Craig Hansen

[soxie thefangirl]

That'd be great. I'd like to see what the guy can do.

[mosox]

Desperate move. Let's see what he's got at the risk of destroying what little confidence he may have. Mueller for Romero could have avoided this.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

From what I have heard this move would be mainly to give Timlin a break. He has a ton of innings at this point and although has continued to dominate....he needs a break. Hansen won't solve our lefty problem but if he is strong enough it might not matter. Bradford, Gonzalez, Myers, and Timlin have all been solid and only one lefty is included there. Guess I don't really care about the matchup as long as the pitcher is steady.

 

Does anyone have an update as to when Foulke gets back or when they think he will be back??

[yankeessuck013]

end of august

[soxie thefangirl]

I don't think it'll be bad for him to come up.

[yankeessuck013]

yeah, he certaintly has the stuff and i think it could only help the ballclub

[yankeessuck013]

NESN is reporting that the Red Sox may promote Craig Hansen from Double-A before Tuesday.

Hansen has pitched a total of just seven innings since being drafted (with a 9-to-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio), but Boston's bullpen is in rough shape.

 

per rotoworld

[mosox]

The more I think about this Hansen thing the more I look back at '86 when Calvin Schiraldi was rushed up after being drafted out of Texas. He pitched great until the playoffs when the weight of the pressure crushed him and his career.

[soxie thefangirl]

I'm sure the FO knows what it's doing.

[example1]

I'm sure the FO knows what it's doing.

 

Me too. Not only that, but I don't really care about Calvin Scheraldi or any other examples. Fact of the matter is that many, many pitchers have had success at Hansen's age. And while its a big jump to go from AA to MLB, I imagine its just as big a jump to go from NCAA to AA in sucha short period. That's not saying its guarenteed to work, but what's the harm in trying? Delcarmen has done pretty well. Papelbon has done pretty well and from what i've heard, Hansen has the best stuff of all of them.

[CrespoBlows]

Me too. Not only that, but I don't really care about Calvin Scheraldi or any other examples. Fact of the matter is that many, many pitchers have had success at Hansen's age. And while its a big jump to go from AA to MLB, I imagine its just as big a jump to go from NCAA to AA in sucha short period. That's not saying its guarenteed to work, but what's the harm in trying? Delcarmen has done pretty well. Papelbon has done pretty well and from what i've heard, Hansen has the best stuff of all of them.

 

Good point, that the NCAA to AA is a big jump, that's true, it is, but you contridicted yourself in your post. Papelbon has pitched well, but he's 24 years old, and he's two years removed from Mississippi St. Delcarmen has pitched OK, but without much control. He's been in our system since '02.

 

The problem with promoting Hansen, is that he's playing in Boston. The fans have to lower expectations. No one should think that Hansen is going to come in and dominate. He'll most likely come in with maybe a 4.00 ERA, maybe higher. He'll be a domiant force in the bigs for a while, but he needs at least 15-20 apperances in the minors.

[yankeessuck013]

General manager Theo Epstein was evasive yesterday when asked about Double-A closer Craig Hansen joining the Red Sox.

 

''We have no plans to make any roster moves but things change,'' Epstein said. ''He stands out with his size, presence, stuff and command.''

[example1]

Good point, that the NCAA to AA is a big jump, that's true, it is, but you contridicted yourself in your post. Papelbon has pitched well, but he's 24 years old, and he's two years removed from Mississippi St. Delcarmen has pitched OK, but without much control. He's been in our system since '02.

 

The problem with promoting Hansen, is that he's playing in Boston. The fans have to lower expectations. No one should think that Hansen is going to come in and dominate. He'll most likely come in with maybe a 4.00 ERA, maybe higher. He'll be a domiant force in the bigs for a while, but he needs at least 15-20 apperances in the minors.

 

I guess we can agree to disagree. I DO agree about the 4.00 ERA, at least that he'll pitch like a 4.00 ERA pitcher would. That doesn't mean he'll end up with that ERA (cause that's a function more of luck and usage than pitching skill) but I get your point. I don't think I contradicted myself at all though. Papelbon and Delcarmen have been in the sox system because its the sox system. Papelbon especially wasn't going to get called up because of the pitchers he had ahead of him and the team that was ahead of him. This year is a different story. I guarentee that Papelbon would have been called up to the Yanks at this point, or just about any other team. He would likely have started at least a handful of games in his 22nd, 23rd and 24th years for most clubs. Hansen is a closer/reliever. The sox need that now, desperately, and there is no reason that they shouldn't use the best they have. If hansen is that guy then they'll use him. If not then they won't.

 

And about expectations. Boston always has high expectations and always will. I don't think people need to lower expectations, but just to try to be realistic about them. We should expect the best possible players on our team, period. If it doesn't happen then we should be fair and accept that someone isn't where we thought they should be and move on. Hansen will get a lot of chances with this club, high expectations or not.

[ORS]

Hansen logged another inning tonight.

 

1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB (his first), 2 K

[yankeessuck013]

yep, I see a callup VERY soon, maybe tuesday he will be in KC

[CrespoBlows]

I guess we can agree to disagree. I DO agree about the 4.00 ERA, at least that he'll pitch like a 4.00 ERA pitcher would. That doesn't mean he'll end up with that ERA (cause that's a function more of luck and usage than pitching skill) but I get your point. I don't think I contradicted myself at all though. Papelbon and Delcarmen have been in the sox system because its the sox system. Papelbon especially wasn't going to get called up because of the pitchers he had ahead of him and the team that was ahead of him. This year is a different story. I guarentee that Papelbon would have been called up to the Yanks at this point, or just about any other team. He would likely have started at least a handful of games in his 22nd, 23rd and 24th years for most clubs. Hansen is a closer/reliever. The sox need that now, desperately, and there is no reason that they shouldn't use the best they have. If hansen is that guy then they'll use him. If not then they won't.

 

And about expectations. Boston always has high expectations and always will. I don't think people need to lower expectations, but just to try to be realistic about them. We should expect the best possible players on our team, period. If it doesn't happen then we should be fair and accept that someone isn't where we thought they should be and move on. Hansen will get a lot of chances with this club, high expectations or not.

 

You contridicted yourself when you said you don't care about examples that failed, yet you brought up two that say that they can suceed.

 

The best example would be Cinncinnati's Ryan Wagner. He didn't log a lot of minor league innings, but was called up during the same season as he was drafted, and he pitched very well in '03.

[ORS]

Hansen got another inning today in Portland's 1-0 victory.

 

1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

 

That makes his AA line:

 

6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K

 

in 5 appearances

[CrespoBlows]

f*** what I said, this motherf***er is ready.

 

I was listening to the game on portlandseadogs.com, and he just dominated.

 

Hansen pitched the 8th, and fanned two (K swinging, pop out, and K swinging), his slider was clocked at 90 mph on both strikeouts, and his fastball sat at 95 mph, while topping out at 97.

[ORS]

I can't wait to see him throw. KC is a good opportunity.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

There's alot of stuff happening next week, and it all sounds pretty damn good !

[example1]

You contridicted yourself when you said you don't care about examples that failed, yet you brought up two that say that they can suceed.

 

The best example would be Cinncinnati's Ryan Wagner. He didn't log a lot of minor league innings, but was called up during the same season as he was drafted, and he pitched very well in '03.

 

Not to nitpick, but I guess my point was that even though there are players who have been brought up and failed (schiraldi) that does not mean its a rule that all players will fail. I pointed to some counterexamples to support that view, not to say that I care about examples in general. :dunno: but who cares?

 

The point is that we have a great looking prospect in an area where we need some obvious help (for once). I'm pretty sick of having these great players with so many people in their way. Let's bring this guy up and let him start helping us.

[example1]

f*** what I said, this motherf***er is ready.

 

I was listening to the game on portlandseadogs.com, and he just dominated.

 

Hansen pitched the 8th, and fanned two (K swinging, pop out, and K swinging), his slider was clocked at 90 mph on both strikeouts, and his fastball sat at 95 mph, while topping out at 97.

 

Sweet sweet SWEET!!

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Saw this kid in the Cape League... he's the real deal.

[CrespoBlows]

Saw this kid in the Cape League... he's the real deal.

 

22 IP's 44 K's 0 ER, in the Cape League. That's just unbelievable.

[yankeessuck013]

wow!!!

 

There is certainly recent precedent for teams to use high-level pitching talent in the bullpen with very little minor league experience, mainly Huston Street, who the A's phased in to the closing role in a relatively short period of time. Hansen won't even be the first 2005 draftee to be called up for a contender this season, since the Braves called up Joey Devine and used him (with mixed results) in a high leverage game last night.

 

I think Hansen measures up pretty well with Street, both in experience and talent.

 

Hansen was a higher pick than Devine.

 

Hansen went 26th, Devine went 27th.

 

Generally, Hansen was believed to be top 10 talent however.

 

Hansen is generally believed to have better stuff than Street, but less poise.

[yankeessuck013]

gammons just said on weei that a toronto scout said hansen was mortal two nights ago, but electric last night. he said that devine isn't in a class close to hansen and the red sox seem to have settled on calling hansen up for the kc series.

 

he also said it looks like next year the sox will open the season with youkilis and pedroia starting and 3-4 rookies on the staff.. papelbon, delcarmen, hansen, and possibly lester. this will allow them to go after burnett, who will sign with the sox if they come anywhere close to the top offers made by new york and detroit.

[ORS]

wow!!!

 

There is certainly recent precedent for teams to use high-level pitching talent in the bullpen with very little minor league experience, mainly Huston Street, who the A's phased in to the closing role in a relatively short period of time. Hansen won't even be the first 2005 draftee to be called up for a contender this season, since the Braves called up Joey Devine and used him (with mixed results) in a high leverage game last night.

 

I think Hansen measures up pretty well with Street, both in experience and talent.

 

Hansen was a higher pick than Devine.

 

Hansen went 26th, Devine went 27th.

 

Generally, Hansen was believed to be top 10 talent however.

 

Hansen is generally believed to have better stuff than Street, but less poise.

Got SoSH?

[riverside sluggers]

from Boston.com

 

Double-A Portland's Craig Hansen pitched a scoreless inning for the second straight day on Saturday. He fanned two of the three hitters he faced. Hansen is probably going to be called up to join the Red Sox bullpen on Tuesday. Just one week later than it should have happened. Aug

[yankeessuck013]

Portland's game went 15 innings today and Hansen didn't make an appearance. I wonder if it's a prelude to a Sox callup?

[riverside sluggers]

hmm maybe a sendup on Tuesday, and do I hope so much for them to make room by Remlinger getting DFA'd and chased out of the Boston city limits??