Results tagged ‘ Kevin Youkilis ’
De La Torre Joins PawSox in Lillibridge Trade
In the last two days the PawSox have received two new pitchers.
Tuesday, Nelson Figueroa was signed by the Red Sox and assigned to Pawtucket, and today Jose De La Torre is joining the club in Indianapolis and will be active for this afternoon’s game against the Indians.
The 26-year-old right-hander was acquired by the Red Sox in a 1-for-1 trade with Cleveland for Red Sox utility man Brent Lillibridge on Tuesday.
A native of Puerto Rico, De La Torre made a total of 34 appearances (one start) for Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus prior to the trade. Combined, he went 7-1 with a 2.80 ERA while walking 19 and striking out 42. His final two appearances in the International League came against the PawSox on April 28 and 30 where he tossed 1 2/3 scoreless.
De La Torre is in his sixth professional season and has a career 2.86 ERA having made 202 minor league appearances (14 starts). (Buffalo Bisons)
A former New York Mets’ farmhand, the righty spent parts of 2010 and ’11 with Triple-A Buffalo, and missed all of 2008 because of Tommy John surgery.
Random fact on De La Torre: he pitched at Texarkana Junior College in Texarkana, Tx. — the hometown of Red Sox third baseman, Will Middlebrooks.
For a detailed look at De La Torre and what makes him stand out, take at look at Marc Normandin’s article from OverTheMonster.com.
After joining the Red Sox on June 24 in the Kevin Youkilis trade with the White Sox, the departed Lillibridge had just 16 at-bats over 10 games before being shipped off. With Lillibridge gone, PawSox starter Zach Stewart remains the only piece of the Youkilis deal still under contract with the Red Sox.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
PawSox Road Trip By the Numbers
After a quick two hour northern commute from Louisville, the PawSox team bus pulled in front of the Indianapolis hotel around 1:30 this morning for a four-game series against the Indians.
Aside from Saturday’s shutout loss in Louisville, this has been an offensively charged, and well pitched, road trip for the PawSox. Here are some of the team and individual accomplishments over the first four games of the trip.
- In the PawSox three wins against the Bats, Pawtucket scored 26 runs on 48 hits – not one was a home run.
- Despite having enough offense to overcome some poor pitching, the PawSox received a quality start in all three wins (Duckworth, Hernandez, and Buckner).
- Billy Bucker became the first Pawtucket pitcher to go 7.0+ innings since Justin Germano tossed 8.0 innings scoreless on June 30 at Lehigh Valley. It was his final start before being called-up to Boston.
Bucker went seven innings for the first time this year with the PawSox, his second time overall including his final start on May 30 with the Sea Dogs. (Kelly O’Connor)
- Daniel Bard finished off a 1-2-3 eighth inning last night with a 95 mph strikeout (11 pitches, 8 strikes). It marked the third time this year Bard has pitched in back-to-back days.
- Jose Iglesias is looking better and better at the plate. Monday night the PawSox shortstop drew two walks in back-to-back games for the first time in 2012. He now has six walks and 10 strikeouts in 18 games this month.
Helped by drawing more walks recently, Iglesias has raised his on-base percentage to .305. In 101 games with the PawSox in 2011, Iglesias had a .285 OBP. (Kelly O’Connor)
- Since the All-Star break, Iglesias has reached base in 9-of-11 games with five runs batted in, five walks, and six strikeouts. (On July 13, Iglesias did not reach, but only had one at-bat because of fouling a ball of the inside of his left knee.)
- Monday night, Chris Carpenter, part of the Theo Epstein compensation from the Cubs, became the first PawSox pitcher in 2012 to hit 100 mph. After watching four games in Louisville, and also asking around, the radar gun in Louisville is usually pretty accurate.
The PawSox go from playing the worst team in the International League to playing the best team. Zach Stewart, part of the Kevin Youkilis deal with Chicago, makes his first road start of the year for the PawSox tonight at 7:05 from Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis. Our pre-game coverage begins at 6:50.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
14 Roster Moves in Seven Days
This has felt much longer than an eight-game homestand. The PawSox have lost 6-of-7 games thus far, have dropped two games by one run (both in extra innings), and have been shutout twice.
As far as player moves go, a lot has changed for the PawSox over the last seven days at McCoy:
- Ronald Bermudez, who has played in eight games with the PawSox, was placed back on the disabled list with a recurring left hamstring strain.
- After dominating in Double-A with the Sea Dogs, outfielder J.C. Linares was promoted to Pawtucket and went 4-for-6 with a double in his debut. Since then, he’s been held to one hit over his last five games.
- Once fully recovered from a left knee injury, outfielder Jason Repko was outrighted to Pawtucket following his rehab.
- He struck out 20 batters over seven appearances, but following his outing on June 21 at Syracuse, Mark Prior was placed on the disabled list with an oblique strain.
Even at 36-years-old, Podsednik has some spring left in his legs. The outfielder rehabs for the PawSox tonight, batting second and DH’ing. (Kelly O’Connor)
- To fill Prior’s void in the bullpen, lefty Will Latimer received his first call-up to Triple-A. Unfortunately, he’s been dealt the loss in his two appearances thus far.
- Aaron Cook was recalled to Boston from his rehab in Pawtucket to start for Clay Buchholz.
- After two appearances (one start), righty Jeremy Kehrt was assigned back to Portland
- On the disabled list since May 25, Jose Iglesias (back) was reinstated on Tuesday and has made two starts.
- Part of the Kevin Youkilis deal with the White Sox, Zach Stewart arrived in Pawtucket and pitched the PawSox to their lone win of the homestand (although Brandon Duckworth more than deserved a win last night).
With a surplus of outfielder, Josh Kroeger was released Thursday by the Red Sox. (Kelly O’Connor).
- First placed on the temporary inactive list, outfielder Josh Kroeger was released yesterday by the Red Sox. In 64 games with the PawSox, Kroeger hit .244 with nine home runs and 25 RBI.
- Tony Thomas, who had been playing virtually everyday at second base when Iglesias was on the disabled list, is now on the DL himself with a finger injury suffered during batting practice.
- After opting out of his contract with Cleveland, Andy LaRoche has been signed by the Red Sox and gets the start at third base tonight. The 28-year-old played 40 games last year with Oakland where he hit .247 with no homers and five RBI. In 46 games this season with Triple-A Columbus, LaRoche hit .234 with five home runs and 16 RBI.
- Tonight Scott Podsednik bats second and will serve as the PawSox designated hitter as he begins a rehab assignment to heal a groin injury suffered running to first base against the Cubs. In 19 games with Boston, the 36-year-old is hitting .387 with one homer and seven RBI.
Get all that? We’ll see what happens tonight as the PawSox finish the homestand with the Knights, aiming for a series split.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Zach Stewart Makes PawSox Debut Tonight
Scott Rolen, Edwin Jackson, and Kevin Youkilis all share a common connection: they were cornerstone pieces of a trade that involved right-hander Zach Stewart.
After being drafted in 2008 by Cincinnati in the third round, the Reds packaged Stewart in a deal just over a year later to acquire Rollen, the Blue Jays’ Gold Glove third baseman. Almost exactly two years later, Toronto dealt Stewart to the White Sox for Jackson, an All-Star right-hander now with the Nationals.
On Sunday, Stewart received word that he had been traded yet again for another high-profile third baseman, Youkilis. The other piece of the trade, utility-man Brent Lillibridge, is up with the Red Sox.
Stewart, who starts tonight for the PawSox, hasn’t pitched in the minors since 2011 when he made 16 starts for Double-A New Hampshire, and one start for Triple-A Charlotte – whom he’ll face this evening.
The 25-year-old from Wichita Falls, Tx. made 18 appearances (one start) for the White Sox this year going 1-2, 6.00 ERA (20 ER/30.0 IP).
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Stewart is 3-8, 5.92 ERA over 31 Major League appearances (12 starts) since 2011. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Will Middlebrooks Named A.L. Player of the Week
It’s is a little ironic that less than 24 hours after Kevin Youkilis is traded to the Chicago White Sox, his replacement is named American League Player of the Week.
Will Middlebrooks batted .625 (10-for-16) with three doubles, three homers, 10 RBI and six runs scored in six games. Among A.L. leaders, the 23-year-old finished tops in batting average, slugging percentage (1.375), on-base percentage (.632) and total bases (22), tied for second in doubles and extra-base hits (6) and tied for fourth in hits and homers.
Hours after his final hit at Fenway Park (his 953rd game with the Red Sox), Youkilis was dealt to the South Side of Chicago for pitcher Zach Stewart and infielder/outfielder Brent Lillibridge. Of the remaining $8 million on Youkilis’ contract, Boston is obligated to pay slightly more than $5.5 million.
In nine seasons with the Red Sox, Youkilis was a .287 hitter, three-time All-Star, and a Gold Glove winner. (Getty Images)
Stewart, 25, has made 18 appearances with the White Sox this season and in 2011 made one start for Triple-A Charlotte, whom the PawSox host for a four-game series beginning Tuesday. The Red Sox have announced that the right-hander has been assigned to the PawSox.
Following the trade announcement, Middlebrooks said this on Twitter (@middlebrooks):
“It was truely an honor playing with and learning from Youk… He’s the definition of a professional. Played the game right. #RedSoxNation”
Middlebrooks’ emergence has been remarkable. Just recently, he became the 5th player since 1920 (when the RBI became official) with a .331 average, nine homers, and 33 RBI in his first 40 Major League games. The last player was Albert Pujols.
You can expect to hear plenty of “Youuuuk” calls when the White Sox travel to Fenway Park July 16-19.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
In 24 games with the PawSox this year, Middlebrooks hit .333 with nine home runs and 27 RBI. (Kelly O’Connor)
Red Sox Farmhands Selected to Futures Game
The Red Sox will be represented by two young promising prospects at the 2012 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game held on July 8 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes (U.S. Team) and shortstop Xander Bogaerts (World Team), both with High-A Salem, have been selected to represent the Red Sox organization at the game. The PawSox will also be represented at the event by manager Arnie Beyeler who has been selected as one of the coaches for the World Team.
“I’m very excited,” Arnie said from the visiting clubhouse in Syracuse today. “I feel honored to be selected. It should be a lot of fun to get to a big league ballpark and spend time with some real talented young players.”
Barnes, 22, was taken by the Red Sox with the 19th overall pick last June out of the University of Connecticut. He began the season with Single-A Greenville where he flat out dominated. He went 2-0 in five starts and compiled a microscopic 0.34 ERA (1 ER/26.2 IP) while walking four and fanning 42. Numbers that resembled a video game more than anything else, he allowed just 12 hits.
Barnes has struck out 95 batters in 72 2/3 professional innings pitched (Kelly O’Connor).
Barnes was then promoted to High-A Salem where in eight starts he’s gone 5-1 with a 1.37 ERA (7 ER/46.0 IP) with eight walks and 53 punch outs. With the Salem Red Sox he’s been paired with the 19-year-old Bogaerts who hit .293 over the first half of the season.
One of only two 19-year-olds in the Carolina League, some argue that Bogaerts should be the Red Sox No. 1 prospect because he may have the highest ceiling. At 6-foot-3, he could wind up being too big for a shortstop, but for now that’s the only defensive position he’s played in his young pro career.
Ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox No. 2 prospect, Bogaerts clubbed 16 homers as an 18-year-old with Single-A Greenville in 2011. (Kelly O’Connor)
For the complete rosters, click here. Current Red Sox players to suit up in the Futures Game include:
- Josh Beckett
- Clay Buchholz
- Aaron Cook
- Carl Crawford
- Jacoby Ellsbury
- Adrian Gonzalez
- Kevin Youkilis
- Will Middlebrooks
Enjoy the game, and keep an eye out for Arnie who will probably get an inning or two coaching third base.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmth
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Ross, Cook Join the PawSox in Buffalo
The PawSox have had their share of Major League rehabbers this season. In fact, before today, six Red Sox players had rehabbed with Pawtucket this year.
1. Andrew Miller
2. Rich Hill
3. Daisuke Matsuzaka
4. Kevin Youkilis
5. Darnell McDonald
6. Ryan Kalish (later optioned to the PawSox)
We can now add two more names to the list: Cody Ross and Aaron Cook. Ross, in his first year with the Red Sox, is scheduled to lead-off tonight in Buffalo and DH. The Red Sox outfielder suffered a broken bone in his left foot that fortunately did not need surgery.
Right-hander Aaron Cook, who began the season with the PawSox, is scheduled to make his first rehab start on Monday in Syracuse. Cook’s injury is as odd as it is disappointing. In his 2012 Major League debut at Fenway Park, Cook suffered a deep cut on his knee when he was “cleated” covering home plate.
The PawSox are a league-best 43-25 and can lock down a sereis win with a “W” in Buffalo tonight. Billy Buckner (0-1, 11.42) will be opposed by Bisons’ starter Jeurys Familia (5-3, 4.35). First pitch tonight is scheduled for 7:05, pre-game coverage begins at 6:50.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Ross will test his left foot tonight in his frist rehab start for the PawSox. At the time of his injury, Ross was batting .271 and had appeared in all three outfield positions for the Red Sox. (Kelly O’Connor)
Top-10 PawSox Moments in May
Between the late nights, early morning flights, bumpy bus rides, and countless other factors, a minor league baseball season can quickly become a blur. Today, as we flip the calendar to the start of June, we’ll begin by rewinding to the beginning of May to rank the Top-10 moments from the month that was.
#10 – Nava Gets Second Call-Up to Boston (May 10)
Even though there wasn’t a grand slam this time, Daniel Nava’s return to the Major Leagues was, to some, maybe as unthinkable as his historic slam in his big league debut in 2010.
Never mind the fact that Nava wasn’t invited to Major League camp, he wasn’t even in the PawSox Opening Day lineup. After a slow start to the year, Nava caught fire and has continued to produce with Boston.
#9 – Gomez Delivers in the Eighth Inning (May 10)
The PawSox trailed the Rochester Red Wings at McCoy Stadium by a run going into the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs, Jose Iglesias singled, then Lars Anderson reached on an error by former PawSox second baseman, Joe Thurston. That’s when Mauro Gomez ripped a two-run double that bounced off the right-field wall to plate two runs and give the PawSox the lead and the eventual win, 7-6.
Gomez has had plenty to smile about this season. Not only has he received his first Major League call-up, but he leads the PawSox in home runs, runs batted in, doubles, and hits. (Kelly O’Connor).
#8 – Mathis Nearly Perfect, Youkilis Rehabs (May 21)
After struggling in April, Doug Mathis flipped the switch in May and dominated the Norfolk Tides in his ninth start of the year.
The former Texas Ranger had maybe the best outing of any Pawtucket starter this year by tossing seven-innings scoreless, allowing just one hit – a fifth-inning triple that was almost caught with two outs.
The PawSox blanked the Tides 4-0 and were aided by rehabbing Kevin Youkilis who finished 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a pair of walks.
#7 – Middlebrooks Gets the Call (May 2)
After thrashing International League pitching throughout April, PawSox third baseman, and Red Sox No. 1 prospect, Will Middlebrooks received his first-ever call-up to Boston.
Since joining the Red Sox, Middlebrooks is batting .316 (30-for-95) in 24 games with six homers and 21 runs batted in. Safe to say it’s looking less likely he’ll see Pawtucket again this season.
In 24 games with the PawSox, Middlebrooks hit .333 with nine homers and 27 runs batted in. Five of is home runs came with two men on base. (Kelly O’Connor)
#6 – Hassan Delivers on Mother’s Day (May 13)
On a beautiful Mother’s Day at McCoy, the PawSox and Columbus Clippers were tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning. With his mom in the stands, Alex Hassan homered to left-field with one out to give Pawtucket a 5-4 lead and the eventual win.
Hassan finished the day 3-for-3 with two runs batted in, three runs scored, and was a triple shy of the cycle.
#5 – PawSox and Bulls Take Center Stage in Japan (May 17)
In front of over 10,000 fans, plus thousands more watching on Japanese sports cable channel J SPORTS, two of the Pacific Rim’s biggest baseball stars squared off at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Rehabbing Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched for the PawSox as Hideki Matsui played his third-career game in the Tampa Bay Rays’ system. Although Pawtucket lost 5-0 and never moved a runner past second base, the media hype and overall buzz within the ballpark made it one of the more memorable games this season.
There were over 35 Japanese media members in Durham to report on Matsuzaka vs. Matsui. (Kelly O’Connor).
#4 – PawSox Homer Five Times (May 27)
Not only did the PawSox club five home runs, but three of the first four batters in the bottom of the first inning went deep.
Pedro Ciriaco hit a lead-off homer to left, followed by Nate Spears’ home run to right. After Darnell McDonald smoked a line drive to third base, Lars Anderson went deep to right field.
Anderson homered again to begin the sixth inning, followed by Alex Hassan’s 2-run shot in the eighth. For Anderson, it was his third-career two-homer game, his first since 2009.
#3 – PawSox Take Down Andy Pettitte (May 6)
Originally scheduled to be played at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia, Ny., the PawsSox and Yankees dueled in front of a record crowd at Frontier Field in Rochester. Because of the media and fan interest, the Yankees, PawSox, and Red Wings all agreed to move the contest to Rochester where, in a matter of days, the Wings sold 13,584 tickets to watch Andy Pettitte.
With the Triple-A Yankees’ ballpark under season-long construction, the PawSox dealt the five-time World Series champion a loss. In fact, the first four PawSox batters recorded hits off Pettitte: Pedro Ciriaco (double), Jose Iglesias (infield single), Ryan Lavarnway (RBI double), and Lars Anderson (RBI single).
Iglesias went 2-for-3 with an RBI against Pettitte and the Yankees. Even more impressive, the PawSox shortstop hit .341 in May with his second-career homer and nine runs batted in. (Kelly O’Connor)
#2 – Lavarnway’s Bomb Caps Seven-Run Inning, and the Win (May 26)
The PawSox went into the bottom of the eighth inning trailing Toledo 5-1. When the inning was over, they lead 8-5. Ryan Lavarnway’s 3-run homer was the bow on top of a 7-run, 7-hit inning – the most runs scored in a single frame this season by Pawtucket.
Not only was Lavarnway’s home run a first pitch no-doubter, it was his first home run since April 17 (99 at-bats).
#1 – Lars Anderson Makes SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays (May 29)
For the first time in the history of McCoy Stadium, a home run was hit of the HD video board in right-center field. As part of his third-career, five-RBI night, Anderson pounded a two-run shot in the fourth inning that blew out a small portion of the two-year old board.
Photo taken of the video board at McCoy Stadium seconds after Anderson’s blast. (Jillian Souza)
For his efforts, Anderson was among the Top-10 plays that night (and the next morning) on SportsCenter.
There were plenty of noteworthy moments throughout May for the PawSox, who ended the month 18-12. Tonight June begins with Game 1 of a brief four-game road trip to Lehigh Valley to face the Iron Pigs. Brandon Duckworth (5-1, 4.22) will be opposed by righty Scott Elarton (5-2, 3.44).
First pitch tonight from Coca-Cola Park is scheduled for 7:05, we hit the air with the pre-game show at 6:50.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Youkilis Batting and Playing Third Tonight
After a scheduled night off, Kevin Youkilis is back in the PawSox lineup this evening for the series finale in Durham. Youk will hit third and man third base for Pawtucket.
“It felt great just to get on the field and get some rhythm at the plate,” Youkilis said following his start Wednesday. “It was just fun to be out there a do all the things you love to do as a baseball player.”
Youk went 1-for-2 with a walk, double, and a run scored on Wednesday as the PawSox designated hitter. His lone out was a deep fly ball to right field.
First pitch tonight from Durham Bulls Athletic Park is set for 7:05, we hit the air at 6:50 with the pre-game show.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Youkilis Talks Rehab, Memories of Pawtucket
After batting practice Thursday, Kevin Youkilis joined me in the PawSox dugout in Durham to chat about his first rehab game with the PawSox. Youk also shared his memories from 2001 when he was managed by current PawSox manager Arnie Beyeler in Lowell, and what he remembers from his playing days at McCoy.
Youkilis was out of the PawSox lineup Thursday – a scheduled day off.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Youk has played in 118 games for the PawSox (including rehabs). His longest time with the club in one season was 43 games in 2005. (Kelly O’Connor)
