Exciting times in some ways, depressing in others. Ryan Lavarnway left Pawtucket's last game early, presumably so he could join the big league team in anticipation of a possible call-up should the Sox have to send any of their various banged up players to the disabled list.
On the one hand, here's hoping we don't lose Papi or Youk for 15 days.
On the other hand, Lavarnway!
8/15
Pawtucket W 7-3
Che-Hsuan Lin: 1-2, 3 BB, POCS
Ryan Kalish: 0-5, 3 K
-Not surprising he's not back to normal right away. 2011 seems like a lost year for Kalish. Here's to 2012.
Ryan Lavarnway: 1-5, HR, 2 K
-30! Remember when he led the system with 20?
Lars Anderson: 0-4, BB, 2 K
Jose Iglesias: 2-5, 2B, K
Scott Atchison: .2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Michael Bowden: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Salem W 8-6
Bryce Brentz: 3-5, 2 2B
-After a couple down months, Brentz is back in August. .318/.378/.667 on the month with six bombs.
Miles Head: 3-5, 2B
Greenville Game 1 W 3-2 (In 7)
Sean Coyle: 2-3, 2B, K
Brandon Jacobs: 2-3, 2B, K
Christian Vazquez: 1-3, HR, K
-And so the quiet but not unimpressive season of Vazquez rolls on. This would, for context, be something like a 20-25 homer season on a Major League schedule.
Henry Ramos: 0-2
Xander Bogaerts: 1-2
Greenville Game 2 L 3-6 (In 7)
Sean Coyle: 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K
Henry Ramos: 0-3, K
Xander Bogaerts: 0-3, K
David Renfroe: 2-3, 2B, E
GCL Red Sox W 6-3
Williams Jerez: 1-5, SB
Cody Koback: 2-5, K
Jose Vinicio: 1-5, E
-24 errors on the season. A bad stat, but a really exceptional number of them isn't something that can be shrugged off.
8/16
Pawtucket L 2-5
Che-Hsuan Lin: 0-4, K
Ryan Kalish: 0-3, BB, 2 K
Lars Anderson: 0-4, K
Luis Exposito: 2-4, 2 K
Jose Iglesias: 0-3, BB
Felix Doubront: 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HR
-More a matter of ground balls and sequencing making the HR count for a ton than anything else.
Jason Rice: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Hideki Okajima: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Portland L 4-7
Alex Hassan: 1-5, 2B
Will Middlebrooks: 1-4, BB
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 0-4, K
Jeremy Hazelbaker: 2-3, BB, K
Oscar Tejeda: 0-4, K
Salem L 0-4
Kolbrin Vitek: 1-4, 3 K
Bryce Brentz: 0-3, 2 K
Miles Head: 0-4, 2 K
Drake Britton: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Greenville L 2-3
Sean Coyle: 0-4
Brandon Jacobs: 1-4, 2B, K
Christian Vazquez: 1-4, K
Xander Bogaerts: 2-4, K
David Renfroe: 0-4, K
Brandon Workman: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
GCL Red Sox W 11-8
Williams Jerez: 2-5, 3B, 2 K
Cody Koback: 1-3, HR, 2 BB, K
Kendrick Perkins: 1-4, BB
Jose Vinicio: 2-4, 3B, K, 2 E
-Make that 26...
Jordan Weems: 1-4, 2 K, E
Yunior Ortega: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
8/17
Pawtucket W 5-2
Che-Hsuan Lin: 1-4, 2B
Ryan Lavarnway: 0-2, BB
Lars Anderson: 0-1
-Pinch hit for Lavarnway, as mentioned above.
Luis Exposito: 1-3
Jose Iglesias: 0-3, 2 K
Junichi Tazawa: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
-The slow, steady approach to Tazawa's rehab seems to have paid dividends. He slips right into action at Triple-A with three strong outings. With Doubront and Weiland not having helped their positions particularly, Taz could even find himself as the top depth option for 2012 should he keep it up.
Michael Bowden: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Portland Game 1 W 5-4 (In 7)
Alex Hassan: 2-4, K, SB
Will Middlebrooks: 1-4, HR, K
Reynaldo Rodriguez: 2-4, 2 SB
Jeremy Hazelbaker: 1-3, K, SB
-That's 40 swipes for Hazelbaker on the season to just 11 CS. Rate has only gotten better in Double-A
Chris Balcom-Miller: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Portland Game 2 W 5-3 (In 7)
Alex Hassan: 1-2, BB
Will Middlebrooks: 1-4, K
Oscar Tejeda: 1-3, POCS
Salem W 8-3
Kolbrin Vitek: 2-5, 2B, HR
-.967 OPS in August. Is Vitek streaky, or figuring things out?
Bryce Brentz: 1-5, HR, 2 K
Miles Head: 2-4, HR, BB
-Head is also turning things around in August after some early promotion issues. Good to see given the doubt that revolved around his Greenville production.
Anthony Ranaudo: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
-First time he's avoided a free pass in 5 outings.
Manny Rivera: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Greenville W 9-6
Sean Coyle: 1-5, HR, K
Brandon Jacobs: 3-5, 2B, K
Christian Vazquez: 1-1, BB
Henry Ramos: 0-5, 3 K
Xander Bogaerts: 2-4, 2B, BB
-Chris Mellen (of SoxProspects) just mentioned earlier today that Bogaerts is ranked at #4 in the system for him. High praise for a guy who has officially burst onto the scene.
Keith Couch: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Lowell L 4-9
Keury De La Cruz: 2-4, 3B
Travis Shaw: 1-4, K
Adalberto Ibarra: 2-4
Boss Moanaroa: 0-4, K
Seth Schwindenhammer: 1-4, 2B, 2 K
Raul Alcantara: 2.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
-Raul, meet college hitting. College hitting, meet Raul. Give him an offseason.
GCL Red Sox L 5-13
Williams Jerez: 0-2, 2 BB, K
Cody Koback: 0-3, BB, 2 K
Jordan Weems: 2-3, BB
Jose Vinicio: 1-4, K, E
-Make that 27. Oh my.