You Saw the Best in Lowell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Lowell just two years ago, Clay Buchholz graces the cover of this month’s Baseball America as this year’s top Double-A Eastern League prospect, and Jacoby Ellsbury received a write-up in the Red Sox section.

But that’s not all the accolades the Spinners garnered in the issue. Three 2007 Spinners were named the top prospects of the year in the New York-Penn League, meaning Spinners fans saw some of the most exciting players in the league every night:

• No. 6 - CF Ryan Kalish
• No. 8 - SS Oscar Tejeda
• No. 12 - SS/3B Yamaico Navarro

That’s three of the top 12 New York-Penn League prospects in Lowell, according to Baseball America.

The following former Spinners were also recognized:

• Overall Minor League All-Star and top Double-A Eastern League prospect RHP Clay Buchholz (2005)
• No. 8 Eastern League prospect SS Jed Lowrie (2005)
• No. 5 High Single-A prospect RHP Justin Masterson (2006)
• No. 4 Gulf Coast League prospect CF Che-Hsuan Lin (2007)
• No. 7 Gulf Coast League prospect SS Oscar Tejeda (2007)

Congratulations to all of them!

Marks Named Baserunner of the Month

The Red Sox recently named Spinners OF David Marks as their Minor League baserunner of the month for August and September.

The outfielder was a perfect 9-0 in stolen base attempts by August 25, and stole 10 in all last year, four in August and September combined.

Other former Spinners winning monthly awards included:

• • • • OF Zach Daeges (2006) - Offensive Player of the Month, Top Quality Plate Appearance Percentage (calculated)
      • RHP Dustin Richardson (2006) - Pitcher of the Month
      • SS Jed Lowrie (2005) - Defensive Player of the Month

Congratulations to David and the rest of our former Spinners tearing up the Minor Leagues.

Welcome to the Pros

Check out this interview by David Laurila with Spinners OF David Marks about his first professional game.

A 20-year-old outfielder from Kirkland, Washington, David Marks was the Red Sox selection in the 19^th round of this year’s draft. Taken out of Edmonds Community College, the left-handed hitting Marks made his professional debut with the Spinners on June 19. He talked about that experience the next day.

 

David Laurila: You played your first professional game last night. Describe the experience in 10 words or less.

 

David Marks: The most enjoyable baseball experience I’ve ever had.

DL: At what point did the nerves and adrenaline kick in?

DM: Probably when we got done with batting practice and I saw people starting to settle into their seats. You can hear the noise of the crowd from the clubhouse, too, and coming from a junior college it was a completely different atmosphere than I was used to. I was thinking that I was part of a real event, where in college it was just a baseball game.

DL: When did you find out you were in the line-up, and that you were hitting fourth in the order?

DM: I was sitting there, getting ready for the game, when Mike Jones came over and told me that I was in the big 4-hole. I looked at him and said, “Where did you see that?” He told me where the line-up was posted, so I went and looked it over, and there I was. I was kind of surprised to be in the 4-hole, to be honest. There are some pretty big guys here, and I don’t look like a 4-hole guy.

DL: Quality plate appearances are strongly emphasized in the Red Sox organization. Did you have one in your first at-bat?

DM: My first at-bat was unlike any I’ve ever had. For one thing, the velocity was way up from what I was used to — I wasn’t used to seeing 95 [MPH]. But I learned a lot from it, so I think I’d call it a quality at-bat. I did strike out, though, which isn’t exactly what I was hoping for.

DL: You doubled in your second at-bat. What were you thinking standing on second base?

DM: I guess I was just thinking that it was great, that I had the monkey off my back with my first hit. I knew it would be a lot easier from that point on, and the game definitely slowed way down for me after that.

DL: Who was the first person you called after the game?

DM: I called my dad. He had been watching on the computer, and was really stoked. He said I looked really good, and to make sure to keep having fun. I definitely did last night. It was an incredible experience.

DL: How will tonight be different?

DM: It will be my second game, so I know what to expect now. I wouldn’t call it a night and day difference, but knowing what it feels like, I can definitely relax more. There’s nothing like your first game.

Bristles at Fenway

If you were at Fenway Park tonight, or watched closely on TV, you would have seen the Lowell Spinners own Bristles at tonight’s Red Sox game. A special guest for Tuesday Tooth Night, the nine-foot Spinners mascot was thrilled to be a part of the pre-game festivities.

Bristles was seen hanging out with one of his closest friends, Wally the Green Monster, while at the game. He posed for pictures, honored special guests, and participated in pre-game ceremonies.

For more Spinners/Red Sox cross-over, be sure to attend Lowell’s August 10 game, featuring a special guest appearance by Wally as the Spinners prep to take the field for the August 11 Futures at Fenway event.

No. 1 Draft Pick Hagadone Signed, Assigned to Lowell

The Red Sox announced today that No. 1 Draft Pick Nick Hagadone has officially signed and been assigned to the Lowell Spinners. Click below for the official report from Ian Browne. The left-handed pitcher was 6-1 with 11 saves and a 2.77 ERA this spring with the University of Washington. Hagadone was drafted 55th overall in last month’s First-Year Player Draft.

Red Sox ink top pick

Herbie Heads to the Doctor

Our pal Herbie took an express trip to the doctor’s office today, courtesy of the tow truck. Don’t worry, kids - we expect Herbie to return from the Disabled List in tip top shape, ready to start the season.

Good look, Herbie!

Deeble, Adams round out ‘07 Coaching Staff

Hello and Happy New Year, Spinners fans!

The Red Sox just announced the Lowell Spinners manager and pitching coach for the 2007 season, rounding out the coaching staff. The positions will be as follows:

MANAGER: Jon Deeble
PITCHING COACH: Ace Adams
HITTING COACH: Alan Mauthe

Deeble and Adams will team up in 2007 in the same roles they had with the Spinners in 2003. Mauthe has been the Spinners hitting coach since 2004.

Deeble was instrumental in the Red Sox signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka last month as the Red Sox Pacific Rim Coordinator. He also managed the Australian national team in the last two Summer Olympics, including a silver medal finish in 2004, and he managed the Australian entry in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Click here for the official release from the Red Sox: Deeble named manager of Single-A Lowell.

It should be a great season!

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!

Watch Expo and Daeges in the All-Star Game

You can root on Lowell Spinners outfielder Zach Daeges and catcher Luis Exposito during the All-Star game tonight at www.nypennleague.com.

It’s the second annual New York-Penn League All-Star Game, taking place in Aberdeen tonight. Click the link below to watch!

http://www.nypennleague.com

Papelbon Papel-Bet Launched

The Spinners and the Boise Hawks, Class A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, today announced that they have launched an inter-team promotion based on a common link: twin Papelbon pitchers. 

Both the Spinners and the Hawks roster one of the Papelbon twins, little brothers of Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, who were both drafted out of the University of North Florida in last June’s Draft. Left-hander Jeremy plays for Boise while right-handed submariner Joshua plays for Lowell.

The Papelbon Papel-bet will pit the twins against one another in a friendly wager based on their season-ending ERA’s. Whichever team’s Papelbon has the highest ERA loses and makes a contribution to the winning Papelbon’s charity of choice.

The amount of the donation depends on the difference between the twins’ ERA’s. For every half-run difference, the losing team owes $50. For example, if Jeremy finishes the season with a 1.00 ERA and Joshua finishes with a 3.00 ERA, the Lowell Spinners would pay $200 to Jeremy’s charity of choice.

Joshua Papelbon recently allowed his first earned runs of the season and currently stands with a 2.08 ERA while Jeremy has a 1.30 ERA.

The winner will be announced as soon as both teams’ seasons end, and the Papelbon Papel-Bet will include playoff statistics.

You can track the twins’ ERA’s and the bet value on the Spinners homepage at www.lowellspinners.com.

What do you think of the Papelbon Papel-Bet? Who will win?! Weigh in with your own comments and let Joshua know you’re behind him!