:
▪ Several minor league campers have seen big league game action this weekend, including Will Middlebrooks, Michael Almanzar, Aaron Bates, Ryan Dent, Alex Hassan, Ryan Khoury, Jorge Padron, Matt Sheely, Tony Thomas, Bubba Bell, Dan Butler, Lenny DiNardo, Kyle Fernandes, TJ Large, and Eammon Portice.
▪ A few Triple-A level players that have yet to see major league game action are Adam Mills, Kris Johnson, Bryce Cox, Stephen Fife, and Santo Luis.
▪ 2010 40th round pick Luke Yoder has retired to pursue other career opportunities. A graduate of Cal Polytech-SLO, the 23-year-old Yoder hit .256 in 50 games with the GCL Red Sox in 2010.
▪ Heading into minor league camp, it appears that the club has elected to use visas on the following players to make their stateside debuts in 2011: Xander Bogaerts, Yunior Ortega, Raul Alcantara, Mario Alcantara, Alex Mateo, Nefi Ogando, Luis Diaz, and Jesus Loyya. Two players who were invited to participate in the Fall Instructional League in 2010 - William Cuevas and Robert Del Rosario - appear headed back to the Dominican Summer League at this stage.
▪ Look for the club to lock up pre-arbitration players on the 40-man roster to league minimum, near league minimum, or split contracts in the next one to two days. That list includes Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie, Michael Bowden, Mark Wagner, Felix Doubront, Daniel Bard, Josh Reddick, Darnell McDonald, Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish, Yamaico Navarro, Lars Anderson, Luis Exposito, Stolmy Pimentel, and Oscar Tejeda.
▪ Monday is traditionally the first day for re-assignments from major league to minor league camp. Some of the bubble non-roster invitees will likely get assigned back the Player Development Complex to continue their development under the instruction of the minor league coaches.
▪ Jon Lester was slated to make the start for the Red Sox today, but was scratched due to flu-like symptoms. Bowden will start in Lester's place.
▪ The Red Sox Foundation hosted its annual Dancing with the New Stars event last night. Kalish took the grand prize for the second straight year in a dance competition against teammates Exposito, Ryan Lavarnway, and Jason Rice. The event was judged by David Ortiz, Tim Wakefield, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Cameron, McDonald, Anderson, and Bowden.
▪ Minor league spring training at the Player Development Complex kicks off today with the first official workout for pitchers and catchers. Position players are required to report by March 11, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for March 13. Despite these later deadlines, many of the minor leaguers have been in camp for weeks.
▪ The pitching slate for today's game against the Mets includes Bowden, Hideki Okajima, Andrew Miller, and Rich Hill. In tomorrow's game against Baltimore, John Lackey, Dan Wheeler, Randy Williams, and Kyle Weiland are scheduled to pitch.
▪ Two "former" Sox prospects - Dan Turpen and Cesar Cabral - are participating in major league camps with the Yankees and Rays, respectively, after being selected in the 2010 Rule 5 Draft. If they don't make the 25-man rosters of those clubs, they will be returned to Boston. Turpen is 0-1 with a 10.12 ERA, 3 strikeouts, and 3 walks in 2.2 innings for New York. Cabral has put up a 9.00 ERA and walked 2 in 2 innings with Tampa Bay. Both could be back with the Red Sox soon.
▪ Minor league links: Pete Abraham - Plate appearances aid Linares’s bid ... Worcester Telegram - Red Sox may have steal in Andrew Miller ... Alex Speier - Red Sox stacking chips in the middle of the diamond ... MLB.com - Infield prospect Tejeda continues to rake ... Brian MacPherson - Brent Dlugach avoids surgery on shoulder ... Brian MacPherson - Mark Wagner looking to bounce back from lost year ... WEEI.com - Doubront feeling good.