Tuesday, March 09, 2004
ORGANIZATIONAL REPORT
Here it is
The most interesting parts:
Five prospects whose names you should know:
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Ramirez's first taste of full-season ball didn't go quite as well as his previous seasons in the organization, but the Sox were pleased with how Ramirez handled himself following a 10-day suspension. He spent the winter with Licey in the Dominican League, and though he only picked up 22 at-bats, it was a good experience for this raw talent. Ramirez is one of those players who relied on his tremendous natural ability when he first began playing, but is now learning the importance of personal preparation as he moves up the ladder. If he can control that aspect of his game, the sky is the limit for this five-tool talent. He'll likely start the season with Sarasota (High-A) as a 20-year-old regular, with a trip to Double-A Portland not completely out of the question.
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Dubbed the "Greek God of walks" in the book, "Moneyball," Youkilis' best skill is his ability to control the strike zone. He got on base in a record 71 straight games this past season, and finished third in the minors with a .441 OBP. His numbers dropped once he was promoted to Triple-A (.165 AVG in 109 at-bats), but Youkilis is a smart hitter who should be able to adjust. His at-bats in the International League playoffs were much better, a sign Youkilis -- whom the Sox feel will hit for a little more power as he matures as a hitter -- was already making the necessary changes to succeed at a higher level. He'll head back to Pawtucket in 2004 to show that those lessons carried over.
Kelly Shoppach, C
Shoppach, the Sox's first pick in the 2001 draft, will spend the year with Pawtucket as he prepares to possibly replace Jason Varitek in Boston. The Baylor product came back strong from a shoulder injury, with no signs of trouble once he returned behind the plate late last April. He's got a very good idea of what to do behind the plate, with a quick release and a firm grasp of game-calling. He's no slouch at bat, either, with raw power and the willingness to hit deep in the count. His leadership skills and take-charge nature leave little doubt about his ability to handle the responsibility of catching in a market like Boston. That means the organization will likely have little difficulty in letting Varitek go following the 2004 season.
David Murphy, OF
For a guy entering his first full pro season, Murphy already has an advanced approach to the game. He hit .346 with a .453 OBP for Lowell in the NY-Penn League before cooling down a bit against Florida State League pitching. From a development standpoint, there's not a whole lot the Sox want Murphy to do differently. They love his even-keeled demeanor and the amount of work he puts into self-preparation. He's even better than expected defensively, to the point where the Red Sox believe he can stay in center field. He'll likely patrol that terrain back in Sarasota, but Murphy is the kind of college player who could advance quickly through the system.
Chad Spann, 3B
Heading into Spring Training last year, the Sox didn't have any idea where their fifth-round pick of the 2002 draft would begin the season. So Spann took it upon himself to force the organization's hand, and proved he belonged in full-season ball. As a 19-year-old in the South Atlantic League, Spann finished an impressive sixth with a .312 average. He has a clear understanding of what to do at the plate, and sticks to his game plan like a seasoned veteran. He's also an extremely hard worker who improved defensively at third base over the course of the season. Spann will likely start the year in Sarasota, and the Sox are very interested to see how he responds to that challenge.
Others to watch: Abe Alvarez, LHP; Juan Cedeno, LHP; Manny Delcarmen, RHP; Jon Lester, LHP; Matt Murton, OF
and
Looking ahead: Needs for the 2004 draft
Under Theo Epstein, it's been pretty well-documented that the Red Sox lean toward college players in the draft. Over the first 20 rounds of the 2003 draft (22 picks), Boston selected just three high school players. Expect that trend to continue into 2004, though the scouting department will continue to look at players from all levels. To be sure, there are high schoolers who fit the profile of the kind of player the Sox are looking for, as was the case with Mickey Hall last year. If the right guy is on the board at the right spot, the Red Sox will not hesitate to stray from the college route.
The Sarasota Sox should have a good amount of talent this upcoming season. Also, look for the Portland Seadogs to have some talent coming up from the south late in the season. I'd like to go to some Seadogs games this season.
By the way, I forgot to mention that the Celtics had a huge win in Minnesota Sunday night. I'm going to try to get tickets for the Celtics/Knicks game tommorrow night. It should be an interesting evening.
Off the topic, I was thinking of starting a non-sports related blog with my own personal reviews of movies. I really like films and consider myself an amateur critic. More to come.
Post #132
Here it is
The most interesting parts:
Five prospects whose names you should know:
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Ramirez's first taste of full-season ball didn't go quite as well as his previous seasons in the organization, but the Sox were pleased with how Ramirez handled himself following a 10-day suspension. He spent the winter with Licey in the Dominican League, and though he only picked up 22 at-bats, it was a good experience for this raw talent. Ramirez is one of those players who relied on his tremendous natural ability when he first began playing, but is now learning the importance of personal preparation as he moves up the ladder. If he can control that aspect of his game, the sky is the limit for this five-tool talent. He'll likely start the season with Sarasota (High-A) as a 20-year-old regular, with a trip to Double-A Portland not completely out of the question.
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Dubbed the "Greek God of walks" in the book, "Moneyball," Youkilis' best skill is his ability to control the strike zone. He got on base in a record 71 straight games this past season, and finished third in the minors with a .441 OBP. His numbers dropped once he was promoted to Triple-A (.165 AVG in 109 at-bats), but Youkilis is a smart hitter who should be able to adjust. His at-bats in the International League playoffs were much better, a sign Youkilis -- whom the Sox feel will hit for a little more power as he matures as a hitter -- was already making the necessary changes to succeed at a higher level. He'll head back to Pawtucket in 2004 to show that those lessons carried over.
Kelly Shoppach, C
Shoppach, the Sox's first pick in the 2001 draft, will spend the year with Pawtucket as he prepares to possibly replace Jason Varitek in Boston. The Baylor product came back strong from a shoulder injury, with no signs of trouble once he returned behind the plate late last April. He's got a very good idea of what to do behind the plate, with a quick release and a firm grasp of game-calling. He's no slouch at bat, either, with raw power and the willingness to hit deep in the count. His leadership skills and take-charge nature leave little doubt about his ability to handle the responsibility of catching in a market like Boston. That means the organization will likely have little difficulty in letting Varitek go following the 2004 season.
David Murphy, OF
For a guy entering his first full pro season, Murphy already has an advanced approach to the game. He hit .346 with a .453 OBP for Lowell in the NY-Penn League before cooling down a bit against Florida State League pitching. From a development standpoint, there's not a whole lot the Sox want Murphy to do differently. They love his even-keeled demeanor and the amount of work he puts into self-preparation. He's even better than expected defensively, to the point where the Red Sox believe he can stay in center field. He'll likely patrol that terrain back in Sarasota, but Murphy is the kind of college player who could advance quickly through the system.
Chad Spann, 3B
Heading into Spring Training last year, the Sox didn't have any idea where their fifth-round pick of the 2002 draft would begin the season. So Spann took it upon himself to force the organization's hand, and proved he belonged in full-season ball. As a 19-year-old in the South Atlantic League, Spann finished an impressive sixth with a .312 average. He has a clear understanding of what to do at the plate, and sticks to his game plan like a seasoned veteran. He's also an extremely hard worker who improved defensively at third base over the course of the season. Spann will likely start the year in Sarasota, and the Sox are very interested to see how he responds to that challenge.
Others to watch: Abe Alvarez, LHP; Juan Cedeno, LHP; Manny Delcarmen, RHP; Jon Lester, LHP; Matt Murton, OF
and
Looking ahead: Needs for the 2004 draft
Under Theo Epstein, it's been pretty well-documented that the Red Sox lean toward college players in the draft. Over the first 20 rounds of the 2003 draft (22 picks), Boston selected just three high school players. Expect that trend to continue into 2004, though the scouting department will continue to look at players from all levels. To be sure, there are high schoolers who fit the profile of the kind of player the Sox are looking for, as was the case with Mickey Hall last year. If the right guy is on the board at the right spot, the Red Sox will not hesitate to stray from the college route.
The Sarasota Sox should have a good amount of talent this upcoming season. Also, look for the Portland Seadogs to have some talent coming up from the south late in the season. I'd like to go to some Seadogs games this season.
By the way, I forgot to mention that the Celtics had a huge win in Minnesota Sunday night. I'm going to try to get tickets for the Celtics/Knicks game tommorrow night. It should be an interesting evening.
Off the topic, I was thinking of starting a non-sports related blog with my own personal reviews of movies. I really like films and consider myself an amateur critic. More to come.
Post #132
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