Miles Head has 14 homers and a 1.020 OPS at 20. Brandon Jacobs combines home run power with stolen base speed. Sean Coyle is sporting an impressive line for a middle infielder despite a BABIP that is only now reaching the lower levels one would expect from a slower player who doesn't collect a good deal of extra base hits. And Xander Bogaerts is still four months from 19, doing his best to make good on the understated hype that's slowly building around him.
And then there's a pitching staff which features some ridiculous peripherals coming from guys that only the more devoted minor league followers have heard of. Keith Couch, anyone?
Even with Ranaudo and Brentz having left for more challenging pastures, the Greenville Drive are pretty interesting.
6/18
Pawtucket W 8-1
Ryan Lavarnway: 1-4, BB, 2 K
Luis Exposito: 1-4, 2B, BB, K
Jose Iglesias: 3-4, 2B
-Can it be? A second XBH?
Kevin Millwood: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Hideki Okajima: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Portland L 4-9
Jeremy Hazelbaker: 1-3, 2 BB
Alex Hassan: 1-4, BB, K
Tim Federowicz: 1-3, BB
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 1-4, 3B, 2 K
Oscar Tejeda: 1-4, K
Stolmy Pimentel: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
-Not sure what the deal is with the low innings count, but if it keeps his ERA from going up, who am I to complain?
Salem Game 1 W 5-2 (In 7)
Kolbrin Vitek: 2-4
Bryce Brentz: 3-4, 2B, HR, E
-Took a few days, but it sure looks like he's got his swing back.
Salem Game 2 L 0-2 (In 7)
Kolbrin Vitek: 0-2, BB, K
Anthony Ranaudo: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Greenville W 5-4
Sean Coyle: 1-4, HR, K, E
Miles Head: 1-3, 2B, BB
Brandon Jacobs: 2-2, 2B, 2 BB
-Jacobs is looking a bit more disciplined of late, and the homers are back, so he might not be due for quite so major a BABIP adjustment.
Christian Vazquez: 1-4, 2B, K
Henry Ramos: 0-4, K
-Ramos has slowed down since his strong start. It wouldn't be too surprising to see him sent down to Lowell or even the GCL since his promotion wasn't really performance based to begin with necessarily.
Xander Bogaerts: 1-3, HR
-Bogaerts, on the other hand, may not look back at this rate.
Keith Couch: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Lowell W 3-2
Keury De La Cruz: 0-4, K
Garin Cecchini: 0-3, BB
Travis Shaw: 0-2, BB, SB
Boss Moanaroa: 1-3, HR, K
-It might be easy to forget since his season ended so early, but Boss was doing a pretty good job in Lowell last year when he was playing.
Seth Schwindenhammer: 0-2, BB, K
6/19
Pawtucket L 0-2
Yamaico Navarro: 0-4
Lars Anderson: 0-4, 2 K, E
Ryan Lavarnway: 1-4, 2B, 3 K
Luis Exposito: 0-3, K
Jose Iglesias: 0-3, K
Kyle Weiland: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
Jason Rice: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Franklin Morales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 Er, 0 BB, 0 K
Portland W 7-2
Alex Hassan: 0-4, BB
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 2-5, SB
Oscar Tejeda: 2-4, K
Stephen Fife: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Cesar Cabral: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Greenville W 12-1
Sean Coyle: 1-4, 2B
Miles Head: 1-4, HR, BB, K
Brandon Jacobs: 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 K
Christian Vazquez: 3-4, 2B, HR
Xander Bogaerts: 0-4, K
Brandon Workman: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Lowell L 1-3
Keury De La Cruz: 1-5, 2 K
Travis Shaw: 0-4, BB, K
Boss Moanaroa: 0-2, 2 BB, K
Seth Schwindenhammer: 0-3, BB, 2 K
Madison Younginer: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K