2012-2013 MINOR LEAGUERS NEWS

[Bear]

Sox prospect Barnes looking to build off 'successful' first season

His first professional season was a bit of a learning experience for right-hander Matt Barnes, the Red Sox first pick (19th overall) in the 2011 draft out of UConn.
 
“I had a blast this season,” said Barnes, the native of Bethel, Conn. “The first half was more than I could have expected in terms of performance. Then the second half I learned a little bit about myself, about the game. But overall I thought it was a pretty successful year and I had a blast meeting new guys and getting [acclimated] to the Red Sox system.”
 
He is home in Connecticut now, where his family hosted 16 guests on Thanksgiving Day with another 24 expected for dinner the day after. One of the perks of being part of the Red Sox organization is that as he eventually – inevitably -- moves up the system, he also moves closer to home – Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket before Boston.
 
“That’s one of the things that I really love about playing for a team that’s in the Northeast is that the closer I get to the big leagues the closer I get to home, which is really nice,” he said. “My parents are able to come out and see me play, which is really important. My family and friends can come and see me play, which is really nice.”
 
His first season, though, was a bit of an adjustment – to professional baseball, to a longer season, to better hitters. Although Barnes was picked in the 2011 draft, he didn’t sign until August that year and did not appear in a game in the Sox’ organization that season.
 
“I think I learned how to actually pitch,” Barnes said of his first season. “And when I say learned how to pitch, [I mean] learned how to incorporate different pitches and to turn more to the finer aspects of pitching rather than just kind of throwing. I learned how to deal with failure a little bit because I saw some of that in the second half, for sure. And just kind of learned how to deal with the first full season, because it can get a little bit long, especially the first year, and what I need to do to take care of my body so that I put myself in the best position possible to succeed in the second half.”
 
Barnes had plenty of success early in the season. He began 2102 with Single-A Greenville, where he was nearly unhittable, as his .130  opponents’ average attests. In five starts, he posted a record of 2-0 with a 0.34 ERA. In 26 2/3 innings, he allowed just one run on 12 hits with 42 strikeouts and just four walks, for a WHIP of 0.60, a 14.2 strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio, and 10.50 strikeouts-to-walks ratio.
 
But, after he was promoted to High-A Salem, Barnes faced more of a challenge. In 20 starts with Salem, he was 5-5 with a 3.58 ERA, and a .250 opponents’ average. In 93 innings, he gave up 85 hits and 25 walks with 91 strikeouts, for a 1.183 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, and 3.64 K/BB.
 
“I think the biggest adjustment were the guys in Salem were just a little bit more seasoned,” Barnes said. “They had been there a little longer, in pro ball a little longer. The guys were a little older. Their pitch selection was a little bit better. They didn’t chase pitches as much. And I think they hit mistakes a little bit better. You have to mix pitches a little bit more and you have to make your pitch when you need to. A 2-0 pitch, you can’t throw it right down the middle of the plate and say ‘Here you go’ to a 22-year-old college hitter who’s seen good fastballs for the last couple of years. Whereas maybe in Low-A you have some guys who are a little bit younger who are maybe still trying to get adjusted to pro ball. And as you get older and you played against kids who are more seasoned sometimes you can get away things.”
 
He started out strong with Salem, posting a record of 2-1 (1.93) in five May starts. But, his numbers began to slip as the season went on. He was unbeaten at 3-0 in June but his ERA climbed to 3.57. In five July he was 0-3 (4.98), and in five combined starts in August and September he was 0-1 (4.35).
 
Still,  he is pleased with his first season.
 
“I think there were two things that kind of went hand in hand,” he said. “I think my fastball command was exceptional in the first half. It dwindled a little bit from time to time in the second half but overall I thought my fastball command was really good and was happy with it. The second thing was development of a changeup. It went from kind of there, to use it once in a while, to a pitch that I started to throw at points 10, 11, 12 times a game. that’s really helped me out, especially when the curveball wasn’t as consistent as I’d like it to be.”
 
Barnes, who turned 22 in June, is 6-feet-4, 205 pounds. His fastball is generally 93-95, and can touch 97, 98.  Some of the inconsistency, he thought, can be attributed to the longer season.
 
“I think the fastball command, it was just my body getting a little bit tired toward the end,” he said. “Lower half wasn’t as strong, arm was a little tired just from throwing every single day for five or six months.
 
“The season is definitely longer than college and summer ball combined. And it can drag in points but that’s why you have your teammates and people helping you through it. But at the end of the day you got to remember you’re doing something you love. Your body gets a little tired, and I think that’s what everybody says the first year adjustments are like. You have to adjust to your first full season, and once you get to your second season time flies by. So I’m looking forward to that.”
 
Barnes could start next season back with Salem, or the Sox could send him to Double-A Portland. He won’t find out until the end of spring training, though. Barnes has been working out and will begin his throwing program next month. He’ll head to Fort Myers in early February to begin his second full season. He’ll have some goals set for himself then.
 
“I’m going to go out there and try to perform to the best of my capabilities and I want to, like I’ve always tried to do, I want to be as consistent as possible and try and give the team a good outing every time I step on that rubber,” he said.
 
Barnes could be part of the big league team by 2014. He’s trying not to focus on that for now.
 
“I want to get there as soon as possible, as I’m sure everybody in minor leagues does,” he said. “They want to try and get to the big leagues as soon as possible. But I try not to focus on where I go, when I go. I really don’t have any control over that other than just how I perform. I just try to focus on how I perform and trying to perform to the best of my abilities and kind of let the rest take care of itself.”

Maureen Mullen
http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/redsox-talk/Sox-prospect-Barnes-looking-to-build-off?blockID=805297&feedID=10948

[Bear]

Sox lose Minor League free agents, sign one

According to Baseball America, the Red Sox have lost several of their minor league free agents, including a former first-round pick, while signing one.
 
The Sox added outfielder Mitch Maier earlier this month. Maier, 30, was a first-round (30th overall) pick of the Royals in 2003 out of the University of Toledo. He made his big league debut with the Royals in 2006. In parts of six seasons with the Royals, he appeared in 360 games, batting .248, with a .327 on-base percentage, and .344 slugging percentage, while playing all three outfield positions – 209 games in center, 101 in right, and 38 in left. Maier, who bats left and throws right, also pitched in two games for the Royals, and appeared in one at first base.
 
Right-hander Billy Buckner, 27, has signed with the Angels organization. Buckner, a  second-round pick of the Royals out of the University of South Carolina in 2004, was in the Sox organization for one season. He made 27 combined starts for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2012, going 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA.
 
Right-hander Caleb Clay has signed with Washington. He was a first-round (supplemental, 44th overall) pick of the Sox in 2006 out of Cullman High in Alabama. In six seasons in the Sox organization, he appeared in 120 games, making 51 starts, posting a combined record of 15-28 with a 4.70 ERA and 13 saves. But Clay, who turns 25 in February, did not advance beyond Double-A.
 
Right-hander Michael Olmsted signed a major league contract with the Brewers and was added to their 40-man roster.  Olmsted, 25, was a ninth-round pick of the Mets in 2007 out of Cypress College in California. He had been in the Sox system for two seasons.  He split 2012 between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. In 47 total games he posted a record of 1-4 with a 1.52 ERA and 19 saves. In 14 games with Portland, spanning 20 innings, he did not allow an earned run, recording 31 strikeouts with seven walks.
 
Third baseman Marquez Smith signed with Cincinnati. He was an eighth-round pick of the Cubs in 2007 out of Clemson. Last season was his first in the Sox organization.  Smith, who turns 28 in March, appeared in 71 games for Portland, 55 at third, 13 at second, and serving as the designated hitter in three. Smith hit .293 with eight home runs, 37 RBI, a .358 on-base percentage, and .413 slugging percentage.
 
Infielder Nate Spears has signed with Cleveland. Spears, 27, was a fifth-round pick of the Orioles in 2003 out of Charlotte High School, in Florida, just north of Fort Myers. He had been in the Sox organization since 2010. He made his major league debut in 2011. In the last two seasons, he appeared in seven big league games, playing three games in left field, two at second base, and one at third. In four big league at-bats he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Former Sox manager and new Indians manager Terry Francona was always quick to praise Spears in their time together.
 
Also, right-hander Will Inman tweeted over the weekend that he has signed with the Rays. Inman, who turns 26 in February, had been with the Sox for just one season. In 33 appearances with Pawtucket, he posted a record of 1-3 with a 2.23 ERA and six saves. Inman was a third-round pick of the Brewers in 2005 out of Tunstall High in Danville, Virg.
 
The Sox have several other minor leaguers who became free agents after the season, including pitchers  Yeiper Castillo, Nelson Figueroa, Mike MacDonald, Tony Pena Jr.,  Jason Urquidez, and Leonel Vasquez; catcher Mike Rivera; first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez; and third baseman Andy LaRoche.

Maureen Mullen,
http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/redsox-talk/Sox-lose-Minor-League-free-agents-sign-o?blockID=805631&feedID=10430

[SeaBeachFred]

Sox lose Minor League free agents, sign one

According to Baseball America, the Red Sox have lost several of their minor league free agents, including a former first-round pick, while signing one.
 
The Sox added outfielder Mitch Maier earlier this month. Maier, 30, was a first-round (30th overall) pick of the Royals in 2003 out of the University of Toledo. He made his big league debut with the Royals in 2006. In parts of six seasons with the Royals, he appeared in 360 games, batting .248, with a .327 on-base percentage, and .344 slugging percentage, while playing all three outfield positions – 209 games in center, 101 in right, and 38 in left. Maier, who bats left and throws right, also pitched in two games for the Royals, and appeared in one at first base.
 
Right-hander Billy Buckner, 27, has signed with the Angels organization. Buckner, a  second-round pick of the Royals out of the University of South Carolina in 2004, was in the Sox organization for one season. He made 27 combined starts for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2012, going 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA.
 
Right-hander Caleb Clay has signed with Washington. He was a first-round (supplemental, 44th overall) pick of the Sox in 2006 out of Cullman High in Alabama. In six seasons in the Sox organization, he appeared in 120 games, making 51 starts, posting a combined record of 15-28 with a 4.70 ERA and 13 saves. But Clay, who turns 25 in February, did not advance beyond Double-A.
 
Right-hander Michael Olmsted signed a major league contract with the Brewers and was added to their 40-man roster.  Olmsted, 25, was a ninth-round pick of the Mets in 2007 out of Cypress College in California. He had been in the Sox system for two seasons.  He split 2012 between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. In 47 total games he posted a record of 1-4 with a 1.52 ERA and 19 saves. In 14 games with Portland, spanning 20 innings, he did not allow an earned run, recording 31 strikeouts with seven walks.
 
Third baseman Marquez Smith signed with Cincinnati. He was an eighth-round pick of the Cubs in 2007 out of Clemson. Last season was his first in the Sox organization.  Smith, who turns 28 in March, appeared in 71 games for Portland, 55 at third, 13 at second, and serving as the designated hitter in three. Smith hit .293 with eight home runs, 37 RBI, a .358 on-base percentage, and .413 slugging percentage.
 
Infielder Nate Spears has signed with Cleveland. Spears, 27, was a fifth-round pick of the Orioles in 2003 out of Charlotte High School, in Florida, just north of Fort Myers. He had been in the Sox organization since 2010. He made his major league debut in 2011. In the last two seasons, he appeared in seven big league games, playing three games in left field, two at second base, and one at third. In four big league at-bats he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Former Sox manager and new Indians manager Terry Francona was always quick to praise Spears in their time together.
 
Also, right-hander Will Inman tweeted over the weekend that he has signed with the Rays. Inman, who turns 26 in February, had been with the Sox for just one season. In 33 appearances with Pawtucket, he posted a record of 1-3 with a 2.23 ERA and six saves. Inman was a third-round pick of the Brewers in 2005 out of Tunstall High in Danville, Virg.
 
The Sox have several other minor leaguers who became free agents after the season, including pitchers  Yeiper Castillo, Nelson Figueroa, Mike MacDonald, Tony Pena Jr.,  Jason Urquidez, and Leonel Vasquez; catcher Mike Rivera; first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez; and third baseman Andy LaRoche.

Maureen Mullen,
http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/redsox-talk/Sox-lose-Minor-League-free-agents-sign-o?blockID=805631&feedID=10430

Well that's less potential trash we have to worry about somehow getting on our team and polluting the roster.  What really bugs me about the Red Sox is that they DFA players and when they go unclaimed, instead of releasing the bums, send them back into the farm system where they might suddenly be back on the team in a few months.  When you DFA a guy just get rid of him.

[Bear]

Brentz named AZ Fall League top prospect

Red Sox prospect Bryce Brentz has been named to the Arizona Fall League Top Prospects team. The team is voted on by the league's managers and coaches.
 
Brentz, an outfielder who was drafted by the Sox in the first round of the 2010 and spent the vast majority of last season with Double-A Portland (he played five games for Triple-A Pawtucket), was named to the team as a designated hitter. Playing for the Surprise Saguaros of the AFL, Brentz hit .297/.366/.438 with two homers and and 11 runs batted in.
 
In 122 games for the Seadogs last season, Brentz hit .296/.355/.478 with 17 homers and 76 RBI.
 
Said a pro scout following Brentz' performance in the Arizona Fall League: Scout: “He’s pretty much the same guy I’ve seen before. He has some life in his swing. He swung the bat OK out there. He’s obviously got power. I thought he did a pretty good job. He can help himself by seeing a few more pitches. He’s aggressive — overly aggressive at times. With that length of a swing, he’ll get himself out. But he’s got corner profile ability with the power and the defense. He’s going to [strike out]. He’s got a big, long swing. He’ll chase. He can benefit himself by getting in better counts and staying within a certain zone early in the count, getting a good pitch to hit. That’s something he’s got to improve upon.”
WEEI

[Bear]

Ranaudo suffers setback with groin injury

Red Sox pitching prospect Anthony Ranaudo, whose 2012 season was limited to nine outings and 37 2/3 innings because of injury, suffered a groin injury last week while pitching in Puerto Rico and has been sent home.
 
Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that a Red Sox source said the injury is not considered as serious as one Ranaudo suffered last spring, but that the team didn't want to take any chances.
 
Ranaudo was injured in the first inning of his start on Nov. 28. Ranaudo’s other three starts were inconsistent: He was very good in his first and third, tossing seven scoreless innings, but he got shelled in his second start, lasting just 1 2/3 innings and allowing six runs on six hits.
 
Ranaudo suffered problems with his throwing arm last summer and was placed on the disabled list after experiencing shoulder fatigue, which helped limit him to nine starts with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, for whom he posted a 1-3 record and a 6.69 ERA.
 
While the groin injury is a setback, Ranaudo told ESPN Desportes that his shoulder feels great.
 
“I was able to train without any problems, and the relationship with the staff and the coaches has been very good. Everything is going very well up to now,” Ranaudo said
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/23884/ranaudo-suffers-setback-with-groin-injury

[Bear]

Sox sign RHP Carter to minor league deal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Red Sox announced that they've signed right-hander Anthony Carter to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The 26-year-old was 4-6 with a 4.60 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 22 walks in 62 2/3 innings for the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte in 2012. A 26th-round pick in 2005, Carter represents a Triple-A bullpen depth option. He joins outfielder Mitch Maier, utility man Drew Sutton and right-handers Oscar Villareal, Terry Doyle and Jose De La Torre as minor league free agents who have signed with the Sox and received invitations to spring training.

WEEI

[Bear]

Red Sox announce minor league staffs

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

The Red Sox officially announced their minor league staffs for the 2013 season, including the hiring of Triple-A skipper Gary DiSarcina and the promotion of Darren Fenster to be the team's Gulf Coast League manager.

DiSarcina rejoins the Red Sox after working in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He had previously spent five years with the Sox as a consultant, minor league manager, and infield coordinator.

Fenster had been the GCL Red Sox' hitting coach in 2012.

Here are the staffs:

Pawtucket (Triple-A)
 Manager - Gary DiSarcina
 Pitching coach - Rich Sauveur
 Hitting coach - Dave Joppie
 Athletic trainer - Jon Jochim

Portland (Double-A)
 Manager - Kevin Boles
 Pitching coach - Bob Kipper
 Hitting coach - Rich Gedman
 Athletic trainer - Brandon Henry

Salem (High-A)
 Manager - Billy McMillon
 Pitching coach - Kevin Walker
 Hitting coach - Nelson Paulino
 Athletic trainer - David Herrera

Greenville (Single-A)
 Manager - Carlos Febles
 Pitching coach - Paul Abbott
 hitting coach - Tim Hyers
 Athletic trainer - Mackenzie Zabbo

Lowell (Short-A)
 Manager - Bruce Crabbe
 Pitching coach - Walter Miranda
 Hitting coach - Noah Hall

Gulf Coast (Rookie)
 Manager - Darren Fenster
 Pitching coach - **** Such
 Hitting coach - U.L. Washington
 Coach - Dave Tomlin
 Coach - Tom Kotchman
 Athletic trainer - Mauricio Elizondo

Dominican Summer (Rookie)
 Manager - Jose Zapata
 Pitching coach - Amaury Telemaco
 Pitching coach - Oscar Lira
 Coach - Junior Zamora
 Coach - Wilton Veras
 Coach - Aly Gonzalez
 Coaching assistant - Claudio Sanchez
 Athletic trainer - Guillermo Hinojosa
 Strength and conditioning coach - Antonio Diaz

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

[Bear]

What the trade of Stolmy Pimentel says about Red Sox prospect pool

Alex Speier

It’s now been almost a week since the Red Sox and Pirates completed a six-player deal headlined in both Boston and Pittsburgh by the relocation of closer Joel Hanrahan to the Sox. Hanrahan is now expected to anchor a seemingly deep Red Sox bullpen, taking over for (displacing?) Andrew Bailey in the ninth inning as the last line of defense when the Sox have a lead.
 
Plenty has been written about Hanrahan. Yet in some respects, the most interesting player in the deal from the Sox’ perspective is not one whom they acquired but rather one with whom they parted.
 
In 2008, the Red Sox were ready to walk away from the deal that would have sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers and that brought Jason Bay to Boston over right-hander Stolmy Pimentel. At the time, he seemed to represent too significant a prospect to concede to the Pirates in the trade, too promising a future big league starter.
 
That was when Pimentel was a precocious 18-year-old with the Lowell Spinners, the youngest starter in the New York-Penn League, holding his own against much older competition. He continued to look like an excellent prospect given his age and stuff (slowly developing velocity that built into the mid-90s, a swing-and-miss changeup and the potential to spin an average breaking ball) for the next two seasons, resulting in his addition to the 40-man roster as a 20-year-old after the 2010 season.
 
But then his prospect status took a major hit in 2011. Pimentel entered the year ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the organization, as rated by Baseball America; he finished it ranked No. 23 after going 0-9 with a 9.12 ERA in 15 starts with Double-A Portland, resulting in a demotion back to High-A Salem, where he went 6-4 with a 4.53 ERA. He showed velocity (his fastball bumping as high as 97 mph as a starter) that year, but little else, as mechanical struggles flattened his fastball and rendered his changeup ineffective.
 
The Sox remained hopeful that adversity in 2011 would translate to an important foundation for 2012.
 
http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/alex-speier/2011/09/06/three-paths-divergent-sox-prospects-middlebroo
 
Back in Portland last year, Pimentel did show considerable improvement, making his delivery more compact in an effort to harness his improved velocity while also showing flashes of the old changeup. Still, his performance proved inconsistent en route to a 6-7 record and 4.59 ERA. He struck out 6.7 batters and walked 3.3 per nine innings.
 
There were flashes of the ability to dominate older hitters in the Eastern League (for instance, he gave up just two hits in six shutout innings in his last start of the year, completing a four-start cycle where he had a 1.23 ERA). But those were intermingled with train wreck outings that inflated his numbers and raised questions about his ability to compete on a consistent basis.
 
The Sox remained upbeat about Pimentel’s prospect status, with some suggesting that the path of a pitcher whose results did not yet match his stuff reminding them of Felix Doubront. Still, it was impossible to say whether, in 2013, he would make enough progress to stick on the big league roster by the time he was out of minor league options in 2014.
 
Meanwhile, a host of Red Sox pitchers zoomed by Pimentel in the organization’s depth chart. The right-hander, still viewed as promising, had become expendable.
 
Yet the trajectory of Pimentel, in some ways, was less interesting for the path that he traveled than in what it said/says about the Red Sox farm system that he leaves behind. There are a few important messages in Pimentel’s arc.
 
Among them:
 
PROSPECTS STRUGGLE AND FAIL
 
The Red Sox farm system is in its best shape in years. Numerous players have graduated to the upper levels while showing the potential to be impact players at the big league level.
 
But not all of them will reach the big leagues on their projected timetables, if at all. Players endure unexpected years in which their seasons go completely off the rails, requiring a fairly dramatic recalibration of their futures. Those bad years do not necessarily portend the end of their prospect status, but they do necessitate a recalibration of expectations and plans.
 
Back in 2008 and 2009, it seemed reasonable to project Pimentel as a member of the rotation as early as 2012, and almost certainly by 2013. Obviously, that didn’t happen.
 
He may still develop into a mid- to late-rotation starter with the Pirates -- and based on the progress he made with his delivery in 2012, along with Pimentel’s intelligence, work ethic and youth, it would be a mistake to rule out a developmental leap -- but he’d fallen in the Sox pitching prospect pecking order to a point where he was no longer a deal-breaker.
 
When the dust settles, and clarity emerges regarding the current Red Sox prospect class -- particularly with pitchers like Matt Barnes, Allen Webster, Rubby De La Rosa, Henry Owens, Brandon Workman, Drake Britton, Anthony Ranaudo, Brian Johnson, Pat Light, Frank Montas or others -- there will be plenty of additional stories of players who struggled, who needed an extra year or two or three in their progression before establishing themselves as big leaguers, rather than making steady level-a-year movement up the ladder. Some will never make it.

That’s why this offseason for the Sox represents more than just a bridge. It’s also a hedge.
 
The Sox believe that a number of players in their system will become successful. But they recognize that it would be a fool’s errand to go all-in on that notion. And so, the acquisition of free agents on one-, two- and three-year deals also gives the team leeway to react and adapt if/when prospects falter.
 
The team loves Jackie Bradley Jr. Some scouts outside the organization think he would be big league ready in 2013. The Sox project him as an everyday center fielder for 2014.
 
But what if he’s not? What if he suffers an injury next year in Portland, or gets overmatched in Triple-A Pawtucket? The Sox aren’t expecting either to happen, but the front office remained mindful of those possibilities in reaching a three-year deal with Shane Victorino, who gives the team insurance should Bradley hit a hiccup and Jacoby Ellsbury depart as a free agent. Ditto the two-year deal for Ryan Dempster, which buys additional time for 2014 if pitchers like Webster, De La Rosa, Barnes, Ranaudo, Britton and/or Workman are not ready.
 
In short, the team knows that it will need to graduate impact big leaguers from its current crop of prospects, but Sox officials are also mindful that even top prospects struggle and fail. They’ve seen it with Pimentel; they’ve seen it with plenty of other prospects. When it comes to minor leagues, no matter how glimmering the promise, there are almost never sure things.
 
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROSPECT VOLUME (AND WHAT DEALING PIMENTEL SAYS ABOUT THE STATE OF RED SOX PITCHING DEPTH)
 
A couple years ago, the inventory of pitching prospects beyond Pimentel appeared thin. The idea of trading him seemed difficult to fathom given the absence of obvious big league starters elsewhere in the system.
 
That is no longer the case. One year after the Sox had almost no homegrown starters in Triple-A, the team will have a pretty deep pool of starting prospects in the upper minors. In Pawtucket, the rotation to start the year should feature De La Rosa, Webster, knuckleballer Stephen Wright and left-hander Chris Hernandez, perhaps along with left-hander Drake Britton. In Double-A, the team will have Barnes, Ranaudo, Workman and perhaps Britton.
 
That’s eight potential big league starters -- ranging from potential front-of-the-rotation guys like De La Rosa, Webster and Barnes to pitchers with more modest profiles such as Hernandez, whom most view as a potential spot-starter or left-handed reliever -- in the upper minors. All of them have multiple options remaining. (Pimentel, it’s worth noting, had just one option left for 2013.)
 
Simply put, Pimentel had been surpassed by a number of pitchers who represent what appears to be a current organizational area of strength. The Sox were positioned to deal him not simply because his prospect stock had fallen, but also because that of a number of his organizational peers had risen. Instead of representing one of a few potential starters, he represented one of many.
 
PIMENTEL LIKELY WON’T BE THE LAST RED SOX STARTING PROSPECT TO GO
 
For much of the offseason, it’s seemed as if the Red Sox were hoarding their prospect inventory. At a time when the Blue Jays have been making a considerable bet on the next couple years with their big league club, shedding a wealth of prospects to acquire players like R.A. ****ey, Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle, the Sox have made just the Hanrahan trade while signing a bunch of free agents to short-term deals.
 
But that doesn’t mean that the team hasn’t been willing to move prospects. It just hasn’t found the right deal.
 
The Sox were open to dealing some of their top minor league talent for Reyes, before he went to Toronto as part of the blockbuster package. And they remain willing to deal top prospects going forward in order to get the right piece or pieces back.
 
The players who went to the Pirates for Hanrahan -- Mark Melancon, Jerry Sands, Pimentel, Ivan De Jesus Jr. -- all had relatively modest value to the organization. But there will come a point, team officials anticipate, when they will be asked to dip into their higher-end talent, and when the goal of playing in the postseason will require the team to deal from the cream of its prospect crop. And even in that regard, the team has positioned itself fairly well, particularly given pitchers like De La Rosa, Webster and Barnes, who carry considerable value not just to the Sox but also to the industry.
 
In other words, the fact that the Sox haven’t parted with top prospects this offseason doesn’t mean they won’t do so going forward. In that respect, Pimentel may represent a modest harbinger of other deals to come, if not this offseason then in coming seasons or offseasons. In the end, the idea of team control of young, inexpensive, talented players is appealing, but the ultimate goal is to field a major league team capable of winning championships, not simply harboring prospects for a future that may or may not arrive

WEEI

[Bear]

Sox give Hamilton, Diaz minor league deals

Alex Speier

The Red Sox announced the signings of infielder Jonathan Diaz and first baseman/outfielder Mark Hamilton to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training camp.
 
Diaz, 27, was a 12th-round selection in the 2006 draft by Toronto. In seven minor league seasons, the versatile defender has hit .226 with a .358 OBP, .294 slugging mark and .652 OPS. He has split each of the last four seasons between the Blue Jays’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates and has had an on-base percentage of at least .365 three times in his minor league career, albeit with virtually no power. He's played the majority of his games at shortstop, but the 5-foot-9 NC State product has also played second, third and left field.
 
Hamilton, 28, was St Louis’s second-round pick in the 2006 draft and played in 47 Major League games for the Cardinals from 2010-11, hitting .197 with a .258 OBP, .246 slugging mark and .503 OPS. However, in seven minor league seasons, he's hit .277/.364/.468/.832, including a .291/.385/.494/.879 line with 41 homers over 277 Triple-A games in the last four years. As recently as two years ago, when he hit 20 homers in 72 games in Memphis, he was rated one of the best power-hitting prospects in the St. Louis system. As a left-handed hitter who can play first and the outfield, he addresses a needed area of organizational depth for the Red Sox.

WEEI

[Bear]

Bogaerts among 11 in Sox rookie program

Alex Speier






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The Red Sox rookie development program, after a one-year hiatus prior to the 2012 season, is slated to take place over the next week, from Monday, Jan. 7, through Sunday, Jan. 13. The program, which is intended to acclimate players viewed as likely to impact the major league club in the next 12 to 18 months, will feature 11 players this winter, including the consensus top prospects in the system, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., both of whom concluded the 2012 season in Double-A.
 
The complete list of prospects:
 
Xander Bogaerts, SS
 Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
 Bryce Brentz, RF
 Drake Britton, LHP
 Dan Butler, C
 Rubby De La Rosa, RHP
 Alex Hassan, OF
 Brock Holt, 2B/SS
 Christian Vazquez, C
 Allen Webster, RHP
 Stephen Wright, RHP

WEEI

Where's Barns??

[Bear]

Red Sox resuming rookie delevopment program

Peter Abraham

The Red Sox scrapped their annual rookie development program last year, in large part because of all the turnover going on within the organization following the departures of Theo Epstein and Terry Francona.

But it returned this year and will take place this week in Boston.

The idea if to bring the organization's top prospects to town to get better acclimated to the city, the organization and Fenway Park. In addition to getting some workouts in, the players will take part in seminars and hear presentations from a variety of people. Previous speakers have included Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

This was something the Cleveland Indiana started years ago and other teams have copied. The players involved are either major league ready or close to it. There are 11 players participating this year:

Pitchers: Drake Britton, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Stephen Wright.

Infielders: Xander Bogaerts, Brock Holt

Outfielders: Jackie Bradley Jr., Bryce Brentz, Alex Hassan

Catchers: Dan Butler, Christian Vazquez

What's interesting about this group in particular is that four of the players — De La Rosa, Webster, Wright and Holt — were acquired by trade within the last six months.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

[Bear]

Passport Prospects: Xander Bogaerts

Ashley Marshall

Humble Aruban shortstop proud to put his island on the map

Just two months removed from being a teenager, Xander Bogaerts speaks with fondness about growing up in Aruba, almost as if his childhood ended days ago.
It's easy to see why. Born and raised in San Nicolaas, Bogaerts has spent most of his life a literal stone's throw from the beach on a Caribbean island where the temperature hovers in the low- to mid-80s year-round.
In many ways, the Red Sox's top prospect had the best of everything growing up.

 Twelve miles southeast of Oranjestad, the nation's capital and largest city, San Nicolaas is convenient but just far enough away from the major tourist spots to be a quiet community.

You could make the case that San Nicolaas -- with a population of around 22,000 -- has California's sandy beaches and Florida's climate but no traffic.

"It's very nice, quiet," Bogaerts said. "Oranjestad is the main part of Aruba -- the parties, the shops and all the nice stuff is on that side. But I live in a quiet place near the beach. It's not that big. It's on the opposite side from the town where everything is, opposite where all the tourists are."

 Bogaerts played several sports growing up, including soccer, basketball and volleyball.

"I was an active kid, I liked to move around," he said. "I was never a lazy kid. I liked playing all of the other sports as a hobby, but I was good at baseball. Baseball was the real deal."

 Bogaerts was introduced to the sport when he was 4 or 5 years old, playing catch with his twin brother, Jair, and his uncle, Glenroy, a local baseball coach, in the backyard of his grandmother's house.

"Before any teams or anything, it was my uncle who played with me and Jair from a young age," he recalled. "I remember learning the basics of baseball and learning how to play the game. [Glenroy] wasn't a professional coach or anything, but he taught us a lot about playing the game the right way.

 "I just fell in love with the game with my twin brother. As we got older, we started participating in away tournaments -- Puerto Rico, Panama, Dominica, Curacao. But the most important thing in my family was going to school and getting an education. I had to stay in school before I signed. It was a big priority and I had to try to balance both of them."

 The 20-year-old can't help but think back to those days when he's back in San Nicolaas in the offseason. His mother, Sandra Brown, still lives in the four-bedroom home in which Bogaerts grew up.

 Bogaerts did well in school, especially math, and as his baseball skills developed, he started to help the other players. He played on dirt fields between the ages of 9-12 and helped lead his team to several Latin American tournaments, where it competed for a spot in the Little League World Series. In 2010, Aruba won the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine, the first such honor for the island nation.

"When you became champions of Aruba, you go off to play in the Latin American tournament. The winner from that goes to Williamsport to represent the Latin American teams," Bogaerts explained. "Growing up, I went to most of the Latin American tournaments and the Pan-American tournaments.

 "It was nice. You met a lot of good players from other countries. I played against [Jurickson] Profar from Curacao and a few guys that have signed in professional ball."

 Scouts began tracking Xander and Jair when they were around 15, no one more than the Red Sox's Mike Lord, an Aruba-based international cross-checker. But Xander almost missed his big chance to leave a lasting impression when the Red Sox held tryouts not far from his home.

 "I remember, when the Red Sox came here for their tryout, I was at home with the chicken pox," he said. "I was in my bed at home and my brother called me and told me to come. I didn't think I would be able to go out, but I called my mom and asked her if I was allowed to and she eventually said I could.

"There were other teams, but the Red Sox were pursuing me aggressively. They were the most interested ones. They liked me and my brother and then they came back in two weeks and we got the deal done."

 The twins signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 29, 2009. Xander, an infielder, got a $410,000 bonus, while Jair, a stocky catcher, received around $180,000. For Xander, the opportunity to play in the same organization with his brother made the decision a no-brainer.
 
"I wanted to play baseball and be a Major League player one day, but I liked school and I thought about becoming a teacher or being involved in sports," said Xander, who delayed his professional debut until he graduated from high school. "But baseball for me was always the first option."

 Bogaerts debuted in the Dominican Summer League on June 6, 2010 and made his first start at shortstop two days later. Before the end of the month, he and Jair were sharing the same clubhouse.

 For Bogaerts, who speaks English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento -- an Aruban Creole language -- the transition appeared almost effortless. The hardest part was leaving home.

 "It was difficult because I'd always been there with my mom and my brother, but I always wanted to play baseball," he said. "It took some time to get used to.

 "[People back home] think that when you sign with a team, you go straight to the Major Leagues, they don't know the process. You have to explain the process of the Minor Leagues, starting at the lower levels and making your way up. Everyone thinks it's direct to the Major Leagues, it's crazy. When I signed, I didn't even know what levels there were in the organization."
That first taste of pro ball agreed with Xander, who hit a team-high .314 with three homers, seven doubles and five triples in 63 games. He also led the squad with 42 RBIs, scored 39 runs and was named the Red Sox's Latin Program Player of the Year.

 While Jair hit .170 in 46 games and repeated the DSL in 2011, Xander's star was on the rise. He moved up to Class A Greenville in June 2011 and, even though he appeared in only 72 games, finished third on the club with 16 homers. Bogaert led all full-time players with a .509 slugging percentage and tied for fourth with 45 RBIs.

 "Greenville was another world," he said. "The quality level of baseball in Aruba isn't even close to baseball in America. Greenville was a nice town. It's really nice and the field was extremely nice. But I'm a guy that likes to stay home and not be on the road that much. I don't really go out that much, I like staying home and cleaning the house and working out."

 MiLB.com named him an Organization All-Star following the season and Bogaerts' entered 2012 as the No. 3 prospect in the system behind Will Middlebrooks and Bryce Brentz.

 The Red Sox bumped Bogaerts up to Class A Advanced Salem, where he did not disappoint. He batted .302 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs in 104 games and was named a Carolina League midseason All-Star.

 Bogaerts played for the World team at the All-Star Futures Game in Kansas City, then earned a promotion to Double-A Portland in early August. In 23 Eastern League games, he collected five homers and 17 RBIs, giving him career highs of 20 homers and 81 RBIs. He recorded a .307/.373/.523 line across two levels and was named Topps' Carolina League Player of the Year.

 "It went even better than I expected," Bogaerts said. "I didn't expect to hit that many home runs. But I worked hard in the offseason and during the season, and I like to play the game."

 For Bogaerts, reaching the Majors would help realize a lifelong goal.

 "It's something that I won't be able to believe until I'm in the batter's box getting my first at-bat," he said. "It will be something unbelievable because I've played my whole career ... trying to become one of those Major League players. You have idols like Derek Jeter and Hanley [Ramirez] and those guys, you want to be one of them. It will be crazy when I have an opportunity to join them."

 When it comes to Aruban Major Leaguers, the list is a pretty short one.

Outfielder Gene Kingsale became the first player from the island to appear in a big league game when he debuted for the Orioles on Sept. 3, 1996. He ended up batting .251 over a seven-year career that included stints with the Mariners, Padres and Tigers.

 Five days after Kingsale made his debut, the Orioles gave fellow Aruban Calvin Maduro his first start. And in 1998, Sidney Ponson became the third and most famous player from Aruba when he pitched for Baltimore.

 Ponson compiled a 91-113 record over a 12-year career with the Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Twins, Royals and Rangers.

Bogaerts is hoping to become the fourth player on the list, although he said he's too young and inexperienced to consider himself a baseball ambassador.

"I'm quiet, humble, just the same as I was back home. I don't want to change anything," he said. "I try to help people in Aruba approach the game the right way. I will always be humble and be myself. I can't be too high on myself just because I got signed.

 "That's what they teach you at home growing up, the type of family I was in. I just want to stick with it. I wouldn't go up to a person and just tell them I'm a professional baseball player and that I signed with the Boston Red Sox. ... I guess if people know me, they know me. If not, hopefully they will hear about me some day."

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121211&content_id=40618154&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_bos

[SeaBeachFred]

Passport Prospects: Xander Bogaerts

Ashley Marshall

Humble Aruban shortstop proud to put his island on the map

Just two months removed from being a teenager, Xander Bogaerts speaks with fondness about growing up in Aruba, almost as if his childhood ended days ago.
It's easy to see why. Born and raised in San Nicolaas, Bogaerts has spent most of his life a literal stone's throw from the beach on a Caribbean island where the temperature hovers in the low- to mid-80s year-round.
In many ways, the Red Sox's top prospect had the best of everything growing up.

 Twelve miles southeast of Oranjestad, the nation's capital and largest city, San Nicolaas is convenient but just far enough away from the major tourist spots to be a quiet community.

You could make the case that San Nicolaas -- with a population of around 22,000 -- has California's sandy beaches and Florida's climate but no traffic.

"It's very nice, quiet," Bogaerts said. "Oranjestad is the main part of Aruba -- the parties, the shops and all the nice stuff is on that side. But I live in a quiet place near the beach. It's not that big. It's on the opposite side from the town where everything is, opposite where all the tourists are."

 Bogaerts played several sports growing up, including soccer, basketball and volleyball.

"I was an active kid, I liked to move around," he said. "I was never a lazy kid. I liked playing all of the other sports as a hobby, but I was good at baseball. Baseball was the real deal."

 Bogaerts was introduced to the sport when he was 4 or 5 years old, playing catch with his twin brother, Jair, and his uncle, Glenroy, a local baseball coach, in the backyard of his grandmother's house.

"Before any teams or anything, it was my uncle who played with me and Jair from a young age," he recalled. "I remember learning the basics of baseball and learning how to play the game. [Glenroy] wasn't a professional coach or anything, but he taught us a lot about playing the game the right way.

 "I just fell in love with the game with my twin brother. As we got older, we started participating in away tournaments -- Puerto Rico, Panama, Dominica, Curacao. But the most important thing in my family was going to school and getting an education. I had to stay in school before I signed. It was a big priority and I had to try to balance both of them."

 The 20-year-old can't help but think back to those days when he's back in San Nicolaas in the offseason. His mother, Sandra Brown, still lives in the four-bedroom home in which Bogaerts grew up.

 Bogaerts did well in school, especially math, and as his baseball skills developed, he started to help the other players. He played on dirt fields between the ages of 9-12 and helped lead his team to several Latin American tournaments, where it competed for a spot in the Little League World Series. In 2010, Aruba won the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine, the first such honor for the island nation.

"When you became champions of Aruba, you go off to play in the Latin American tournament. The winner from that goes to Williamsport to represent the Latin American teams," Bogaerts explained. "Growing up, I went to most of the Latin American tournaments and the Pan-American tournaments.

 "It was nice. You met a lot of good players from other countries. I played against [Jurickson] Profar from Curacao and a few guys that have signed in professional ball."

 Scouts began tracking Xander and Jair when they were around 15, no one more than the Red Sox's Mike Lord, an Aruba-based international cross-checker. But Xander almost missed his big chance to leave a lasting impression when the Red Sox held tryouts not far from his home.

 "I remember, when the Red Sox came here for their tryout, I was at home with the chicken pox," he said. "I was in my bed at home and my brother called me and told me to come. I didn't think I would be able to go out, but I called my mom and asked her if I was allowed to and she eventually said I could.

"There were other teams, but the Red Sox were pursuing me aggressively. They were the most interested ones. They liked me and my brother and then they came back in two weeks and we got the deal done."

 The twins signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 29, 2009. Xander, an infielder, got a $410,000 bonus, while Jair, a stocky catcher, received around $180,000. For Xander, the opportunity to play in the same organization with his brother made the decision a no-brainer.
 
"I wanted to play baseball and be a Major League player one day, but I liked school and I thought about becoming a teacher or being involved in sports," said Xander, who delayed his professional debut until he graduated from high school. "But baseball for me was always the first option."

 Bogaerts debuted in the Dominican Summer League on June 6, 2010 and made his first start at shortstop two days later. Before the end of the month, he and Jair were sharing the same clubhouse.

 For Bogaerts, who speaks English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento -- an Aruban Creole language -- the transition appeared almost effortless. The hardest part was leaving home.

 "It was difficult because I'd always been there with my mom and my brother, but I always wanted to play baseball," he said. "It took some time to get used to.

 "[People back home] think that when you sign with a team, you go straight to the Major Leagues, they don't know the process. You have to explain the process of the Minor Leagues, starting at the lower levels and making your way up. Everyone thinks it's direct to the Major Leagues, it's crazy. When I signed, I didn't even know what levels there were in the organization."
That first taste of pro ball agreed with Xander, who hit a team-high .314 with three homers, seven doubles and five triples in 63 games. He also led the squad with 42 RBIs, scored 39 runs and was named the Red Sox's Latin Program Player of the Year.

 While Jair hit .170 in 46 games and repeated the DSL in 2011, Xander's star was on the rise. He moved up to Class A Greenville in June 2011 and, even though he appeared in only 72 games, finished third on the club with 16 homers. Bogaert led all full-time players with a .509 slugging percentage and tied for fourth with 45 RBIs.

 "Greenville was another world," he said. "The quality level of baseball in Aruba isn't even close to baseball in America. Greenville was a nice town. It's really nice and the field was extremely nice. But I'm a guy that likes to stay home and not be on the road that much. I don't really go out that much, I like staying home and cleaning the house and working out."

 MiLB.com named him an Organization All-Star following the season and Bogaerts' entered 2012 as the No. 3 prospect in the system behind Will Middlebrooks and Bryce Brentz.

 The Red Sox bumped Bogaerts up to Class A Advanced Salem, where he did not disappoint. He batted .302 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs in 104 games and was named a Carolina League midseason All-Star.

 Bogaerts played for the World team at the All-Star Futures Game in Kansas City, then earned a promotion to Double-A Portland in early August. In 23 Eastern League games, he collected five homers and 17 RBIs, giving him career highs of 20 homers and 81 RBIs. He recorded a .307/.373/.523 line across two levels and was named Topps' Carolina League Player of the Year.

 "It went even better than I expected," Bogaerts said. "I didn't expect to hit that many home runs. But I worked hard in the offseason and during the season, and I like to play the game."

 For Bogaerts, reaching the Majors would help realize a lifelong goal.

 "It's something that I won't be able to believe until I'm in the batter's box getting my first at-bat," he said. "It will be something unbelievable because I've played my whole career ... trying to become one of those Major League players. You have idols like Derek Jeter and Hanley [Ramirez] and those guys, you want to be one of them. It will be crazy when I have an opportunity to join them."

 When it comes to Aruban Major Leaguers, the list is a pretty short one.

Outfielder Gene Kingsale became the first player from the island to appear in a big league game when he debuted for the Orioles on Sept. 3, 1996. He ended up batting .251 over a seven-year career that included stints with the Mariners, Padres and Tigers.

 Five days after Kingsale made his debut, the Orioles gave fellow Aruban Calvin Maduro his first start. And in 1998, Sidney Ponson became the third and most famous player from Aruba when he pitched for Baltimore.

 Ponson compiled a 91-113 record over a 12-year career with the Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Twins, Royals and Rangers.

Bogaerts is hoping to become the fourth player on the list, although he said he's too young and inexperienced to consider himself a baseball ambassador.

"I'm quiet, humble, just the same as I was back home. I don't want to change anything," he said. "I try to help people in Aruba approach the game the right way. I will always be humble and be myself. I can't be too high on myself just because I got signed.

 "That's what they teach you at home growing up, the type of family I was in. I just want to stick with it. I wouldn't go up to a person and just tell them I'm a professional baseball player and that I signed with the Boston Red Sox. ... I guess if people know me, they know me. If not, hopefully they will hear about me some day."

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121211&content_id=40618154&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_bos

s on the opposite side from the town where everything is, opposite where all the tourists are.

Sounds like we might have one helluva gem in this young man-----as our future SHORTSTOP!!!!!!!

[Bear]

Varitek speaks to prospects at Red Sox rookie program

Maureen Mullen

After a one-year hiatus, the Red Sox rookie development program got underway on Monday at Fenway Park.
 
The program is designed to help familiarize young players with big-league life, both on and off the field. In the past is has been held for two weeks, but this year it will be a one-week course consisting of twice-daily workouts along with presentations from speakers both within and outside the organization. Former Sox catcher Jason Varitek, now a special assistant in the organization, will be one of the featured speakers.
 
The players chosen to participate are those the organization believes could impact the major league team within the next 18 months. This year, 11 players -- including highly regarded prospects shortstop Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley -- will be among the participants. Of the 11 players, nine were in the organization in 2012.
 
Also participating are pitchers Drake Britton, Rubby De La Rosa,  Allen Webster, and Steven Wright; catchers Daniel Butler and Christian Vazquez; infielder Brock Holt, and outfielders Bryce Brentz and Alex Hassan.
 
De La Rosa was acquired in the August blockbuster trade with the Dodgers. Holt was acquired in the December trade with the Pirates for closer Joel Hanrahan.
 
In addition to Varitek, the players are also expected to hear from Sox general manager Ben Cherington, manager John Farrell, pitching coach Juan Nieves, hitting coach Greg Colbrunn,  special assistant Jason Varitek, strength and conditioning consultant Mike Boyle, mental skills coordinator Bob Tewksbury, and COO Sam Kennedy. Celtics coach Doc Rivers will once again be among the presenters this year.

http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/redsox-talk/Varitek-speaks-to-prospects-at-Red-Sox-r?blockID=820935&feedID=10430

[pinstripezac]

not to shabby



Red Sox farm system ranked fifth ...


by columnist Jim Callis of Baseball America:
 
http://ht.ly/gCz19
 
The rankings by Callis are distinct from Baseball America's upcoming preliminary talent rankings.