Official Red Sox Minor League Thread

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Pawtucket (62-39, 1st in IL North – AAA) – In the second half of July the PawSox went 10-5 to regain first place in the International League’s North Division. Pawtucket will face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, who are just a half game back in second place, eight times down the stretch. The PawSox are 5-2 against the Triple-A Yankees this year…C Ryan Lavarnway had his worst month of the season with lows in batting average (.244), home runs (1), runs (10) and on-base percentage (.303)…LHP Chris Hernandez, a 7th round pick in 2010, picked up his first Triple-A victory at Indianapolis on July 27th. In that game he threw five innings of scoreless relief, scattering four hits and striking out three...OF J.C. Linares batted .356 with four home runs, 14 RBIs and 12 runs in twenty-four July games. Linares played seven games with Pawtucket in June and batted .179 with no home runs, RBIs or runs.

Portland (49-61, 5th in EL Eastern – AA) – The Sea Dogs were an even 15-15 in July. In twelve of those wins they held their opponents to two of fewer runs. In ten of the losses they allowed five or more runs…OF Bryce Brentz suffered his worst month of the season, batting just .200 over 26 games in July. He still has a .272 season average, best of any Sea Dogs player with 60 or more games played…OF Jeremy Hazelbaker went 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts in July. He has a team-high 26 steals on the season which is tied for fourth in the Eastern League…RHP Steven Wright, acquired at the trade deadline for Lars Anderson, made 20 starts for Akron (Cleveland) of the Eastern League. He has a 2.49 ERA which is second best in the league and his 101 strikeouts are fourth most…RHP Aaron Kurcz posted a 0.71 ERA in July after allowing just one run in 12 1/3 innings. The reliever went 1-0 and struck out 18 batters in 6 appearances.

Salem (14-24 second half, last in CL Southern – High A) – The Salem Sox longest win streak of July was three games, which happened once. Their longest losing streak was also three games, but that occurred three times in the month. Their elimination number is 25 heading into the final full month of the season…1B Michael Almanzar’s record-setting string of reaching base in 16 straight at-bats helped him climb to a .309 batting average. He had his best month of the season at the plate in July, batting .333 with a .415 OBP, five home runs, 15 RBIs, 15 runs and 5 stolen bases. After walking 15 times over the first three months combined, he drew 12 free passes in July…2B Sean Coyle has picked up 16 hits over his last nine games…RHP Brandon Workman, 2nd rounder in 2010, posted a 2-2 record in five July starts. He struck out 32 batters and walked only four in 31 innings. He has a team-high 94 strikeouts and only 19 walks this year.

Greenville (18-20 second half, 5th in SAL Southern - Low A) – A respectable finish of 6-3 helped the Drive salvage an otherwise rough July. They had a 12-16 record for the month…OF Keury De La Cruz finished the month with six two-hit games over his last seven. He has a team high .314 batting average, tied for seventh best in the league. He also leads the team with 16 home runs and 66 RBIs…3B Gavin Cecchini and OF Henry Ramos have both played a team-high 95 of 108 games this season. Last year the two combined for 119 games played…RHP Michael McCarthy has put together two solid starts, allowing no runs, four hits, and one walk, with six strikeouts in eleven innings. McCarthy has allowed only one home run and is the only Drive pitcher to allow so few in 49 or more innings of work.

Lowell (16-26, last in NYPL Stedler - Short Season A) - The Spinners are in the midst of a season-long, four-game winning streak that has been spearheaded by some impressive pitching. Lowell ran off three straight shutouts and a franchise-record, thirty-inning scoreless streak. They also managed to get through a complete game without walking a batter for the first time since August of 2010…RHP, 37th overall pick in 2012, has had five two-inning starts and allowed three runs on eleven hits, most of which came in his first two outings. He has struck out 12 batters and only walked four over ten innings…LHP Brian Johnson, 31st overall pick in 2012, made his pro debut for the Spinners on July 29th against State College. He allowed two hits and a walk in working a scoreless inning and a third. It was the first live game action that he had seen since June 16th when his Florida Gators lost, 7-3, to South Carolina in the College World Series…Infielder Mookie Betts entered July batting .245, but ended the month with a .285 mark, best among active Spinners players. He has fourteen hits and five walks over his last ten games.

Gulf Coast (21-17, tied for 2nd in GCL South – Rookie) – A 9-5 run in the second half of July puts the GCL Red Sox three games back of the Twins…First baseman Nathan Minnich was shipped to the Gulf Coast after batting just .136 in twelve games with Lowell. In tens games since being sent down, he is batting .324 with a .457 OBP and 10 RBIs…RHP Jeffrey Wendleken, a 13th round selection in 2012 out of Middle Georgia College, is 1-0 with a save and 0.71 ERA in 7 appearances. He has struck out 16 batters and has not allowed a walk in 12 2/3 innings…Andrew Bailey is slated to begin a rehab assignment with the Golf Coast Sox on Wednesday. Expected to be Boston’s closer heading into the season, Bailey has been on the disabled list since Spring Training following surgery on his thumb.

http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/o...1st_in_il.html

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Two Red Sox Prospects On Kevin Goldstein's Mid-Season Top 50

Baseball Prospectus released their updated top 50 prospects list in an e-book titled "The Call Up", a mid-season addition to their off-season annual. The e-book contains detailed looks at the prospects in the top 50, but not to worry if you're just interested in seeing names and who ranks where, as Kevin Goldstein published the list version on the website earlier this week.

A pair of Red Sox make the top 50, and it might not be the two that you think.

28 - Jackie Bradley, CF: Bradley has been Boston's most exciting prospect this season, as he began the year at High-A Salem and crushed it before moving on to Double-A Portland. One year removed from the draft, Bradley looks poised to strike at Triple-A pitching in 2013, and has become a likely alternative to a Jacoby Ellsbury extension should he keep it up.

33 - Matt Barnes, SP: Barnes has slowed down a bit after his promotion to High-A, but that's to be expected. It's easier to dominate Low-A if you're a hurler with a plus fastball, and Barnes absolutely has a plus fastball, one that's seen added velocity as game go on, Justin Verlander style. That's not to say he's Verlander, but he might as well be when facing Low-A opposition. He's been great at High-A, too, just not quite as much, but that doesn't mean Double-A Portland isn't in his 2013 sights.

http://www.overthemonster.com/2012/8...-season-top-50

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Daniel Bard walks four in latest Triple-A outing

It might be time to write off Daniel Bard for the rest of the year.

The 27-year-old righty walked four of the five batters he faced Tuesday in his appearance for Triple-A Pawtucket. He’s walked 10 and giving up eight runs in 4 2/3 innings this month.

Bard was throwing better towards the end of July, allowing just an unearned run and two walks over five innings in his last five appearances of the month. August has been a different story, though. The feeling is that Bard’s struggles are the result of both poor mechanics and a lack of confidence. He hasn’t gone full-on Rick Ankiel, but some of it is mental.

“There were some outings I was really frustrated afterward, and it was like, ‘Where do I go from here?’” Bard said earlier this month. “It kind of gives you that light at the end of the tunnel. I’m healthy, I’ve done this before, I’m going to do it again in the near future.”

Overall, Bard has allowed 24 earned runs in 28 innings for Pawtucket, giving him a 7.71 ERA. He’s struck out 30 and walked 27.

In case you were wondering, Mark Prior, too, is having some control problems at Pawtucket. He’s walked 13 batters in his last nine outings, and his ERA is on the rise. He has a 4.01 ERA and a 38/23 K/BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings over his 18 appearances.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...iple-a-outing/

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Bryce Brentz Promoted To Triple-A Pawtucket

Have you had enough Bryce Brentz today? He was named to the Arizona Fall League to get more playing time, was part of the most recent Double-A Portland update, and now, to top it off, has been promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. The 23-year-old Brentz is all of a sudden on the fast track to the majors, as he's one step away from the bigs after hitting .296/.355/.478 for the Sea Dogs.

Brentz has his ruts, but his high points are better than arguably every other prospect in the system. He's not the top farmhand in the Red Sox organization, but when he hits .393/.432/.618 for a month, it's hard to ignore what kind of ceiling he has. He'll be tested at the upper levels, but he needs that, just like Josh Reddick and Will Middlebrooks before him. Neither of those two had excellent plate discipline -- though they were more patient than their walk rates suggested -- and Brentz needs more advanced pitchers to focus his approach at the plate. Failure is good for a prospect. Ask Middlebrooks and Reddick about that.

Brentz gets to extend his season, as the PawSox have the lone wild card in the International League, before heading off to the AFL. It's looking like Boston wants to get him the most at-bats possible, making him the next big prospect in line to come to the Red Sox.

http://www.overthemonster.com/2012/8...le-a-pawtucket

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MLB.com Ranks Boston's Top 20 Prospects

Jonathan Mayo and MLB.com have re-ranked their prospect lists, now that the regular minor-league seasons are over, rosters have expanded, and prospects have lost their rookie status. There are some very good signs for Boston here, and then just some odd decisions for player inclusion, either because MLB.com doesn't value Boston's depth as much as others, or because they just like some oddball players more than other rankings.

Boston has five players in MLB.com's revamped top 100, with Xander Bogaerts (#35), Matt Barnes (#42), Jackie Bradley (#56), Bryce Brentz (#78), and newly acquired Allen Webster (#80) all on the list. You can find Boston's own top 20 list after the jump, but the commentary will have to be found at MLB.com. Their setup doesn't allow links to profiles, so you'll just have to start at the beginning.



Xander Bogaerts, SS
Matt Barnes, SP
Jackie Bradley, CF
Bryce Brentz, RF
Allen Webster, SP
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Anthony Ranaudo, SP
Brandon Jacobs, LF
Blake Swihart, C
Garin Cecchini, 3B
Jose Iglesias, SS
Deven Marrero, SS
Kolbrin Vitek, 3B
Drake Britton, SP
Brian Johnson, SP
Jose Vinicio, SS
Sean Coyle, 2B
J.C. Linares, OF
Miguel Celestino, SP
Chris Carpenter, RP
Things start out well enough, as I have zero complaints about the first six players ranked. Maybe you switch Brentz and Webster, but that's quibbling. It's strange to see Ranaudo at #7 given his struggles with command and consistency -- he might end up in relief after all, though, it's too early to know for sure. Brandon Jacobs belongs in the top 20, but ahead of Swihart, Cecchini, and Marrero? Questionable, given the positions and the ceilings of those players, compared to Jacobs' more limited toolbox.

Vitek included in the top 20 is a bit of a stretch for me, and not just because of injuries sustained in 2012. He's been unexciting since he was drafted, and hasn't shown the bat he's going to need when he moves to a corner outfield spot, nor much in the way of that bat developing to the point it needs to. There was still enough to get him drafted in the first round to begin with, but this seems like a stretch given the depth Boston has in their system.

Britton isn't done baking, but his resurgence merits inclusion on this list. It's good to see another pick from this year, Brian Johnson, getting some recognition, and the same can be said about 18-year-old Jose Vinicio. I'm surprised to see J.C. Linares here, given he hasn't exactly taken Pawtucket by storm, and struggles with non-fastballs. Also, the fact he's here, while Travis Shaw and Keury De La Cruz, both of whom enjoyed breakout campaigns, are not, is a bit odd.

Celestino is another surprise* -- MLB.com even admits this is mostly on projection, but I might be more inclined to include Alex Wilson, or even someone like Chris Hernandez, Keith Couch, Noe Ramirez, Mickey Pena, or others (even Stolmy Pimentel!) in this spot, if the idea is to get a pitcher who might be a major-league hurler someday. There's also Aaron Kurcz, who struck out pretty much everyone in Double-A. That's why Chris Carpenter is at #20, isn't it?

*For more on Miguel Celestino, check out our Salem Red Sox Update from August 22.

None of those guys are the right answer, though, just pitchers in a similar situation I personally prefer to Celestino. No, the guy who is the obvious miss from this list is Brandon Workman, who pitched exceptionally at High-A Salem before ending the year in Double-A Portland. If Workman isn't your thing, how about Henry Owens, who, ERA aside, had a great first pro campaign as a teenager? If we're talking low-level pitchers with upside in their arms, isn't Owens your guy?

As I said, there's a lot to like, but some oddities here. Then again, I'm not a prospect expert -- this is simply my take on the list given the scouting reports I've read and the coverage we've given the group in 2012. What do you think? Is the list accurate? What would you change, if not?

http://www.overthemonster.com/2012/9...p-20-prospects

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So, the PawSox lost to the Reno Aces (Arizona affiliate) 10-3 in the Triple-A championship game.

[SOS4Prez]

Sucks. Would have been nice to win the whole shebang, but The Governor's Cup isn't anything to be disappointed with.

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Keith Law Ranks The Red Sox Farm At #17

There has been some disagreement over how strong the Boston Red Sox' farm system is at the moment, but, for the most part, it's been haggling over a few spots. Baseball America's Jim Callis rated Boston's collection of prospects fifth, while John Sickels put them in the top 10 by sliding them in the nine spot. A difference like that could all come down to feelings on one or two players. Keith Law of ESPN, however, dropped the Red Sox back below the midpoint with his organizational rankings, putting them at 17:

A lot went right on the farm for Boston this year, with Xander Bogaerts looking like he can stay at shortstop, Jackie Bradley Jr. lighting everyone up with his plate discipline and Matt Barnes and Henry Owens posting very strong full-season debuts. The system's real shortage is in big league ready talent, with right-hander Allen Webster probably the closest.

Law at least gives his reasoning here, in that he dislikes the lack of talent that's ready for the majors. His thoughts on Bryce Brentz, by the way, should be noted by his absence in this quote, as he's in Triple-A Pawtucket, but is considered further from the majors than Allen Webster by Law, despite never having pitched at the minor's highest level.

While this looks a bit depressing now if you were hoping the universe would come to a clear, positive decision on Boston's future, consider this. Law has stated a preference for proximity, but he's also been known to talk up high-ceiling prospects at the lower levels. The Red Sox didn't draft anyone like that in 2012 besides Ty Buttrey, as their trio of first-round selections are more about floor than ceiling. While that has value, not every analyst considers that the kind of value that catapults a team up the organizational rankings, especially since many teams have that kind of mid-level depth in their system. Whereas the difference between Callis and Sickels could be a player or two, the difference between those two and Law could be more about method and valuation in general.

Plus, you can add Law to the list of people who are starting to come around on the idea of Xander Bogaerts as a big-league shortstop. Of course, there were plenty who were starting to think Ryan Lavarnway could be a major-league catcher, too, so let's give that at least another year before we crown him the position's future.

http://www.overthemonster.com/2013/2...jackie-bradley