Should the Red Sox Look to Pawtucket For Improvements?

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Jonathan Sigal, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Deven Marrero could be the next great Red Sox infielder. Photo courtesy of: Flickr/Laura Nawrocik.

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.

Options Galore

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, executive 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.”

McCoy Stadium has been home to four league-winning teams.

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 Dystkra, 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.

As history shows, too, the Red Sox aren’t afraid to look towards the minors when the going gets tough up in Beantown. With serious depth in Pawtucket - as well as with the Portland Sea Dogs at the Double-A level and the Greenville Drive at the Single-A level - the organization has enough fluidity to make sensible and mutually beneficial roster moves.

"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.

Rusney Castillo is the latest outfield prospect to be called up to Boston. Photo courtesy of: Flickr/Bart Hanlon.

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: 10 Moves The Red Sox Should Make This Off Season

As Major League Baseball's offseason begins, Ben Cherington and the Red Sox will be looking to make up for last seasons disapointment and it starts in free agency. Here are ten moves the Red Sox should make this offseason that would put them right back in contention in 2015.

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Bolster Bullpen depth

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This is a fine way to go for the Red Sox and it's also a safe way to go.

Ortiz had 35 home runs and 104 RBI last season.

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Sign Cespedes Long term

The Red Sox traded Jon Lester to Oakland for Yoenis Cespedes last season and after the trade, the A's nearly had a complete collapse, which tells you how important Cespedes was.

Yoenis Cespedes is under contract for 2015 but then is a free agent. The Red Sox need to make every effort to lock him up long term, they need outfield help and a bat and this guy brings both.

In 51 games for the Sox last season, Cespedes had 5 home runs, 54 hits and 33 RBI.

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Re-Sign David Ross

The Red Sox need a back up catcher and bringing back 37 year old David Ross on a one year deal would be a good move. Ross only played 50 games last year for the Red Sox and that's all they need out of him again this year.

He knows the pitching staff, he was a big part of the last Red Sox World Series win, at least defensively, and would continue to be a great mentor to the young catchers in the Red Sox system (see next slide).

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Make Vazquez catcher

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This upcoming season the Red Sox should give him the starting job, or at least give him the opportunity to earn it in spring training.

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Trade Shane Victorino

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He will have some value for teams and the Sox could get some prospects or maybe a relief pitcher in return for him.

Brock Holt and or Daniel Nava are ready to take over the right field position. After what Holt did last season, there is no way the Sox can keep him out of the lineup.

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Sign 3rd Baseman

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Headley played well for the Yankees last season after being traded from San Diego, batting .262 in 58 games in the Bronx with 50 hits and 17 RBI.

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Decision on Uehara.

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Sign an Ace. At least one

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Jon Lester had a combined record of 16-11 last season between Boston and Oakland with an ERA of about 2.40.

James Shields went 14-8 this year in Kansas City with an ERA of 3.21 but he did not pitch well in the World Series (0-2, 7 ERA). With that said, the 32 year old Shields was a huge reason why the Royals even got there.

Max Scherzer is the third pitcher available to the Sox to sign at the age of 29. Last season with Detroit, Scherzer went 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA. He also did not pitch well in his one post season game, giving up five earned runs in a little over 7 innings.

Either of these three would be great pick ups for the Sox, though Red Sox fans would likely prefer to have Lester back.