PawSox Notebook: End of First Quarter

Ryan L. Fox
Welcome PawSox fans of all ages to WBOB’s PawSox Weekly Notebook, a weekly guide to all what’s happening with the Columbus Avenue Crew (aka, the Pawtucket Red Sox). The season is slowly approaching being one-fourth of the way done as the PawSox are starting to gear up for a upcoming summer that could make or break the team.

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A Week in Review
 Finishing up their weekend series with the Rochester Red Wings up in Rochester, New York, the PawSox and the Red Wings met for a Sunday matinee. The PawSox ended up losing the game 3-1 despite outhitting their opponent 8 to 5.
 
After finishing up, the team travelled back to McCoy for another 7-game home stand. Up first was an early to midweek series with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Rejoining the team on Monday was INF/OF Brock Holt as he transferred from Portland (AA) to continue his major league injury rehab assignment with the team. The PawSox ended up taking the first two games of the series (3-0 on Monday and 4-3 on Tuesday) and were looking for the series sweep on the following Wednesday with SP Henry Owens on the mound. However Owens and the PawSox were rocked 5-2, thus spoiling the series sweep.
 
After the RailRiders, the PawSox welcomed the Rochester Red Wings for a 4-game weekend series. The PawSox ended up dropping the first game on Thursday as the two teams were set to meet for their Friday night match up. For the PawSox, SP Roenis Ellias was going to make his second start of a rehab assignment (right intercostal muscle strain) after making his first at High-A Salem Drive this past Sunday.  However Elias felt some discomfort during pre-game warmup and was scratched. Shawn Haviland, who was scheduled to pitch after Elias finished his pitch count in the game, was promoted to starter. Haviland ended pitching 6 strong innings, striking out 4 batters and allowing one run in a strong quality start. However the PawSox ended up giving up 2 runs in the top of the eighth inning and their comeback rally
 
The two team then continued their series on Saturday. But due to the inclement weather on the way, the game was moved up from its normal 6:05 p.m. start to 1:05 p.m. During the game, the PawSox offensive struggles continued. For about 6 innings, Rochester Red Wings start Aaron Slegers stymied the PawSox with some no-hit baseball. It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh when PawSox LF Steve Selsky singled to right, breaking up Sleger’s no-hit bid. Later on in the bottom of the eighth, PawSox 2B Ryan Court helped get the PawSox on the board with a solo shot to left center. But that’s all that the team could muster as they fell to the Red Wings 3-1.
 
Where They Stand
Nearing the halfway point in the month of May in the books, the PawSox are currently sitting at 5th place in the International League North with a record of 15-17 (.520). They are 5.0 games back behind the divisional leading Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, who are sitting at 21-13 (.618). In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 1.5 games behind the current Wild Card leaders, the Buffalo Bisons (18-14, .563)
 
Just the Stats Jack
 The following statistics are from players currently playing on the PawSox Triple-A squad as of 4/28. This excludes players who were called up, traded, currently on the disabled list, or currently on the temporary inactive list.
 
At the Plate
(*=min. 45 at-bats)
- 1B/3B Matt Dominguez leads the team in games played (28) and RBIs (13)
- OF Rusney Castillo leads the team in at-bats (107), runs scored (17), hits (29), total bases (44), and stolen bases (5_
- OF Bryce Brentz leads the team in home runs (4)
- 1B/3B Jantzen Witte for team lead in walks drawn (13), batting average (.288)*, on-base percentage (OBP) (.416)*,
- INF Ryan Court leads the team in slugging percentage (.500)* and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.894)*
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 25.0 IP)
- SP Shawn Haviland leads all starters in innings pitched (37.2) and complete games (1). He is also tied with SP Henry Owens & SP Marcus Walden for the lead among starters in games played (6) and games started (6).
- Owens leads the team in strikeouts (39) and wins (3)
- SP Hector Velazquez leads all starters in ERA (1.55)*, WHIP (0.79)*, opposing batting average (.180)*
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 5 appearances)
- RHP Chandler Shepherd, RHP Noe Ramirez, and RHP Kyle Martin are all tied for bullpen lead in game appearances (8)
- Ramirez leads the bullpen in games finished. He is also tied with teammate RHP Blaine Boyer for bullpen lead in saves (2)
- RHP Brandon Workman leads the bullpen in ERA (1.64)*, WHIP (0.82)*, opposing batting average (.135)*, and holds (2).
- RHP Chandler Shepherd leads the bullpen in strikeouts (19) and is tied with teammate LHP Edgar Olmos for bullpen lead in innings pitched (7)
- Olmos leads the bullpen in wins (2)

Player Movement
 The following team transaction took place from May 7 to May 13
 
5/8/16
- Received INF/OF Brock Holt from Portland (AA) to continue his major league injury rehab assignment
- Received RHP Brandon Workman from Boston (MLB)
 
5/10/16
- Sent INF Jose Rosario to Portland (AA)
- Reinstated INF Mike Miller from the disabled list
 
5/11/16
- Released RHP Erik Cordier
- Sent LHP Robbie Ross Jr. to Boston (MLB)
- Received RHP Jamie Callahan from Portland (AA)
 
5/12/16
- Received SP Roenis Elias from Salem (High-A) to continue his major league injury rehab assignment
 
5/13/16
- Sent INF Heiker Meneses to Portland (AA)
- Reinstated INF Ryan Court from the disabled list
 
Red Sox Rehab Watch
INF/OF Brock Holt rejoined the team back on May 8 to continue his injury rehab assignment (vertigo). He was removed from the PawSox roster back on May 3 (retro to May 1) but remained on the disabled list. He was then transferred to Portland (AA) on May 6 to reassume his rehab assignment. After his return to Pawtucket, Holt was used at DH (1 game), LF (3 games), and 3B (1 game). His stat line for those games was .250 (4-for-16) with 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, and an OBP/SLG/OPS line of .250/.500/.750.
 
SP David Price will be joining the PawSox on Sunday to pitch in his first rehab assignment game. Price has missed most of the 2017 season due to an elbow ailment that has been plaguing him since spring training. However if the weather does not hold up and the game gets cancelled, Price will pitch a simulated game in Pawtucket instead.
 
Upcoming Games
The PawSox will finish up their weekend series against the Rochester Red Wings on Sunday (5/14) at 1:35 p.m. (pending weather). Interesting note is that Boston Red Sox SP David Price will start the game for the PawSox to begin an injury rehab assignment for the Boston Red Sox.
 
After the completion of Sunday’s game, the PawSox will be heading on the road for a 7-game road trip. Up first is a 4-game midweek series in Moosic, Pennsylvania, against the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Railriders (5/15-5/18). Then the PawSox will head up north to Buffalo for a 3-game weekend series against the Buffalo Bisons for the first meeting of the season between the two teams (5/19-5/21).

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