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May Farm Report: Promotions & Emotions - Part 1June 3rd, 2008
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It’s that time again. As the calendar flips to June—and as the 2008 amateur draft gets ready to kick off later this week—we first need to look back at the month that was down on the farm for the Red Sox organization.
But before highlighting the best from the month of May, a little upkeep on April’s minor league headliners tops the pecking order.
Soon after earning pitcher of the month honors in April in Triple-A Pawtucket, right-handed reliever Craig Hansen received another mark of distinction—only this one a bit more noteworthy for the imposing six-foot, six-inch fireballer with a hard slider. On May 6, the 24-year-old Hansen was promoted to the big league Red Sox in an effort to solidify a heavily Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon dependent bullpen.
While the results have been mixed, Hansen has shown some signs of being the potential dominating setup he was heralded to be when Boston selected him in the first round of the 2005 amateur draft. His high earned run average remains a bit deceiving given his lousy/unlucky strand rate of 42 percent; however, on the flipside, his command has been spotty and his .267 BABIP has worked to his benefit …
Sometimes promotions work in unconventional ways. In fact, starter Justin Masterson’s promotion to Triple-A came on the very same day he was demoted. After picking up his first major league win on May 20 against the Kansas City Royals, the sinkerball-specialist, recalled from Double-A Portland prior to the start, was sent back to the minors, but this time to Pawtucket.
In his first Triple-A appearance, the 23-year-old Masterson sank the SWB Yankees, tossing six innings of one-run ball to capture the victory. But Masterson can’t get too comfy in his new Rhode Island digs just yet. The towering right-hander once again will receive a promotion to Boston for the third time this season as he replaces the injured Daisuke Matsuzaka for his turn in the rotation. Only this time, the promotion may not be so brief …
Proving to be no challenge for the South Atlantic League following his utter dominance at Single-A Greenville, right-handed reliever Daniel Bard made the double-jump to Portland, skipping (high) Single-A Lancaster and its treacherous winds. Although roughed up in his first appearance in June, the soon-to-be 23-year-old Bard allowed just a single run in seven and two-thirds innings pitched in the month of May for Portland. With continued success, Bard’s rise through the system could reach as high as the majors by next spring …
Just one day after slugging a key solo home run to spark a Red Sox victory against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 2, outfielder Brandon Moss was greeted with some not-so-great news in the form of an emergency appendectomy. Now fully recovered, the 24-year-old Moss has proceeded to smash the competition at Triple-A with his left-handed power stroke, hitting over .400 in May with five homers in 43 plate appearances. For the time being, Moss will continue to serve the parent club as a more than serviceable option in the outfield in the case of an injury …
Nearing the end of a sub-par month of production at the plate, top first base prospect Lars Anderson landed on the disabled in late May due to tendonitis in his right wrist. The 20-year-old Anderson hit just .246 with 2 home runs for Single-A Lancaster during the month—numbers all the more underwhelming when taking into account the hitter-friendly environment of the California League and his home stadium. The left-handed batsmen with a major league ready build is expected to be back with the JetHawks this week …
But the biggest news in the Red Sox minor league system unfortunately happens to be of the bad variety. After an exceptional start to his professional career, first base prospect Anthony Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Officials from the team have said that his chances for recovery are excellent and that he could resume baseball activities in as soon as six months from now. While at Single-A Greenville this season, the left-handed hitting Rizzo, who does not turn 19 until August, batted a robust .373 through 21 games in April …
Without further delay, here are the peak performers from the month of May (hey, that rhymes). Remember, selections are based solely on the production during the month, not the cumulative season.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Triple-A International League
PawSox Pitcher of the Month: Charlie Zink, RHP
Now in his seventh season with the organization, right-hander Charlie Zink has become quite a story. You see, the now 29-year-old Zink, signed back in 2002 on the recommendation of ex-Sox pitcher Luis Tiant, his former coach at the Savannah College of Art and Design, was supposed to be the next Tim Wakefield.
Following his inaugural season as a “traditional” pitcher, Zink soon became a rarity when the Red Sox converted him into a full-time knuckleballer, only one that was equipped with a mid-80s fastball. But while Zink found early success utilizing baseball’s most endangered specialty pitch, he soon found himself constantly bouncing back-and-forth between levels, posting mediocre numbers along the way.
Coming into the year, most would have considered Zink as nothing more than organization filler, a novelty act desperately clinging onto his baseball life. But knuckleballers are not only a rare breed, but an odd one as well. Mastering the knuckler is no easy feat—it takes time and persistence. And while no can say that Zink has mastered the fine art yet, he’s certainly made some significant strides so far this season.
The month of May, in particular, was a good one for Zink. In five starts covering 33 and one-thirds innings pitched, Zink put up a 2.43 ERA while allowing 20 hits for a .175 opponents batting average—production very similar to his April output.
While it remains to be seen what the future holds for Zink, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to have the league’s next knuckleballer make his debut this September.
PawSox Hitter of the Month: Chris Carter, OF/1B
Acquired by the Red Sox last season from the Washington Nationals in a trade for Wily Mo Pena, outfielder/first baseman Chris Carter has a chance to impact the big club next season, if not sooner due to parent club injuries (see Ortiz, David), as a power lefty bat off the bench.
The 25-year-old Carter, who spent much of his pro-career at first base before transitioning to the corner outfielder positions this season, has demonstrated consistent success with the bat at every level throughout the minors. Known for his smooth swing with good power to all fields, the questions concerning Carter, a 17th round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004, have never focused on his hitting—and hit he has for Pawtucket.
After a sluggish April, the former Stanford standout batted .352 in May, connecting for ten home runs and knocking in 26 runs in 29 games played. Perhaps most impressive, Carter fanned as many times as he homered during the month. But whether he can stick in the field remains to be seen.
Portland Sea Dogs – Double-A Eastern League
Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Month: Michael Bowden, RHP
Although the aforementioned Masterson has received the fanfare this year, it has been right-hander Michael Bowden that has shined more this season down on the farm. At the age of just 21, Bowden has been nothing short of sensational overall for the Sea Dogs, while being just about un-hittable during the month of May.
In six starts, the big righty tossed 37 innings, relinquishing just five earned runs (1.22 ERA) and 18 hits to his opposition. But most striking was Bowden’s exceptional strikeout-to-walk ratio as he whiffed 29 batters and issued just five free passes.
Taken out of high school with the 47th overall pick as a compensatory sandwich selection between the first and second rounds of the 2005 amateur draft, Bowden has the potential to be a quality major league starter for a long time to come given his combination of mound presence, command, and caliber of pitches. Equipped with a low-90s fastball, a menacing 12-6 hook, and a developing circle-change, the Illinois product may get a bump up to Triple-A late this season at his current rate of supremacy over the Eastern league.
Sea Dogs Hitter of the Month: Zachary Daeges, OF
Have the Red Sox found the left-handed version of Kevin Youkilis? Maybe not. But one thing’s for sure: outfielder Zachary Daeges has had a knack for getting on base at an extremely high rate this season for the Sea Dogs, so much so that even “The Greek God of Walks” himself would take notice.
For what he lacks in the power department—disregarding his monster season last year at hitter-haven Lancaster—Daeges makes most of his shortcomings up with his outstanding plate discipline. Following a poor April, the 24-year-old Daeges finished the month of May with an eye-popping .414 batting average and a lip-smacking .556 on-base percentage in 26 games.
But while the sixth round pick out of Creighton back in 2006 has exhibited an ability to reach base throughout both his collegiate and brief minor league career, obstacles are a plenty for Daeges. For one, his previously mentioned lack of power despite his six-foot, four-inch frame. Secondly, he’s a little old for his league and will turn 25 in November. And thirdly, he doesn’t have a true position as the organization has tried Daeges at third, first, and most recently the corner outfield spots.
In a lot of ways, he reminds me of fellow Sox minor leaguer Jeff Natale—another OBP guy with minimal power and no true position that has since petered out. Still, with such an undeniable skill, Daeges has a shot to move up the ranks quickly with further development elsewhere in his game …
Now, to all three of my loyal readers waiting with bated breath for an assessment of the organization’s Single-A affiliates, it will have to wait until tomorrow. One, because I’m tired, and two, because I’m distraught over the loss of David Ortiz for at least a month, but likely longer. Shades of Nomar Garciaparra all over again.
Until then … please breathe normally, no bating necessary. I think that’s dangerous or something.
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