Results tagged ‘ Rich Hill ’
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)
Justin Thomas Joins PawSox
After breaking camp with the Red Sox, left-handed reliever Justin Thomas has been assigned to Pawtucket as a result of Boston activating lefty Rich Hill from his minor league rehab assignment (Tommy John).
While Thomas no-doubt would’ve preferred to stay with the parent club, he’s grateful for the time he was able to put in with Boston.
“It was just great to get back to the big leagues and have the opportunity to pitch … Being at Fenway Park for the first time, seeing that place, and seeing the 100 year anniversary game there, it was awesome.”
Thomas, who appeared in seven games for the Red Sox, returns to the International League where he made a league-high 63 appearances last season.
“I’m ready to go everyday. I’m a guy who can come in and throw to one batter to get a lefty out in a situation, or go an inning or two.
Thomas joins an already crowded bullpen with rehabbing Andrew Miller and hard-throwing righty Mark Melancon. As Thomas pointed out, however, he will provide the club with a strong option versus left-handed hitting. Last season Thomas held opposing left-handed batters to a stingy .188 average (19-for-101), while allowing just one extra-base hit.
We may get our first look at Thomas tonight as the PawSox and Clippers play Game 2 of the series from beautiful Huntington Park in downtown Columbus. Thomas, and the rest of the bullpen, will need to bundle up. It’s predicted to be 48 degrees for our 7:05 first pitch. We hit the air at 6:50 with the pre-game show.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Thomas has appeared in 27 career Major League games combined between the Mariners, Pirates, and Red Sox. (Kelly O'Connor)
Homestand Photos, April 20-25
Although the PawSox fell short yesterday of what would have been a franchise-record ten consecutive wins, the team still has the top record in the International League at 15-6.
Since the PawSox have today off before leaving tomorrow morning for a ten-day road road trip, this seemed like the perfect chance to share some photos from the recent homestand where club went 5-1. Special thanks to PawSox contributing photographer Kelly O’Connor (@sittingstillsox) for these great images.
Will Middlebrooks did a lot of this over the last six games. The Red Sox No. 1 prospect finished the home stand with four home runs.
Middlebrooks wasn’t the only one to go deep often. Mauro Gomez received plenty of high fives following each of his five homers over the last six games.
The PawSox first-ever “Bark in the Park” was a huge succes!
Infielder Jon Hee showing off some Matrix ball skills.
Mark Melancon made his Pawtucket debut during the homestand. The righty made three appearances and collected his first save of the year.
We had a chance to see Alex Hassan make some great plays in the outfield with both his glove and his arm.
It was great to watch Rich Hill pitch for the PawSox as he continues to recover from Tommy John Surgery.
As his bat is heating up, outfielder Josh Kroeger made a couple of terrific plays defensively.
So Will Rhymes doesn’s play for the PawSox, this was too good to pass up. Lots of credit goes to Kelly for noticing that Will shaved his mustache during the middle of the game! (This was later confirmed via Twitter.) I guess he wasn’t hitting well enough with the ‘stache.
Thanks once again to Kelly for these great pics. The PawSox open up the road trip tomorrow night from Columbus in Game 1 against the Clippers. First pitch it set for 7:05 p.m., we’ll be on-air with the pre-game show at 6:50.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Catching Up With Rich Hill
Following a combined five rehab appearances with Single-A Greenville and High-A Salem, left-handed reliever Rich Hill has joined Pawtucket’s roster as he rehabs from Tommy John Surgery. The Milton, Ma. native made his 2012 PawSox debut on Saturday against Durham (Tampa Bay) where he allowed one run (a homer) in one inning of work.
“The rehab process has been going well,” Rich told me. “The ball is coming out of my hand the way I want it to, and all the work I put in this off-season is starting to pay off.”
Hill had a busy off-season rehabbing from his June 9th surgery. “I was in the gym everyday of the week except for Sundays,” he said. “[Three days a week] I was working on my shoulder program and throwing, [four days a week] I was at the gym lifting and conditioning.”
Hill on the mound at McCoy Stadium Saturday afternoon. The left-hander has appeared in 29 games for the PawSox over the past two seasons. (Kelly O'Connor)
The lefty stated that at this stage of his rehab, he can do everything he did before. “[The surgery] hasn’t changed anything, really. I just think that it’s about your approach, the way you go about your business, the way you take the ball when you are given it.”
“You have to stay aggressive, you have to stay on the attack,” Hill continued. “You have to pitch with conviction. All the work you put into getting back is all for nothing if you don’t go out there and let it come out of your hand the way you want every time.”
Aside from facing more advanced hitters in Triple-A, Hills rehab process has changed from the standpoint that he is no longer starting, but coming out of the bullpen. “It’s a different environment when you come in as a starter,” he told me. “You come in, you pitch your one or two innings, and you’re done.”
“Here, you come in with a score on the board, in a certain situation, and that gets the adrenaline going even more so than before.”
Rich will be in uniform tonight and, although the tarp is still on the field here at McCoy, the rain has stopped and we should be good-to-go for a 5:05 p.m. doubleheader against Durham. Justin Germano starts Game 1, followed by Aaron Cook in Game 2. We’ll be on-air with the pre-game show at 4:45.
Talk with you then,
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
Homers, Hits, and Runs Scored
Since the middle-part of the previous road trip, the PawSox offense has exploded. For a team with the third-best ERA (2.99) in the 14-team International League, it’s pretty remarkable how well this club is hitting.
Leading with the Long Ball
- The PawSox lead the I.L. with 22 home runs
- Have eight homers in the last two games
- Six straight games with a home run
- At least one homer in nine of the last 10 games
There has been a lot of this lately for Mauro Gomez and the rest of the PawSox offense. (Kelly O'Connor)
- The club has scored at least one run in 14 of the last 17 innings
- PawSox hitters have tallied 55 hits over the last four games (an average of 14 hits/game)
Gone Streaking
- Will Middlebrooks – has a homer in four-straight games, at least one hit in 12 of his last 13.
- Mauro Gomez – seven game hitting streak, three homers in his last two games, at least one hit in 14 of 15 games.
- Ryan Lavarnway – five game hitting streak with nine total hits.
- Lars Anderson – six game hitting streak, leading the club with five doubles.
The bats will have to swing through some rain this afternoon in Game 3 vs. Durham. First pitch time has been moved up to 12:30 with pre-game coverage beginning at 12:15. Rich Hill will start in his second rehab appearance, followed by scheduled starter Justin Germano.
Talk with you then,
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
PawSox By the Numbers
We’re a whopping four games into the 2012 season, so why not break down the numbers. Some of them are serious, others are more for fun. Here you go …
Aaron Cook tossed the PawSox first complete game of the season yesterday. He used 89 pitches to work through seven innings. (Boston Globe/Jim Davis)
33 – Runners the PawSox have left on base.
2 – Home runs hit this season.
13,219 – Attendance at McCoy Stadium.
14 – People who found this blog yesterday by searching “Katy Perry.”
2 – Quality starts from PawSox pitchers.
9 – Pitches it took Rich Hill the strikeout three batters in his rehab game last night with Greenville.
.986 – PawSox fielding percentage (second-best in the International League).
1 – Complete games thrown by a Pawtucket starter (7.0 IP, Aaron Cook). The PawSox had just one all last year.
2 – Times Ryan Lavarnway has already been intentionally walked.
50.5 – Average first pitch temperature.
1966 – The last year the Red Sox and Yankees both started a season 0-3.
16 – Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs I’ll eat today.
Happy Easter!
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
