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• 2007 Red Sox organizational flashback
• 2007 Red Sox statistical overview • 2007 Red Sox photo gallery Before the 2007 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
Boston has emerged as the team of the decade after winning a pair of World Series titles and building a superb farm system. And lest anyone think the Red Sox will be knocked off their perch any time soon, guess again. There are too many talented players on the horizon that will keep the Red Sox at the top of the American League East. Sure, Boston will go out and sign the big-ticket free agents; that approach won't change. But when you can continue to promote players like Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz, the need to spend money on said free agents is lessened. Here's a closer look at some of the players who helped the Sox this year and some who will continue to help them in the future. Organizational Players of the Year PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF: The former Oregon State star completed his rise through the organization while gaining a bit of cult status in the process after beginning the season in Double-A and ending it with a World Series crown. Ellsbury hit .323 in 104 Minor League games with two homers, 41 RBIs and 41 stolen bases. He then hit .353 in 116 at-bats for the Sox, belting three homers, driving in 18 runs and stealing nine more bases. Ellsbury hit .360 (nine-for-25) in the postseason with four RBIs and two stolen bases.
Daniel Bard, RHP: Andrew Miller overshadowed the North Carolina product in college and it's a trend that seems to have continued in the pro ranks. Bard began the season in the California League, but got off to an 0-2 start with a 10.13 ERA in five outings. He was then placed on the DL with a strained triceps muscle. Whether the injury contributed to his lackluster performance is unclear, but when he returned over a month later, he was in the South Atlantic League and proceeded to go 3-5 with a 6.42 ERA in 17 starts.
POSTSEASON SELECTIONS
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF: Well, at least we got this one right, one of the few from all our organizational reports that was correct. Then again, it wasn't difficult targeting Ellsbury, who's been magnificent every step of his career. The Red Sox got the steal of the 2005 draft when they selected Ellsbury 23rd overall. Makes one wonder what the other 22 teams were thinking. Then again, Boston also had the patience to nurture the kid properly and now they have one of the most coveted young players in all of baseball.
Clay Buchholz, RHP: Like Ellsbury, Buchholz made three stops this season and had success at each venue. He was 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for Portland of the Eastern League before going 1-3 with a 3.96 ERA for Pawtucket. Overall, he was 8-5 with a 2.44 ERA (tops among organizational full-season pitchers) in the Minors, striking out an organizational-best 171. Buchholz then went 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA in four games (three starts) for the Sox, including a no-hitter against Baltimore in his second Major League start. Climbed the Ladder
Aaron Bates, 1B: The former third-rounder from North Carolina State had a big season, splitting time between Lancaster and Portland. He combined to hit .306 with an organization-leading 28 homers and 101 RBIs. He hit .332 and had an eye-popping .456 OBP in the California League with a red flag coming when he reached Portland. Though it was a small sample, he hit .198 in 91 at-bats for the Sea Dogs, leaving a hint of concern heading into next season as to whether his numbers were Cal League inflated.
Jed Lowrie, SS: Lowrie followed up a disappointing and injury-marred 2006 season with a big year in '07, reminding folks once again what is expected of a first-round pick. He combined to hit .298 while splitting the season between Portland and Pawtucket, hitting 13 homers and driving in 70. He walked more than he struck out (65-58) at Portland, but the veteran pitching presence in the International League seemed to vex him a bit as he struck out 33 times and drew 12 walks in 160 at-bats. Still, his numbers generally stayed the same or were a tad better at the Triple-A level, leaving him in an enviable position heading into Spring Training.
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF: How can he not be included in this category? Ellsbury shot up the charts quicker than a sappy pop ballad, earning himself a place in the hearts of all in Red Sox Nation. The kid has been nothing short of spectacular since he burst onto the scene late in his college career. Ellsbury is a fun, exciting player to watch and should keep providing thrills for the folks at Fenway for years to come. Kept Their Footing
Brandon Moss, OF: Moss rediscovered himself after repeating a season (2006) at Double-A Portland. He spent this year at Triple-A Pawtucket and had a steady productive campaign, hitting .282 with 16 homers and 78 RBIs. He had 41 doubles, a nice OBP of .363 and also got into 15 games with Boston, leaving him in a position to vie for a spot as a fourth outfielder in 2008.
Jeff Corsaletti, OF: The former University of Florida star finds himself in much the same position as Moss. He's steady but not spectacular and has the potential to be a star, but appears more likely to fill the role of fourth outfielder, at least with the Red Sox. He moved up to Portland this season and had a good year, hitting .266 with six homers and 58 RBIs. He added 20 steals and though many of his offensive numbers were down a tic from 2006, he still projects to be a starting outfielder at Pawtucket next year.
Michael Bowden, RHP: The former first-rounder split the season between Lancaster and Portland and put together a very respectable 10-6 record with a 3.34 ERA in 27 starts. He struck out 128 and walked 41. While the numbers seem rather pedestrian (he had a 4.28 ERA in 96 2/3 Eastern League innings), he did enough to keep his spot on the ladder. Slipped A Rung George Kottaras, C: The Sox acquired Kottaras from San Diego in the David Wells deals late in the 2006 season. After hitting for a slightly more than modest .283 average through four Minor League seasons, his star dimmed a bit this year at Pawtucket after he hit .241 in 297 at-bats. He is hitting .230 in his last 514 at-bats dating to last season with Portland of the Pacific Coast League and Mobile of the Southern League. He needs to have a big spring to gain back some cache that he has lost over the last year and a half. Abe Alvarez, LHP: The former second-round selection (2003) seems to have settled into the role of Four-A pitcher after enjoying early success in the Red Sox system. Alvarez spent his third consecutive season at Pawtucket, going 5-8 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 games (16 starts). He is 22-23 with a 5.09 ERA over three International League seasons, clearly having lost much of the luster that accompanied his 10-9, 3.66 season at Portland in 2004. Edgar Martinez, RHP: The converted catcher looked very good coming off a strong season and a half at Portland. This year he got bumped up to Pawtucket and the results were not consistent with what he had shown overall, though, in the four previous seasons since coming out from behind the plate. He had a 2.19 ERA and a three-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio, not to mention the fact that the opposition was hitting .194 against him in 101 career games heading into 2007. But Martinez went 2-6 with a 5.16 ERA in 42 games this season while his ratio dropped to two-to-one. He also allowed 11 homers after yielding 12 in the previous four years while allowing the opposition to hit .264. On the Radar
Bubba Bell, OF: The 39th-round pick in the 2005 draft took everyone by storm this season, leading the organization with a .337 batting average. He was second with 26 homers and second with 105 RBIs while splitting time between Lancaster and Portland. He was hitting .370 in the Cal League and did better in a larger body of work in the Eastern League than Bates, hitting .265 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 147 at-bats. He had connected for eight homers and 77 RBIs in a season and a half prior to this year, so 2008 should be telling.
Zach Daeges, OF: Time will tell if Daeges' numbers were a result of the Cal League or if he is legitimate. But there's no denying the season he had, hitting .330 (second to Bell) while collecting 21 homers and an organizational-best 113 RBIs (third most in the Minors). The former Creighton star and sixth-round pick in 2006 had a .423 OBP and an exceptional strikeout-to-walk ratio (97-to-82).
Tony Granadillo, IF: The utility man spent the bulk of his season in Lancaster, but did get into nine games at Portland and combined to hit .324, third-best in the organization. Granadillo had 54 extra-base hits and a .410 OBP. He played mostly second base, but also saw enough time at shortstop and third to be considered valuable at those positions. Draft Recap
1. Nick Hagadone, LHP: The Sox grabbed the University of Washington product with the 55th pick overall and he pitched like an upper-echelon selection. He posted a 1.85 ERA in 24 1/3 innings over 10 games at Lowell, striking out 33 and holding the opposition to a .163 average. After allowing five runs in his debut, he didn't allow an earned run over his final 23 innings.
2. Ryan Dent, IF: Dent started out in the Gulf Coast League, but ended up sharing locker space with Hagadone at Lowell by season's end. Overall, he combined to hit .263 with a homer and five RBIs, though he wasn't as effective in the New York-Penn League, batting .178 in 45 at-bats. 3. Hunter Morris, 1B: Morris didn't sign, opting instead to attend Auburn University. Other players of note: RHP Hunter Strickland (18th round, Pike County HS, GA) was 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA in nine Gulf Coast League games (six starts). While the opposition hit .357 against him, he did strike out 22 and walk four in 25 1/3 innings. ... SS Ken Roque (10th round, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy) hit .145 with four RBIs in 62 GCL at-bats. ... OF Kade Keowen (ninth round, Louisiana State-Eunice JC) hit .207 with 15 RBIs in 145 at-bats for Lowell. ... RHP Adam Mills (eighth round, UNC-Charlotte) was 3-1 with a 2.04 ERA in 14 games (one start) for Lowell. He struck out 37 and walked nine in 35 1/3 innings. ... 1B David Mailman (seventh round, Providence HS, NC) hit .227 with two RBIs in 22 Gulf Coast League at-bats. ... RHP Brock Huntzinger (third round, Pendleton Heights HS, Ind.) was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in seven GCL innings. He fanned eight and didn't walk a batter. ... RHP Chris Province (fourth round, Southeastern Louisiana) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for Lowell, and then was bumped up to the South Atlantic League, where he went 3-2 with a 4.91 ERA in 33 innings. ... 1B Anthony Rizzo (sixth round, Douglas HS, Fla.) hit .286 with a homer and three RBIs in 21 GCL at-bats, striking out twice. Kevin T. Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
