Should the Red Sox Look to Pawtucket For Improvements?
Thursday, May 28, 2015
After spending big during the offseason on the likes of Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, and Rick Porcello, the Boston Red Sox have struggled to assert themselves atop the American League East in 2015.
Scoring woes have been coupled with inconsistent pitching at times, and both manager John Farrell and the players have stumbled some in finding answers. However, they could be looking in the wrong place. Their Triple-A affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox, could very well be a goldmine that can plug gaps in the lineup and aid the ailing backside of the starting rotation.
All the Red Sox brass has to do is look a short drive down the 95 corridor and tap into their wealth of young talent.
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When a MLB team’s lineup is ridden with stars such as David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Ramirez, and Sandoval, one expects the ball to regularly explode off the bat and players to be rounding home plate like clockwork.
Yet, the Red Sox average roughly four runs scored per game in the young season - a far cry from the expectation of fans and a metric that likely has opposing pitchers salivating at the chance to go up against the storied franchise.
Considering all of that, the Red Sox should look towards some of the options PawSox manager Kevin Boles has at his disposal. Young guns such as outfielder Rusney Castillo, shortstop Deven Marrero, and and third baseman Garin Cecchini are all hitting the ball decently well and could alleviate some scoring woes if called upon.
“[Boston] is going to score enough runs to compete, but it has to be comforting having guys like Castillo, Deven Marrero and Garin Cecchini hanging at Triple-A just in case,” said Jake Seiner, editorial producer of MiLB.com. "Those guys should prove to be useful depth, but other than maybe Castillo, I don’t think any of them represent an upgrade to what’s already in the Majors.”
They likely aren’t going to automatically put up All-Star caliber numbers or turn Fenway Park into a scoring frenzy, but if called upon their presence in the lineup if has the potential to be invaluable. The trio would take some of the pressure off the big names and possibly revitalize Boston’s wilting bats.
As far as pitching goes, Boston has been better as of late on the mound, but still is lacking the consistency on the back-end of the rotation to win the majority of their series. Clay Buchholz, Joe Kelly, and Wade Miley are all contributing less than stellar performances and often put the team in a hole before the bats can get hot.
While likely not permanent solutions, the Red Sox have three viable options for spot starts down in Pawtucket. Eduardo Rodriguez, Henry Owens, and Brian Johnson are all young starting pitchers with a high strikeout rate and respectable ERA.
“The biggest help Pawtucket can provide is pitching,” said Sam Dykstra, also of MiLB.com. "You’d like to see Eduardo Rodriguez...get a shot at some point because he’s on the 40-man roster and it’d be an easy move. Johnson and Owens, while promising prospects in their own right, aren’t on the 40-man roster, so it’d take a separate roster move for them to come up.”
Add in the fact that Boston has recent success in call-ups with utility man Mookie Betts, infielder Xander Bogaerts, catcher Blake Swihart, and pitcher Matt Barnes, and the prospects of finding a solution in Pawtucket are all that more appealing.
Organizational Symmetry
The strong relationship the Red Sox and PawSox hold even further supports the argument for the parent club looking towards McCoy Stadium for answers.
Jackie Bradley Jr. has seen time in both Boston and Pawtucket this year. Photo courtesy of: Flickr/WEBN-TV.
"Last year I think we had over 220 transactions, so it’s a revolving door and that’s just how it is,” said Kevin Boles, manager of the PawSox, before a home game against the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders. "You make your adjustments and I think the key with us is the versatility. Our organization really puts a lot of benefit into having versatility and whenever there’s moving pieces and parts going up and down, we’re just going to make sure we have guys who can fit those needs.”
Aiding the smooth transactional history is the factor of distance. Unlike many other major league/minor league relationships, the Red Sox and PawSox have the advantage of being incredibly close to each other.
The relative ease only bolsters the argument for turning towards a player like Rodriguez, Castillo, or Cecchini to make a charge up the AL East standings.
"I think any time a Minor League franchise is located close to its parent club, that’s a good setup for both sides, and especially the Minor League club,” Seiner said. "I think Boston benefits a lot from the proximity, as well. For starters, it’s pretty easy to shuttle a guy from Pawtucket to Boston if you need a quick call up.”
Excited Players
A final reason why Pawtucket is a viable solution for the Red Sox is the sheer eagerness players at the sister club possess. Many have gotten a taste of what life is like in the major leagues, but are yet to cement their name there.
Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. embodies this perfectly. The 25-year-old has spent time in Boston and Pawtucket the last two years and is doing everything he can to make his time in the majors more permanent.
"Just go out there and play hard every single day,” Bradley Jr. recently said before a game at McCoy. "That’s the mentality that you’ve got to have. There’s a lot of motivation because nobody plays this game to play in the minors. Everyone wants to play in the big leagues. Down here you’re just playing hard and you never know what can happen."
It's ultimately up to the individual to make the most of his opportunity when it arises, but all it takes is a hot streak, a bit of luck, and the right situation. Add in the fact that Red Sox are in dire need of those three elements and Pawtucket develops into an increasingly appealing solution.
There are plenty of pitchers, hitters, and gloves in Pawtucket that are waiting for their breakout moment on the big stage. All they need is a chance and for Boston to come looking.
Related Slideshow: Greatest Moments in PawSox History
With the Pawtucket Red Sox sold and looking to leave Pawtucket, here is a look back at the some of the greatest moments in Pawtucket Red Sox history.
See the slideshow below.
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