Spinners Round-Up

Yesterday was another big day for former Spinners in the Major Leagues.

• Jonathan Papelbon - RP, Boston: Records Major League Leading seventh save. Papelbon still has yet to allow a run to cross the plate while on the mound.
• Hanley Ramirez - SS, Florida: In the best performance of his short Major League career, leadoff hitter Hanley Ramirez belted two home runs, going 3-for-6 with four RBI. The 2002 Spinner boosted his batting average to .364, and his 15 runs scored tie him for fifth-best in the Major Leagues.
• Kevin Youkilis - 1B, Boston: Has two hits in each of the Red Sox last two games, and has keyed last-inning heroics for the team in both games. Youk, a Spinner in 2001, is now batting .318 with a .426 OBP. His five doubles are tied for the most on the Red Sox.
• Casey Fossum - SP, Tampa Bay: Former Spinner Casey Fossum started against the Red Sox last night and turned in a decent performance, lasting 6.1 innings while allowing only two earned runs.
• Freddy Sanchez - 3B, Pittsburgh: Slick-fielding Freddy Sanchez went 0-for-1 as a defensive replacement in Pittsburgh's 12-4 win over the Cardinals last night.
• Josh Hancock - RP, St. Louis: In his longest outing of the year, the 1998 Spinner allowed only one hit, but it was a Jack Wilson homerun.
• Shea Hillenbrand - DH, Toronto: Hillenbrand, the most recent Dick Berardino Alumni Award winner, went 1-for-4 en route to a Blue Jays 10-5 win over the Yankees.
• Adam Everett - SS, Houston: Everett boosted his batting average to .327 after last night's 3-for-4 showing in a 13-12 squeeker over Milwaukee. Everett, a Spinner in '98, has now recorded multiple-hits in the Astros last four games.
• Lew Ford - OF, Minnesota: Ford scored two runs and belted two hits last night, including a double. He also stole a base. Ford is batting .333 in limited action this season.
• Matt Murton - OF, Chicago (NL): Manning left-field for the Cubs, Murton went 1-for-4. The most recent former Spinner to make the Majors, Murton has become a mainstay in Chicago's lineup, racking up the second-most at-bats on the team.

It was a busy day for former Spinners. Who do you think had the better day?

Spinners Around the Majors

Former Spinners heating up on the major league diamonds

Chaz Scoggins’ latest Lowell Sun article details the 11 former Spinners on Major League Opening Day rosters. Perhaps the last of the 11 to secure a Major League spot, former Spinner Josh Hancock (1998), was the first to make big headlines:

“Hancock hasn’t spent a lot of time in the majors. But he earned a piece of history this week when he stopped the 38-game carryover hitting streak by Jimmy Rollins, inducing a fly to center in the Phillies shortstop’s final at-bat of the 39th game,” writes Scoggins.

Former Spinner Hanley Ramirez is enjoying his debut as the Marlins leadoff hitter and starting shortstop. To date he’s hitting .429, tied for fifth-best in the National League, with three extra-base hits and two stolen bases.

Meanwhile, Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (2003) has struck out four while yeilding only one hit over four innings of scoreless relief. His three saves tie him for the most in the American League.

Which former Spinner do you think will have the best year in the Majors? Papelbon? Hanley? Somebody else?

Opening Day Round-Up

Baseball season has officially begun! Yesterday, most Major League teams began their seasons with Opening Day festivities. Among former Spinners taking the field for a Major League team were:

• Jonathan Papelbon, RP - Red Sox: one inning of hitless releif
• Kevin Youkilis, 1B - Red Sox: started at first base
• Hanley Ramirez, SS - Marlins: 1-for-4 as starting shortstop and lead-off hitter
• Adam Everett, SS - Astros: started at shortstop
• Josh Hancock, RP - Cardinals: .2 innings of scoreless relief
• David Eckstein, SS - Cardinals: 1-for-4 as starting shortstop and lead-off hitter
• Freddie Sanchez, 3B - Pirates: 0-for-1 in pinch hitting appearance

Did I miss any? Which had the best game? What's your take?