2014 Prospect Mega Thread

[a700hitter]

This is one of the few things, maybe the only thing that has gotten me excited about the 2014Red Sox

Phenom Betts called up to Red Sox

Boston's No. 5 prospect will join team in New York for today's game

 

By Joey Nowak / MLB.com | 6/28/2014 10:21 A.M. ET

 

One of Boston's top prospects is getting his shot at the big leagues, MLB.com has confirmed.

 

Mookie Betts, the team's No. 5 prospect, according to MLB.com Prospect Watch, has been called up from Triple-A Pawtucket to make his MLB debut. There was no word on a corresponding roster move. The Boston Herald was first to report the move.

 

Betts, 21, has split time this year between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket after being named the organization's Minor League Offensive Player of the Year in 2013. Over 77 total games this year, he's hit .345 with eight homers, 70 runs, 48 RBIs and 29 stolen bases.

 

Betts, who has started at both second base and in the outfield in the Minors this year, reached base in 66 consecutive regular-season games in a run that spanned from 2013-14 and included play at Class A Salem and Double-A Portland.

 

He was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

[Spudboy]

This is exciting.

 

I hope that he does well and that there is no bad ending for him.

[seabeachfred]

This is one of the few things, maybe the only thing that has gotten me excited about the 2014Red Sox

 

But according to the lineup posted on two other boards Betts in NOT in the lineup. Why the hell bring this kid up if he's going to sit on the bench while we see Bradley, Drew and Ross once again fail miserably to do anything to help on offense?

[a700hitter]

Posted lineup does have him on the bench. WTF!

[Palodios]

But according to the lineup posted on two other boards Betts in NOT in the lineup. Why the hell bring this kid up if he's going to sit on the bench while we see Bradley, Drew and Ross once again fail miserably to do anything to help on offense?

 

It probably didn't make sense to pull him from AA straight into a game against a CY Young in Yankee Stadium.

[Station 13]

Ranaudo with another excellent outing

 

7IP 3H 0R 2BB/5K

 

1.45 ERA his last 10 starts (62IP just 37H)

[SoxFanForsyth]

Vazquez had himself a month, hitting .299/.368/.481.

 

His line on the season now sits at .276/.332/.387. Combined with his elite elite defense, it should be a no brainer to trade AJP and bring this kid up, let Ross mentor him.

 

Swihart is currently hitting .296/.348/.482 in AA and appears ready to be promoted to AAA. This would also be facilitated through this, as Vazquez wouldn't be blocking Swihart in Pawtucket.

[gojohn99]

Vazquez will probably get a September call up.

[gojohn99]

The PawSox have won 6 in a row and De La Rosa pitches tonight at McCoy.

[Station 13]

Marrero promoted to AAA.

 

Owens 5.2IP 2R 2BB/5K

 

Swihart now up to .300 after 2/4 BB night.

[Station 13]

Our AA affiliate lit CC up for 5 runs in 3.2IP

 

Swihart leading the way with 2-2B, BB

 

Coyle pounds the baseball with his 10th HR. He's a little guy like Aaaron Hill who can hit for power. his line this year .353/.431/.611 12SB (0 CS)

[a700hitter]

Our AA affiliate lit CC up for 5 runs in 3.2IP

 

Swihart leading the way with 2-2B, BB

 

Coyle pounds the baseball with his 10th HR. He's a little guy like Aaaron Hill who can hit for power. his line this year .353/.431/.611 12SB (0 CS)

Do we sign anyone ove 6' tall?

[Station 13]

Do we sign anyone ove 6' tall?

 

We're going to be running out the smallest baseball club. Pedroia is like 5'6", leading the charge.

[a700hitter]

We're going to be running out the smallest baseball club. Pedroia is like 5'6", leading the charge.

You could mistake them for a Gymnastic Team.

[Behindenemylines]

Marrero promoted to AAA.

 

Owens 5.2IP 2R 2BB/5K

 

Swihart now up to .300 after 2/4 BB night.

 

Saw the Sea Dogs in Trenton on 7-1. Marrero looked good. Swihart looks like he knows what he is doing at the plate. Owens didn't have his best stuff, but only gave up a pair of runs. Coyle looks like a baseball player as well. Short, plays 2B, and handles the bat pretty good. Sound like anyone? He's got a spark too - as he was tossed for arguing balls and strikes.

[a700hitter]

He's not a Sox prospect, but the kid interests me, because of what his grandfather said about him. He said that the kid has the drive and desire. Coming from him that means a lot. Yaz was a guy whose drive and desire pushed him to greatness. After seeing Pedroia work and will himself to greatness, I have become a big believer that drive and desire are the key differentiators at the professional level. It is the one thing that is the most difficult to evaluate, because you can't see it unless the you watch a guy everyday. The kid is only in Advanced A, but he advanced quickly to this level. He was dominating at the A level,before being promoted a couple of weeks ago.

 

Yastrzemski Hits for Cycle in Keys Romp

Keys Set New Season-High for Runs

Frederick Keys07/05/2014 11:03 PM ET

l

 

LYNCHBURG, VA -Mike Yastrzemski became the first Frederick Keys player to hit for the cycle since 2005, while the orange and black set a new-season high for runs scored in a 17-3 drubbing of the Lynchburg Hillcats on Saturday night at Calvin Falwell Field. Pounding out 12 extra-base hits, the Keys had every starter finish with at least one RBI while eight out of nine finished with at least one hit. The win forces a rubber game on Sunday night.

 

The Keys started quickly against Hillcats starter Wes Parsons, sending all nine men to bat in the second inning. Michael Burgess opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on an error by Hillcats shortstop Emerson Landoni. Both runners then moved up on a wild pitch, before a walk to Adrian Marin loaded the bases. Joel Hutter coaxed a second straight free pass to force home Burgess, while a two-run single by Jerome Pena plated a pair. Yastrzemski closed out the scoring with a double to right.

 

In the third, Burgess stretched the lead to 6-0 with a solo homer, before the orange and black tagged Parsons (4-5) for three runs in the fourth, and three more in the fifth. Burgess would be responsible for all of the fourth inning tallies, with his second homer of the game, which brought home Tucker Nathans (single) and Trey Mancini (single). It was Burgess' first two-homer game since May 13, 2013, when he was playing for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. Ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes, the Tampa native finished his night 4-for-6 with two homers, a double, four RBIs and four runs scored.

 

After the Hillcats plated a pair in the home-fourth on a controversial RBI double by Will Skinner and an infield single by Landoni, the Keys went back to playing longball in the fifth. Zane Chavez opened the charge with a homer to center off Navery Moore, while a two-out walk to Pena kept the inning alive. One batter later, Yastrzemski ripped a two-run blast to left-center, his first in the Carolina League.

 

On the verge of the cycle, Yastrzemski doubled home Pena in the seventh, before accomplishing the feat in the ninth. Hitting with an 0-2 count, the former Vanderbilt Commodore ripped a ball into the left-center alley to wrap up his night. It was the first cycle of Yastrzemski's professional career, and the first by a Keys player since Jeff Fiorentino did it on May 2, 2005 against Winston-Salem.

[jacksonianmarch]

I definitely wouldn't rule him out. He is having a hell of a season already. Halfway in, he has double digit doubles, triples, HRs and SBs. And he turns 24 in August. He started his career last yr, so it isn't like he's been hanging around forever

[Station 13]

Owens 8IP 3H 1R 1BB 11K

 

This guy is special.

[a700hitter]

He's (Mike Yastrzemski) not a Sox prospect, but the kid interests me, because of what his grandfather said about him. He said that the kid has the drive and desire. Coming from him that means a lot. Yaz was a guy whose drive and desire pushed him to greatness. After seeing Pedroia work and will himself to greatness, I have become a big believer that drive and desire are the key differentiators at the professional level. It is the one thing that is the most difficult to evaluate, because you can't see it unless the you watch a guy everyday. The kid is only in Advanced A, but he advanced quickly to this level. He was dominating at the A level,before being promoted a couple of weeks ago.

He hit .312 and drove in 19 runs in 23 games after his promotion to Advanced A earning him a promotion to AA. He is progressing quickly. Good luck to him.

[Spudboy]

One of the best things about this kid is that most of the time when I've seen reports about him, Yaz was by his side. Just seeing Yaz ( who looks really great still ) brings back memories of really great times as a Sox fan.

 

To this day he remains my favorite Sox player of all time.

[a700hitter]

One of the best things about this kid is that most of the time when I've seen reports about him, Yaz was by his side. Just seeing Yaz ( who looks really great still ) brings back memories of really great times as a Sox fan.

 

To this day he remains my favorite Sox player of all time.

The grandkid went 4 for 5 with a triple in his first game at AA.

[a700hitter]

The AA Bowie Baysox in the Oriole system were victims of a 1 hit complete game shutout. The only hit was a double by Mike Yastrzemski in only his second game at AA.

[Bellhorn04]

The AA Bowie Baysox in the Oriole system were victims of a 1 hit complete game shutout. The only hit was a double by Mike Yastrzemski in only his second game at AA.

 

Too bad he's in the Oriole system...gonna make it hard to trade for him.

[a700hitter]

Too bad he's in the Oriole system...gonna make it hard to trade for him.

The Sox originally drafted him, but it was in later RDS and he opted for Vanderbilt.

[Navafan29]

Great Sea Dogs game today. Lavarnway hit an opposite field game-tieing home run in the 4th. Then Wilkerson had a 2-out hit that drove in 2 runs. Lavarnway was the DH and they were apparently playing him carefully because after he walked, they brought in Jonathon Roof to pinch run for him. Roof would later break a 3-3 tie in the 9th with a double off the monster to win the game.

 

In the 8th there was a strange play. Binghamton was batting and Lawley was up. Men on 1st and 3rd with one out in a tie game, and the pitch is an uncaught 3rd strike that goes back to the backstop. Dilson Herrera runs from 3rd and tries to score but he's thrown out at the plate, then he flips out at the ump at the call (might have been a bad call, idk). Then the Binghamton manager flipped out and I'm surprised he didn't get ejected. This play ended the inning, but you're probably wondering: what happened to Lawley? The 3rd strike was never caught, yet this play produced two outs. I think what happened was Lawley got confused and just headed back to the dugout after striking out without getting thrown out or anything. So I guess he was out for going out of the baseline? An out-of-the baseline to play-at-the-plate double play? Gotta love the miners...

Edited July 23, 2014 by Navafan29

[Station 13]

Brian Johnson really underrated prospect went 7IP 1H 0R 3B 12K, improve to 9-2, him and Owens leads the AA team to 67 victories.

 

Swihart picks up 3H on the night, his average to .304, he has 11HR

 

Ranaudo went 6IP 3H 0R 2BB 4K, he has been dominating since May 1st.

 

Betts also had a big night, collecting 4 hits.

 

We all ask why the hell are they stuck in the minors? Shouldn't Peavy, Doubront, Buccholz been shown the doors already?

[SoxFanForsyth]

Brian Johnson really underrated prospect went 7IP 1H 0R 3B 12K, improve to 9-2, him and Owens leads the AA team to 67 victories.

 

Swihart picks up 3H on the night, his average to .304, he has 11HR

 

Ranaudo went 6IP 3H 0R 2BB 4K, he has been dominating since May 1st.

 

Betts also had a big night, collecting 4 hits.

 

We all ask why the hell are they stuck in the minors? Shouldn't Peavy, Doubront, Buccholz been shown the doors already?

 

Don't forget about Travis Shaw. He's been overlooked all season.

 

In Portland, he hit .305/.406/.548, 11 HR

In Pawtucket, he started out miserably but is now hitting .291/.348/.481, 8 HR. He's hit .312/.385/.576, 7 HR in his last 33 games in AAA.

[Station 13]

Hope Shaw can be a useful power bat. We let Rizzo go, our best power hitting prospect since Vaughn.

[a700hitter]

Hope Shaw can be a useful power bat. We let Rizzo go, our best power hitting prospect since Vaughn.

And when will any of these guys be producing for us at the major league level. If we are looking to turn this around using the talent in our system, it will take at least a couple of years even if they live up to expectations. They need to pull themselves out of the cellar and field a consistently competitive team sooner than that. If they are prepared to go for a total youth movement, they had better be prepared to finish 4 the or last for a couple or three more years, and they had better be prepared to have ticket marketing deals like 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 soft drinks for $40. This are the kind of promotions are offered by last place teams. Maybe they can have a Bark at the Park game where we can bring our dogs. That's a popular promotion for losers.

[SoxFanForsyth]

And when will any of these guys be producing for us at the major league level. If we are looking to turn this around using the talent in our system, it will take at least a couple of years even if they live up to expectations. They need to pull themselves out of the cellar and field a consistently competitive team sooner than that. If they are prepared to go for a total youth movement, they had better be prepared to finish 4 the or last for a couple or three more years, and they had better be prepared to have ticket marketing deals like 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 soft drinks for $40. This are the kind of promotions are offered by last place teams. Maybe they can have a Bark at the Park game where we can bring our dogs. That's a popular promotion for losers.

 

It's almost as if the Sox didn't win the world series last year.