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Will Middlebrooks and Chih-Hsien Chiang represented the Sox in the All-Star Futures Game yesterday, with Chiang drawing a walk and scoring a run. Middlebrooks did boot a ball in the early going, turning an out into a double, but he's typically got strong defense, put on an absolute show in BP, and had a lot of talent evaluators dropping some choice quotes. He's making it very easy to forget his slow May. Now we just need Josh to tell him how he learned to take a walk.
This is not to ignore Chiang, who's having his own big year to be sure. But it was Middlebrooks who drew the attention of the scouts.
7/9
Pawtucket W 2-0
Che-Hsuan Lin: 0-3, BB
Ryan Lavarnway: 1-4, 2B, 2 K
Lars Anderson: 0-3, 2 E
Luis Exposito: 1-3
Tommy Hottovy: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Portland L 6-7 (In 12)
Jeremy Hazelbaker: 0-6, 3 K
Alex Hassan: 1-6, K, A
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 1-5, K, E
Oscar Tejeda: 3-5, 2 2B, K
Chris Balcom-Miller: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
-It's weird. CBM has had a couple great games in Double-A, but they're really undone by just how many bad games he's thrown out there. And there's not much in the middle.
Salem W 9-1
Kolbrin Vitek: 2-4, POCS
Bryce Brentz: 3-4, 2 2B, K
-Good to see some non-homer hits from Brentz. Not that there's anything wrong with homers.
Miles Head: 0-2, BB, K
Greenville L 0-1
Sean Coyle: 0-3, BB
Brandon Jacobs: 1-4
Xander Bogaerts: 0-4, K, E
David Renfroe: 0-3, BB, 2 K
Lowell L 3-10
Keury De La Cruz: 1-4, E, A
Garin Cecchini: 0-5, E
Travis Shaw: 1-3, BB, K, 2 E
Boss Moanaroa: 2-3, BB
Seth Schwindenhammer: 2-4, K
GCL Red Sox L 1-2 (In 11)
Oscar Perez: 1-5, 3 K
Kendrick Perkins: 2-3, 2B, 2 BB
Jose Vinicio:2-5
Mario Alcantara: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
7/10
Pawtucket W 4-3
Che-Hsuan Lin: 0-4
Ryan Lavarnway: 3-4, 2B, 2 HR
-Seems like Lavarnway should make 30 this year if he has a full complement of ABs. He's already matched his 2009 total (when he led the system) and is one away from last year's total.
Lars Anderson: 0-3, BB, K
Luis Exposito: 0-3, K
Jason Rice: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Portland L 4-5
Jeremy Hazelbaker: 2-4, HR, K
Alex Hassan: 0-4, 2 K
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 1-4, 2 K
Tim Federowicz: 1-4, K
Oscar Tejeda: 0-4, K
Stephen Fife: 7 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
-16:3 K:BB in his last 13 innings.
Salem W 8-4
Kolbrin vitek: 2-5, 2B, K, E
Bryce Brentz: 2-4, HR, BB
-And right backtothe HR. Again, not that I'm complaining. After all, he has to keep up with Lavarnway.
Miles Head: 0-3, BB, 2 K
Chris Hernandez: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
-Hernandez hasn't provided much excitement, generally, but his consistency has been pretty ridiculous, which is the sort of thing you really look for in a back-end starter or solid reliever.
Greenville W 8-5
Brandon Jacobs: 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 BB, K
-Jacobs has been keeping his walks and strikeouts close the past couple weeks, though this is the first sign of the power in a bit.
Christian Vazquez: 1-5, 2B, K
Henry Ramos: 2-5
Xander Bogaerts: 2-5, 2B, HR, K
-He's striking out a lot, but man, a .278 Iso from an 18-year-old middle infielder is so easy to dream on.
Lowell L 7-10
Keury De La Cruz: 1-5, 3 K
Garin Cecchini: 1-5, 2 K
Travis Shaw: 0-2, 3 BB
Boss Moanaroa: 1-5, HR, 3 K, E
Seth Schwindenhammer: 1-3, 2 BB, 2 K
-Amazingly, he's got a .872 OPS these past 10 games.