Weekly Prospect Updates:
Prospect Reports: Part One
Abe Alvarez | SP | Pawtucket Red Sox | 1-0, 4.60 ERA, 15.2 IP |
Only one game for Alvarez this week, but he pitched solidly. Alvarez pitched 5.2 innings, gave up three runs on five hits and racked up six strikeouts on the game. Alvarez was left without a decision, as Jack Cressend ended up losing the game for the Paw Sox.
Jon Papelbon | SP | Portland Sea Dogs | 2-1, 3.78 ERA, 16.2 IP |
Only one game for Papelbon this week, but he didn't get the run support that he would have liked against Binghamton. Papelbon pitched 5.2 innings, gave up three runs on five hits, but struck out nine over the course of the game. He was saddled with the loss, and the first loss of the Sea Dog's season at that point.
Hanley Ramirez | SS | Portland Sea Dogs | .302 BA, .373 OBP, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 4 SB |
Ramirez started the week hot, raising his batting average to .381 on the season. But once he faced Binghamton pitching (the last three games), Ramirez has struggled. Over the past three games he has gone a combined 0-12, and has shot his average down all the way to .302. Ramirez will bounce back though. Everyone has struggled throughout a season, and right now may be Ramirez's time. Ramirez has also hit five triples already in this young season.
Dustin Pedroia | 2B | Portland Sea Dogs | .341 BA, .455 OBP, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 9 BB, 3 SO |
Just like his double play mate Ramirez, Pedroia has been hot all season long until his last two games against Binghamton. His best performance this week came against Trenton when he went 4-5 with three doubles and an RBI on the game. Over the last two games, though, Pedroia has gone 0-8 and has struck out once (which is a lot for Pedroia).
Sox Prospects Notable Performances:
>Cla Meredith, the closer for Portland, has been perfect so far this season. Meredith has pitched in seven games, has 7.1 innings pitched, five strikeouts and have only allowed one hit. He's been as automatic as you can ask for.
>Charlie Zink, the lone knuckleballer in the Sox system, started off in Portland last year and struggled horribly. He was then demoted where he didn't pitch much due to injury. This year he is back in Portland and pitching well so far with two wins, no losses and a 3.27 ERA.
>Shortstop Alejandro Machado is hitting .341 for Pawtucket so far this season. Machado is a player we acquired over the off-season from the Washington Nationals.
>Catcher Kelly Shoppach is hitting .278 and leading Pawtucket with four home runs this season. Shoppach had a poor batting average last year (.233) but hit 22 home runs on the season, so the Sox are looking for a bounce-back season.