PawSox Notebook: Final Days of July

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). Now things are starting to heat up. The end of July signifies two things: Major League Baseball will we wrapping up their Non-Waiver Trade Deadline on July 31 and that there’s only one month remaining in the 2017 IL Season.
 
With the season end closing in fast, can the PawSox rise above the competition and make into the Governors’ Cup playoffs by the beginning of September?

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A Week in Review
Following their home weekend sweep at the hands of the Norfolk Tides, the PawSox were back out on the road to Toledo, Ohio, to begin a 3-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens. Just the week before, the PawSox hosted the Mudhens at McCoy and took the first two games before the Mudhens won the series finale, snapping their 8-winning streak. However unlike the previous matchup, the PawSox would be without top prospect 3B Rafael Devers, who was called up into Boston before the PawSox went on the road.
 
For the first game, the PawSox were shut out 3-0 as PawSox SP Hector Velazquez was outdueled by Mud Hens SP Josh Turley. Then in the second game of the series, the PawSox snapped their scoreless streak (which ran up to 20 innings) and their losing streak (which ran up to 6 games) with a much needed 5-3 victory. The team followed it up with a 7-1 victory the next day, where they scored 6 unanswered runs in the top of the 6th inning after being down 1-0 early in the game.
 
However the Mud Hens were able to split the series with a 3-1 victory on July 27. For the season, the PawSox ended up going 4-3 (2-1 at home & 2-2 on the road) against the Toledo Mud Hens, outscoring them 31 to 25 for the entire season series.
 
After finishing the series against the Mud Hens, the PawSox then travelled further west to Indianapolis to face the Indianapolis Indians for the final meeting of the season between the two teams. On Friday (July 28), the two teams played a doubleheader with the second game being a make-up game for a rainout at McCoy back on April 26. The PawSox ended up sweeping the doubleheader 5-0 and 3-1 respectively before heading into Saturday. There, the Indians went up 5-1 earlier and withstood a late-inning PawSox rally to win 5-3.
 
Then on Sunday, the two teams met for the series finale. Newly acquired PawSox SP Justin Haley took the mound for his team and went 6 strong innings before yielding to the bullpen. However the game itself went into extra innings after the PawSox tied things at 1-1 on an RBI double by DH Bryce Brentz. The PawSox took a 2-1 lead in the 10th inning on an RBI single 2B Mike Miller and were in position for the win. However Indians CF Danny Ortiz tied it up 2-2 with a solo home run to right and then teammate SS Kevin Newman drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 12th.
 
Where They Stand
Right now, the PawSox are in 4th place in the International League North with a record of 54-53 (.505). They are currently 12.5 games back behind the divisional leading the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, who are sitting at 67-39 (.632). In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 10.5 games behind the current Wild Card leader, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, who are sitting at 65-43 (.602).
 
Just the Stats Jack***
The following statistics are of players currently playing on the PawSox roster. This excludes those on the disabled list, call-ups, sent downs, releases, and traded players.
 
At the Plate
(*=min. 130 at-bats)
- LF Bryce Brentz leads the team in games played (89), at-bats (324), runs scored (53), extra-base hits (39), home runs (21), RBIs (62), total bases (172), slugging/SLG (.531)*, and on-base plus slugging/OPS (.882)*
- CF Rusney Castillo leads the team in hits (91), stolen bases (14), and batting average (.307)
- 3B Ryan Court for team lead in walks drawn (37) and on-base percentage/OBP (.377)*

Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 55.0 IP)
- SP Marcus Walden leads all starters in games won (9) and games played in (22)
- SP Hector Velazquez leads all started in ERA (2.05)* and WHIP (1.05)*
- SP Jaleen Beeks leads all starters in opposing batting average (.207)
- SP Shawn Haviland leads all starters in starts (15), innings pitched (104.1), hit batsmen (5), strike outs (87), complete games (2), and shutouts (1)

Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 15 appearances)
- LHP Edgar Olmos leads the bullpen in wins (7), innings pitched (68.2), strikeouts (53). and hit batsmen (4)
- RHP Noe Ramirez leads the bullpen in game appearances (28), ERA (2.59)*, saves (4), WHIP (1.06)*, holds (5), and games finished (21). He is also tied with teammate RHP Jamie Callahan for bullpen lead in saves (4)
- LHP Kyle Martin leads the bullpen in holds (5)
- RHP Austin Maddox leads the bullpen in opposing batting average (.188)*

 
Player Movement
The following team transactions took place from July 24 to July 30
 
July 24
- Sent 3B Rafael Devers to Boston (MLB)
- Reinstated CF Rusney Castillo from the disabled list.
 
July 25
- Placed 3B Jantzen Witte on 7-day disabled list with a left calf strain retro to July 22
- Received RHP Kyle Martin from Boston (MLB)
 
July 26
- Placed SP Kyle Kendrick placed on 7-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
- Received SP Justin Haley from Boston after he was returned to team from Minnesota Twins (Rule 5 draft)
 
July 27
- Received SP Roenis Elias from Portland (AA) to continue injury rehab assignment
 
July 28
- Sent LHP Robby Scott to Boston (MLB)
- Sent 3B Josh Rutledge to Boston (MLB) for injury rehab recall but will remain on the disabled list while in Boston
- Reinstated LF Brian Bogusevic from the disabled list
 
July 29
- Received SS Deven Marrero from Boston (MLB)
-Placed SP Brian Johnson on 7-day disabled list with left shoulder inflammation
 
Red Sox Rehab Watch
Currently the only Red Sox player rehabbing with the PawSox is SP Roenis Ellias. Originally slated as a depth starter up in Boston, Roenis suffered a right oblique strain before the start of the 2017 MLB Season and was placed on the 10-day disabled list. He made a rehab start in High Advanced-A with the Salem Red Sox before being transferred over to the PawSox back on May 12. He was supposed to start that evening against the Rochester Red Wings but was scratched during pre-game warmups due to discomfort and tightness in his right oblique.
 
Roenis was then transferred to the 60-day disabled list back on June 15 and did not see any action until July 17 when he began an injury rehab assignment with the Lowell Spinners of Short-Season A. The following day, Roenis was transferred to Double A to pitch one rehab game with the Portland Sea Dogs before getting transferred to Triple-A Pawtucket on July 27.
 
During his one lone start with the PawSox, Elias is 0-1 with 2Ks, 1 BB, an ERA of 8.10, a WHIP of 1.80, and an opposing batting average of .333. During his 4 rehab games in the minor leagues, Roenis has gone 0-3 with 6 Ks, 4 BB, an ERA of 8.25, a WHIP of 1.75, and an opposing batting average of .315.
 
Upcoming Games
The PawSox will finish out the month of July with a day off on Monday, July 31. Pending on any player movement during the MLB Non-Waiver Trade Deadline, the team will resume action on Tuesday, August 1, for a quick 3-game home series against the Syracuse Chiefs (August 1-3).
 
Then the team will hit the road to Moosic, Pennsylvania for a quick 3-game weekend series (August 4-6) against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

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