‘05 Spinners Claim Red Sox Awards

Only one season removed from playing in Lowell, three former Spinners took home 2006 Red Sox Minor League awards:

• CLAY BUCHHOLZ, Pitcher of the Year: Buchholz, who struck out over a batter per inning with the Spinners in ‘05 and split this season between Single-A Greenville and Wilmington.
• JEFF NATALE, Offensive Player of the Year: Natale, who hit .488 with the Spinners in the early part of ‘05, led the entire Red Sox Minor League system with 103 walks and a .446 on-base percentage this season at Greenville and Wilmington.
• JACOBY ELLSBURY, Defensive Player of the Year & Baserunner of the Year: Ellsbury, who hit .317 in Lowell in ‘05, split time between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Portland, helping to lead the Sea Dogs to the Eastern League Championship. He stole 41 bases and was charged with only two errors all year.

Congratulations to all of the Red Sox Minor League award winners!

Former Spinners Litter Sox Monthly Winners

August was a good time to be playing in Lowell or a former Spinner!

Each of the six Minor League awards handed out by the Red Sox for the month of August — excluding the two designated to players on Latin American teams — were claimed by former Spinners.

Shortstop Kristopher Negron and first baseman Mike Jones, both of whom helped propel Lowell to a fantastic 9-3 finish this summer, received awards. Negron was named both the Defensive Player of the Month and the Base-Stealer of the Month (Calculated), and Jones was named Offensive Player of the Month.

Negron stole 12 bases and was caught only once between the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and Lowell while Jones led the Gulf Coast League team to a Championship, hitting .340 with 6 home runs at the Gulf Coast League in August before his promotion to Lowell.

Clay Buchholz, a standout pitcher on the Spinners 2005 squad, was named Pitcher of the Month after going 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA at (Low-A) Greenville and 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA at (High-A) Wilmington.

2004 Spinner Matt Van Der Bosch was named Base-Runner of the Month and ‘05 Spinners infielder Jed Lowrie hauled in Top Quality Plate Appearance % of month (Calculated) with a fantastic August in which he hit .327 with 19 RBI to go along with 12 walks.

Congratulations to all of the former Spinners Award Winners!

Anibal Tosses an MLB No-Hitter

Sanchez tosses no-hitter vs. D-Backs

Anibal Sanchez, who led the New York-Penn League in ERA and strikeouts with Lowell in 2004, became the first former Spinner to throw a no-hitter in the Major Leagues, just weeks after current Spinners Jeff Farrell and Yulkin German combined for the first no-hitter in Spinners history.

The 22 year-old defeated Arizona 2-0 in only his 13th career Major League start. He has quickly become an anchor on the young Marlins team. He is now 7-2 with a 2.89 ERA.

Congratulations, Anibal!