Middlebrooks Has Returned

The Red Sox have put Brandon Synder on the DL with ulnar neuritis. Snyder was hitting .209/.227/.419 in 21 games with the Red Sox. Following the move to the DL Will Middlebrooks has been recalled. Since he was sent down to Pawtucket earlier in the season, Middlebrooks has hit .268/.327/.464. Numbers that do little to impress. The move was a gift to Middlebrooks and done out of necessity. With Snyder’s injury that would have left Brock Holt as the third base option, Holt is hitting just .200/.265/.237 so an offensive upgrade was needed. Middlebrooks now has the opportunity to make an impression and force his way back into the long-term third base conversation for the Red Sox.

Middlebrooks had this to say upon his return, “You can’t take all this for granted, because you can lose it real quick… I am going to take it day by day, have fun and help this team win games.”  Spending a bit of time back down in Pawtucket seems to have humbled him quite a bit, and that is something that was greatly needed. The general hope is that he comes back up and succeeds, everyone wants that. If he can keep a level head and be the player he has the makeup to be, there is no reason to think he cannot be a productive everyday player going forward. Welcome back Will, treat this as a gift, second chances do not always come.

Tyler Moore- MLB Contributor- Title Town Sports

Another Day Another Set of Roster Moves

Following another rough start for Allen Webster and an awkward wince and early exit for Alfredo Aceves last night against the Mariners, both have been optioned back to Pawtucket. Relief pitcher Pedro Beato and swing man/knuckle baller Steven Wright have been recalled from Pawtucket as their replacements.

Allen Webster in 6 starts this season with the Red Sox he is 1-2, with a 9.57 ERA. In his last start he only went 2.1 innings giving up 7 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 2. Webster has tremendous talent and it has shown for small samples at a time. However, he has lacked the consistency with his pitches and putting the ball into the strike zone. More time in Pawtucket should be exactly what he needs to fix his issues to allow him to produce later on this year and definitely next year.

Alfredo Aceves is being sent down after suffering tightness in his side. This season he has gone 4-1 with a 4.86 ERA in 37 innings. Aceves will undoubtedly be rejoining the Red Sox down the road once his injury is healed and the need returns.

Pedro Beato has pitched three innings for the Red Sox this season. In his three innings he did not allow a run, while allowing 3 hits and striking out two.

Steven Wright made one appearance for the Red Sox on April 23 against the Oakland Athletics. In that game Wright allowed 5 runs on 6 hits in 3.2 innings. This season in Pawtucket he is 4-5 with a 3.81 ERA.

With the constant flux of the Red Sox bullpen these moves could be short-lived. Allen Webster was scheduled to make his next start on Sunday against the Athletics and as of this moment there is not a starter to take his place. Wright or Workman are possibilities to make that start depending on how they are used in the bullpen.

Tyler Moore- MLB Contributor- Title Town Sports

Random Red Sox and MLB Musings (6/16/13)

Red Sox Stats and Observations

At the Plate

Mike Carp has become possibly the best off season addition for the Red Sox on a price to performance ratio. Carp is hitting .320/.372/.680 with 8HRs and 25 RBI’s in 41 games this season. More impressively he is hitting .412 with 5 HRs over his last 10 games. To think that his salary is a little over 500,000 and they acquired him for cash makes Ben Cherrington look like a very smart man at the moment.

Will Middlebrooks is in a funk, and by funk I mean dirty sock in your gym locker funk. Middlebrooks is hitting .198/.232/.391 to make that number feel even worse, in the 4 games since his return from the DL he only has 3 hits while striking out 5 times and only walking once in those games. The Red Sox were going to keep him in Pawtucket until he got into a groove. He smacked a few home runs in the first few games in Pawtucket and it seems as if the Sox jumped the gun a bit and assumed he was good to go. The sophomore slump happens to the best of players, the goal is to work past it. Numbers are indicating he is deepening in the slump not working out of it and may need to be fixed by optioning him back down for a longer period of time.

On the Mound

The Red Sox rotation has been getting roughed up a bit over the last few weeks. Clay Buchholz looks like a man who is destined for the DL, although that decision has not yet been made. Alfredo Aceves has made a few brilliant spot starts for the Sox in Buchholz absence. In his two spot starts he is 2-0 only allowing 2 runs on 11 hits and striking out 11.

The bullpen has been working well even under a period of overuse and stress. With two extra innings games in the last week the Red Sox have had the Pawtucket-Boston bus working overtime. Alfredo Aceves, Alex Wilson, Jose De La Torre, and Rubby De La Rosa have all been called up, used as a bullpen bandage for a night and sent right back down for the next man in line. Pedro Beato is the latest member of Pawtucket to get called up.

Craig Breslow is the most under rated pitcher in the bullpen currently. Over his last 5 games he has pitched 4 innings allowing only 2 hits and has an ERA of 0.00 over that short span.

In the Field

Dustin Pedroia ended his 97 game errorless streak on Saturday, June 15th. One game shy of the record by a Red Sox second baseman. The last time he made an error before that was in August of 2012.

On Saturday, June 15th, Jarrod Saltalamacchia became the first Red Sox catcher this season to throw out two players attempting to steal a base in the same game. His numbers at throwing base runners out this year have been rather abysmal, so this had to serve as an uplifting day for him.

On the Mend

Clayton Mortensen is on the DL with a groin/hip issue. John Farrell said it is an injury that has been nagging Mortensen since spring training. Both parties are hoping that a few weeks off is all he will need to heal.

Mike Napoli missed a few games this week and is now back in Boston to be checked out and to rest. He has been dealing with the bug that is going through the Sox clubhouse as well as some grogginess and dizziness that seems to be a related issue.

Down on the Farm

Photo Credit, Boston Herald

Xander Bogaerts was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket this week. He was hitting .311/.407/.502 in Portland before his promotion. He got his first Triple-A hit in his first game and his first home run of his Triple-A career in the second game he played. He has excelled at every level so far and looks to be ready to do the same with Triple-A. Don’t blink or you just might miss him being called up to Boston, although that seems to still be a bit down the road.

Brandon Workman also got promoted to Pawtucket this week. He was 5-1 with a 3.43 ERA with 74 strikeouts and 17 walks in 11 starts in Portland this season. Workman has shown quite a bit of improvement over the last year and was rewarded for it.

For the Rest of the MLB

The Oakland Athletics took it to the New York Yankees this past week sweeping them in a three game series. They topped off the sweep with a win in a 18 inning marathon game on Thursday June 13th.

The Seattle Mariners signed 41-year old veteran catcher Henry Blanco to a deal this week. To make room for him they designated former Red Sox, Rays, and Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach for assignment. Shoppach was hitting .196/.293/.346 at the time.

MLB has suspended Ian Kennedy for 10 games for his part in the Dodgers-Diamondbacks brawl last week. Kennedy threw at the head of both Puig and Greinke and probably should have been suspended longer for intent to injure another player.

Tyler Moore-MLB Contributor-Title Town Sports

 

Promising Pawtucket Prospects

If you want to find premium talent in the Boston Red Sox farm system, you no longer have to go turning over stone after stone hoping to find some. Talent is in all levels and at many positions. Aside from Bradley Jr., Webster, De La Torre and Wilson who have made appearances in Boston already this year, let’s take a look at a few of the outstanding young players in Triple-A Pawtucket.

Photo Credit, Boston Herald

Xander Bogaerts (SS/3B) is the new shiny toy that just got promoted to Pawtucket. Before his promotion he hit .311/.407/.502 with 6HRs, 38BB in 56 games with Portland. In his first day playing for Pawtucket he played both sides of a double-header earning a walk and a hit in his first game. That hit put him on base and allowed him to score the winning run of the game giving him the experience of scoring the walk-off run in his first game in Pawtucket. Following that he went 2 for 5 in the second game where he hit a two run home run (his first in Pawtucket) that was blasted so far that the outfielder barely flinched and just watched it go. Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina (who was in the Angels system and watched Trout come through the system) was quoted about the home run saying “…you haven’t seen many 20-year-olds hit balls like that.” He was impressed by Bogaerts’ patience and composure as well as his power. The hype is there and all indications are that this kid will meet the hype. Red Sox fans should be excited because Bogaerts just might be the All-Star shortstop this team has been hoping for. If Will Middlebrooks cannot beat his own issues at the plate, it is not far fetched that Bogaerts may be playing third late this season.

Jeremy Hazelbaker (OF) is a name you may not be as familiar with, but he has come into his own and is producing at a good level. He is a left-hand batter and is hitting .285/.351/.425 with 6HRs and 22BB while swiping 16 bags in 57 games for Pawtucket. In 2010 he was named the fastest base runner in the South Atlantic league according to Baseball America. He has shown heavy struggles against left-handed pitching hitting under .200 on the year. This hurts his ability to make the jump to the big leagues, but he hits well enough against right-handed pitching and has enough speed that he could be an impact platoon player.

Bryce Brentz (OF) is a more well-known name and he is knocking on the MLB door. He is hitting .274/.323./.502 with 13HRs and 13 doubles in 58 games this season for Pawtucket. After missing most of spring training due to an accident with a handgun, he has come out this season determined to rebuild his reputation. Brentz would fit well into a lineup in the 5th or 6th spot. The biggest drawback of Brentz is his lack of patience. In the 58 games this season he has walked 15 times but has struck out 58 times. He is not projected to ever be a player who walks often, but if he could lower his K rate it would help his cause quite a bit. He definitely has the make up and the power to be an everyday right fielder and that time could be coming sooner rather than later.

Brandon Workman (SP) was recently promoted to Pawtucket after going 5-1 with a 3.43 ERA  with 74 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 11 starts for Portland. In his first start for Pawtucket he got the win while allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, while walking 3 and striking out 4. Not the most stellar numbers, but in a debut at a higher level it was certainly a decent outing that he can build off. Workman could end up in the bullpen, however he is working well in the rotation at the moment and there is no indication that they will move him to the pen anytime soon. He has a fastball that sits between 91-93 and can touch 95. He has a cutter that he throws in the high 70s and a change-up that sits in the mid 80s. Whether he stays in the rotation or ends up in the bullpen he will play an important role for the Red Sox down the road.

Photo credit, Boston Globe

Ryan Rowland-Smith (RP) was signed by the Red Sox this past off-season. The 30-year-old left handed pitcher has done very well for Pawtucket this season. He is 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 9 walks in 36 innings. Rowland-Smith has shown dominance against both left and right-handed hitting. He has only allowed one home run in his 36 innings and could very well be next in line for the Red Sox to call up.

These players are just a few highlights in the highest level of the farm system for the Red Sox. All of these players paint the picture of just how deep the Red Sox farm system truly is. Whether these players get called up to the Sox this year, next year or end up in a trade to bring another piece back, they will be important pieces going forward. Red Sox fans should be excited about the present as well as the future.

Tyler Moore-MLB Contributor-Title Town Sports

 

The Red Sox Reinforcements Have Returned

On Saturday, June 8th, The Red Sox activated RF Shane Victorino from the DL. While in Pawtucket, Victorino went 2 for 4 with one home run and an RBI. With his return, the Red Sox get their two hole hitter in the lineup back to normality. With the Red Sox activating Victorino, Jackie Bradley Jr. has been optioned back down to Pawtucket. While up for the second time this season, Bradley showed slightly better success including hitting his first major league home run. He did however show that he does need to change his approach. In an interview he said he is not a video prepper, meaning he does not want to watch video to prepare for the game against the starting pitcher of the day. This sort of mentality works fine in spring training but does not work for regular season. Pitchers are not typically working on their pitches during games like they do in the spring, and they will exploit a hitters weakness. This is the area Bradley Jr. will need to show improvement before he can prove he is ready to take over the reigns at the MLB level.

On Monday, June 10th, the Red Sox reactivated 3B Will Middlebrooks from the DL. It has yet to be seen if Middlebrooks can come back and be as productive as is expected of him. While in Pawtucket on his short DL rehab stint, Middlebrooks hit .294/.429/.647 with 2HR and 6RBI. He did what he needed to do in order to be brought back up quickly. One would have to think this hot streak in Pawtucket should carry over to some degree. He will need it to  carry over with Jose Iglesias still hitting over .400 in his first 22 games of the season. Iglesias’ glove and bat could spell less playing time for Drew and Middlebrooks should either of them struggle at the plate. To make room for Middlebrooks to return to the Red Sox, Pedro Ciriaco was designated for assignment. On the year, Ciriaco had hit .216/.293/.353 in 28 games with the Sox. Those numbers are not enough to provide the needed depth on the roster that the Red Sox need. Especially when you take into account he has made 7 errors in those 28 games split between 3B and SS. With Brock Holt in Pawtucket, and Iglesias now playing the infield utility role with the Red Sox, Ciriaco is now excess, and completely expendable. In 2012, Ciriaco gave all Red Sox fans a bit of hope and glee watching him tear apart the Yankees in somewhat ridiculous Benny-Hill-esc fashion. That magic seems to be gone though, and it is highly unlikely that he will find himself back on the Red Sox active roster in the foreseeable future.

Tyler Moore-MLB Contributor-Title Town Sports

Red Sox Roster Reshuffle (May 28th)

Shortly after the conclusion of game 2 of the 4 game split series between the Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies, there seems to be a roster move coming. Maureen Mullen of CSNNE.com sent out a  tweet that read: “RHP Alex Wilson optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket, OF Jackie Bradley, Jr. getting called up, according to a source.”

This roster move should come as no surprise as the Red Sox have already recalled LHP  Franklin Morales in the last 24 hours, leaving the Red Sox bench a bit short. With Shane Victorino on the DL, Jackie Bradley, Jr. makes the most sense. He is already on the 40 man roster and capable of playing all three outfield spots successfully. After being optioned back down to Pawtucket on April 19th, Jackie Bradley, Jr. has played in 19 games (missed time on DL with bicep tendonitis) and has a line of .360/.461/.547. Over the last 10 games he has a line of .395/.500/.711 with 2HR. It is fair to say given the roster need as well as his play in Pawtucket that he has earned his call back to the big show. He is expected to be in Philadelphia with the Red Sox tomorrow.

Alex Wilson, optioned back to Pawtucket, appeared in 16 games with a 2.50 ERA with 9BB and 15Ks in his time with the Red Sox. He proved worthy of being a part of the Red Sox and there is little doubt that down the road this season he will be back up. He was the only member of the Red Sox bullpen to have options left so he was the obvious choice.

Tyler Moore-MLB Contributor-Title Town Sports

Injuries Cause a Red Sox Roster Shuffle

There was a flurry of roster moves for the Boston Red Sox today prior to the lineups being announced. Be warned, one of them is a no brainer, and the others will possibly leave you scratching your head a bit. So here is a short explanation of what went down today in Boston.

David Ross was reactivated from the 7 day DL due to a concussion from a pair of hard foul balls off his mask. To make room for him, Ryan Lavarnway was sent back down to Pawtucket. Lavarnway still has talent and no one should be surprised if he finally stays up at some point down the road.

Next, Shane Victorino has been moved to the 15 day DL. He has been nursing back issues involving tightness and soreness. He missed several games with the back problem that is still a bit of a bother to him. Then while in Chicago this past week he also came up lame running to first base and was pulled from the game. The Red Sox had said this injury seemed to be a day-to-day situation. Low and behold a few days later he would find himself on a trip to the DL. As much as he is needed in the Red Sox lineup, he is needed for the long run. Moving him to the DL is the correct move. He will be forced to rest and allow it to properly heal insuring no long-term health issues.

Victorino will not be sitting on the DL alone however. Will Middlebrooks has also been put on the  15 day DL with back spasms and likely his ribcage issue he has been fighting since the collision with David Ross. It would seem that Middlebrooks needed this. Not just to recover from the spasms and the sore ribs, but to recover from the rut he has found himself in. Over the last 10 games Middlebrooks has found himself hitting a miniscule .184 with 12 Ks over that time. He has been in a rut of sorts since his incredible 3 home run game last month, and is currently hitting .201/.234/.408 on the year. To put it lightly, he needs some time off. He needs it to find himself as a hitter. At the conclusion of his injury, it would be less than surprising to hear that he is going to spend a little more time in Pawtucket, trying to pick up the pieces of what is still a very promising career to say the least. When healthy and focused, expect him to be back in the lineup and hopefully producing enough to move out of the bottom of the batting order and into the middle of it where his potential seems to belong.

Here is where things get interesting. There were two call ups to replace the injured Red Sox. Neither of the two truly earned it. They both were rewarded the gift of a call up due to the luck that they were both healthy and both on the 40 man roster.

First, there is Jose Iglesias. There was a lot of clamoring when he got sent down after a torrid start with the Red Sox this year. Many wanted him to stay up and play shortstop instead of Stephen Drew. However, Iglesias was sent back down to Pawtucket and quickly faded both at the plate and as a professional. No one seems to know for sure what happened with Iglesias, but just a few short weeks ago he was benched for something not regarding his play or health. In other words, for being immature once he got sent back down. He has been back in the lineup since and is currently hitting .202/.262/.319 in his season total of 33 games. In no way does this deserve a call up. But, with the 40 man roster being fairly limited at the hot corner, he found himself the recipient of a gift call up.

Alfredo Aceves got the other call. Yes you read that right. The attitude himself is back in Boston.  Aceves was sent down following a horrendous outing giving up 7 runs in 3.1 innings on April 23rd. Following the game he was noted to throw blame around, both on umpires strike zones as well as his teammates for not scoring more runs. Anyone who has followed this team over the course of the last few years knows the string of other personality issues the Red Sox have dealt with from him as well. His demotion was to serve a few purposes, to adjust his pitching mechanics as well as attitude. The front office said it was purely performance based, but it is obvious it was not the only issue. His performance in  Pawtucket was nothing to notice. In Pawtucket he pitched 4 games to the tune of 3.13 era, totaling 21Ks and 11BB. This call up was a blessing for him, and hopefully not a mess for the Sox.

It is unclear if either Iglesias or Aceves will stay with the Red Sox long. With an extra pitcher on the roster the bench is short and the outfield does not have much flexibility. Ciriaco can play the outfield, but if the Red Sox do not want him as the everyday 3rd baseman, then it is unlikely he is anything more than an emergency player. There are options in Pawtucket, but the 40 man hampers some of them. Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr.  are options to come up, and are on the 40. Brandon Snyder and Drew Sutton at 3rd base, and Bryce Brentz for the outfield would all be possible but it would require a move to create room on the 40 man roster.

It is hard to accurately guess how the Red Sox will rebuild this roster. John Farrell hinted at a roster reconstruction of sorts in a few days when the bullpen can get back on track. Bradley Jr. seems to be the most likely and Iglesias will very possibly be given a bit of time to try to prove his worth the this team. Stay tuned to find out how this will all shake out. Red Sox fans could wake up any day to hear news that is either expected or shocked. No matter what route they take, this team will still be very good and exciting.

Tyler Moore-MLB Contributor-Title Town Sports

Bruins Shut Out The Lightning 3-0

November 11, 2013 By Rachel Murphy Leave a Comment