Should the Red Sox Look to Pawtucket For Improvements?
Jonathan Sigal, GoLocalProv Contributor
Should the Red Sox Look to Pawtucket For Improvements?
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.”
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.
"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.
"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.
Greatest Moments in PawSox History
4th of July
McCoy Stadium fills up on every 4th of July for baseball and then one of the best fireworks shows in the state of Rhode Island.
The PawSox put on several fireworks shows that go throughout fourth of July week and weekend depending on the team's schedule.
Baseball and fireworks has become quite the family event over the years.
Mondor Gardens
In 2011, the Pawtucket Red Sox completed work on Mondor Gardens, a tribute to late owner Ben Mondor behind the left field fence.
The garden features six miniature bronze statues of kids playing baseball along with park benches and handicap accessible area's.
"Mondor Gardens adds a park-like setting to the exterior of McCoy where fans both young and old can sit and relax and enjoy thinking of tonight's game or memories of seasons gone by," said PawSox president Mike Tamburro at the time.
Move to AAA
The Pawtucket Red Sox moved from AA to AAA prior to the 1973 season.
They have since stayed in AAA and have become one of the model franchises in the international league.
Community Work
The Pawtucket Red Sox have done great work in the community and in 2014 they were rewarded for it, winning the John Henry Moss Community service award.
Over the last five years, the Pawsox Charitable Trust has donated more than $250,000 to important causes in the area and their Ticket Fundraiser Program has contributed over $200,000 to organizations like the American Parkinson's Disease Association.
Major League Stars
Throughout the history of the Pawtucket Red Sox, they have been able to develop great Major League players who have gone on to be successful in Boston or in other organizations in the Major Leagues.
The list of players is endless but here are a few of the names that came up through Pawtucket.
Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis among others.
Ortiz Comes to Pawtucket
Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has made a couple of rehab starts with the Pawtucket Red Sox and McCoy Stadium has been filled for each and everyone.
Ortiz's last rehanb start with the Pawsox came in 2013 when he batted third as the DH in the PawSox lineup. Ortiz went 2-for-3 in the game and notched one RBI.
Perfect Games
There have been four perfect games in Pawtucket Red Sox 121 year history.
The last one came in 2003 when Bronson Arroyo was perfect against the Buffalo Bison in a 7-0 PawSox Win.
Arroyo threw 101 pitches and had nine strikeouts in the game.
Photo courtesy of Aaronstrout/ flickr
Baseball Hall of Famers
Jim Rice, Wade Boggs and Carlton Fisk are among several former PawSox players that have made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Other PawSox members such as Ben Mondor, Joe Morgan, President Mike Tamburro along with Rice and Boggs have been inducted into the International League Hall of Fame.
Mike Tamburro
PawSox President Mike Tamburro's story is one of the great stories in the Pawtucket Red Sox history.
Tamburro started with the PawSox as an intern under Ben Mondor and worked his way up to now being the president of the team.
Tamburro was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in a 2012 ceremony at McCoy Stadium and is the only front office employee ever to earn the International league's Executive of the year award five times.
Mike Tamburro is a major reason why the Pawtucket Red Sox continue to be a model franchise in AAA ball.
Photo courtesy of tjperr/ flickr
The Longest Game
The Pawtucket Red Sox played in and won the longest game in ever played in baseball history.
The game started on April 18, 1981 and went until play was suspened at 4 a.m. the next morning in the middle of the 32nd inning.
The game resumed on June 23 and that is when Pawtucket's Dave Koza got a base hit to drive in Marty Barrett .
The PawSox won the game 3-2 in the bottom of the 33rd inning.
Photo courtesy of bunkosquad/ Flickr
1984 Champions
The Pawtucket Red Sox won their second Governors Cup Championship in franchise history, defeating Maine 3-2 in the best of five series.
The team went 75-65 under manager Tony Torchia that season before making a playoff run and winning the title.
This was a huge turnaround for Pawtucket considering the previous season the PawSox went 56-83.
First Title
The PawSox won their first championship in 1973 defeating Charleston 3-2 in the series. This was Pawtuckets first season in AAA ball.
Pawtucket then went on and won the Junior World Series (now the Triple-A National Championship) by beating Tulsa 4-1.
Darrell Johnson was the manager of the team that season as the PawSox went 78-68 finishing second in the International League.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Birge/ Flickr
Ben Mondor Purchases Team
After the 1976 season, the Pawtucket Red Sox franchise, which actually had changed it's name to the Rhode Island Red Sox, went bankrupt and it looked certain that the team's stay in Pawtucket was over.
Ben Mondor bought the Pawtucket Red Sox in 1977 and kept them in Pawtucket. The Pawsox won the Governors Cup in 1978 and in 1998, Ben Mondor oversaw the revamping of McCoy Stadium into one of the nicest minor league ballparks in the country.
Ben Mondor passed away in October of 2010 at the age of 85.
The PawSox have since won two Governors Cup Championships (2012, 2014) and McCoy Stadium remains one of the nicest minor league ballparks in the country.
Photo courtesy of Butch Adams/ Flickr
2012 Governors Cup Champs
In 2012, the Pawtucket Red Sox won their first Governors Cup title in 28 years, defeating the Charlotte Knights 4-1 in South Carolina.
PawSox pitcher Nelson Figueroa earned the win in the game shutting down the Knights while the PawSox offense scored two runs in both the second and seventh innings.
Photo courtesy of tjperr/ Flickr
2014 Governors Cup Champs
The Pawtucket Red Sox won the Governors Cup for the second time in three years in 2014, defeating Durham 3-2 in the best of five series.
The PawSox trailed 2-1 in the series and faced elimination in game four before Ivan De Jesus hit a two run home run to force a game five.
In game five, the PawSox Keith Couch pitched a one hitter through 6 2/3 innings while the PawSox added offense. Pawtucket defeated Durham 4-1 to advance to the International League Championship.
Ryan Lavarnway was named MVP.
Photo courtesy of tjperr/ Flickr
