Pawtucket Red Sox review: Any Boston help for ’16?

Sep 7, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; General view of the field box seats prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

A few months ago the Pawtucket Red Sox were in first place of the International League’s North Division and now they are dead last not only in the division, but the entire league. Why? Where is patient zero in this demise?

The offense has moved north about 55 miles to Boston. Blake Swihart, Jackie Bradley, Rusney Castillo and recently Travis Shaw, who was hitting third for Pawtucket. So the PawSox are now on the bottom rung on offense – last in average, runs, OBP, slugging, OPS, hits, doubles and triples. They have managed to surface into the fourth slot in home runs.

The pitching statistically is still rather picturesque on the surface, but the heart of the rotation long disappeared to Boston along with the revolving reliever du jour. The rotation has names such as Zeke Spruill and Keith Couch are rolled out in vain attempts to keep games close. The reality is there is limited talent left at Pawtucket to stem the avalanche of ineffectiveness that has clearly been on display.

So who is left to help? Any potential future gems hidden in the PawSox? Let’s take a gander at a few who may be serviceable for the parent club in 2016.

May 25, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Heath Hembree (37) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Twins win 7-2 over the Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports

Heath Hembree has had a few goes at breaking into the Red Sox bullpen and the results show why he was shipped to Pawtucket. His two-year stat line is about as attractive as a Blobfish – recently voted the world’s ugliest creature (thankfully, I was not on the list).

The Hembree in Boston stat line is 16.1 innings pitched, 19 hits, 11 runs, seven walks and nine fanned. That gets you a WHIP of 1.59 and an ERA that is a Joe Kelly like 6.06. Acquired for Jake Peavy the initial flurry of PR was the Red Sox had a “steal” by grabbing the fifth round Giants selection of 2010. That nine game stint with the Giants was a beauty with 7.2 innings and 12 Ks – a 0.00 ERA.

Hembree features a Fastball at 70% of the time with an average of a shade over 93 MPH. The rest of the Hembree repertoire is a slider (25%) and a change. Now 26-years-old the last real shot with Boston is on the horizon. Can this former top ten Giants farm hand get it together?

At Pawtucket, Hembree sits at 0-5 with seven saves. The losses on the surface are disappointing, but at Pawtucket losses are as common as parking tickets in Boston. What stands out is a K per inning and a BB/9 of 2.9. The Whip sits at 1.06 and the ERA checks in at 2.32.

Expect Hembree to get one final long look.

Sep 24, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Edwin Escobar (71) delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of Boston

The Peavy deal had a second pitcher that was part of the package – another high ranked Giants prospect and that player is 23-year-old Edwin Escobar – a left-handed pitcher who was and is being groomed for relief after a lengthy minor league career as a starter.

Escobar was seen in Boston in 2014 for a brief two game and two inning visit in which he allowed a run. Then came an injury that has put the kibosh on 2015 for Escobar until recently.
Escobar has a three pitch portfolio that is highlighted by a fastball that can top out in the mid-90s. The track record from the minors is a pitcher who has a BB/9 of 3.1 and a K/9 that is 8.7.

Escobar also gives up hits at a rate in excess of one an inning, but those statistical notations also must take into account the development process.

At Pawtucket the recovery stage is still an ongoing process and the stats can be examined as the tail end of the season progresses. Examining the numbers one would toss Escobar into the reject bin, but the talent was there at one point. Too young and too good an arm to give up on.

Expect Escobar to do some fall and possibly winter league work as the Sox will undoubtedly rebuild the train wreck bullpen. There is always opportunity for left-handed specialist and that may be the direction Boston is looking at for Escobar.

Usually a PTBNL amounts to very little, but occasionally one does surface such as David Ortiz or Coco Crisp. In some instances the PTBNL actually was the same player such as John McDonald who went from Toronto to the Tigers and back to the Jays. The red Sox have a PTBNL in Marco Hernandez, who was acquired from the Cubs for Felix Doubront.

Hernandez, a 22-year-old from the DR, bats left and plays short. In Portland he took off with a slash of .326/.349/.482 and five home runs and 31 RBI. A peek at the OBP shows Marco hacks away with only nine walks for the Sea Dogs in 292 plate appearances. That bat and some solid defense and a strong arm sent him to Pawtucket.

In his minor league career, Hernandez has moved around the infield and had some outfield exposure. The sample is small at Pawtucket and the smart move would be to expect Hernandez to start 2016 at Triple-A, but never close that book.

Brock Holt is the capo di tutti capi of the utility players in Boston and all of MLB. The poster boy of versatility and that means similar spots are limited to one. Jemile Weeks is gone and back to Pawtucket, the rest come and go on the I-95 shuttle, so there is the possibility that a string spring, a few injuries, a trade or two and Marco may have a shot.

May 5, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Allen Craig (5) at bat during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

If this was the Allen Craig of a few years back the John Lackey trade would look great despite the failure of Kelly to grab a CY Award, but it isn’t. Craig’s bat appears to be for decorative purposes only – like a planter in a lawyer’s office. Just doing nothing.

Craig has wandered the outfield for the PawSox while cashing that bi-weekly check with all those zeros. Craig has some hope and that is the fact the Red Sox are on the fiscal hook for 20M over the next two seasons with no intoxicated GM willing to take on that contract without the Sox chipping in 90%+. Craig is now dead money personified.

Craig will get a shot. Stranger things have happened in baseball since occasionally a faded star gets out of a three-year funk and is no longer flat line. Craig will be in spring training with his first baseman’s mitt, outfielder’s mitt and whatever he uses to swat down balls at third.

Mar 7, 2015; Sarasota, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Garin Cecchini (70) at bat against the Baltimore Orioles at a spring training baseball game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Garin Cecchini has finally got above the Mendoza Line at Pawtucket as he is now playing considerable left-field. But what happened? That smooth swing smelled of line drives and poof – gone. I really thought Cecchini would be a mainstay in Boston.

For his size (6’2”, 220) Cecchini is not a power guy as you will see no double-digit home run figures. At Pawtucket the total was six in 354 at bats with 25 RBI. This is fairly consistent with Cecchini’s minor league stats.

With the third base situation in Boston anything is possible. July looked like a rebound with a .293 average, but then came August and back to hovering around .200. Chances are Cecchini has a tenuous roster spot and may be sent elsewhere.

Sources: Baseball-reference/Sox Prospects/MLB Prospect Watch/Pawtucket Red Sox

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