Spent some interesting time with Lars Anderson, Boston’s No. 1 prospect in the minors. The guy can hit — and talk.
Lars on the prospect label: “I’m not a huge fan of that. I don’t think it’s a realistic thing. It’s pretty arbitrary and strange, in my opinion. I mean, it’s cool, but there are so many other guys just as deserving. How are you going to compare an infielder to an outfielder to a pitcher to a relief pitcher? It’s apples and oranges, really.”
On his future as a player: “As an evolution of my game, I still don’t know where I’m supposed to go and what the end result is … It’s a game. You want to be successful and help the team and play well, but at the same time, some people don’t have water to drink during the day.”
On media interviews: “When you get asked the same questions 100 times, you develop ways to stimulate yourself as far as being creative.”
On what he needs to work on: “Everything. There’s not just one part of my game I need to work on. As an evolution of my game, I still don’t know where I’m supposed to go and what the end result is.”
On wearing the Red Sox name: “That’s cool. I didn’t grow up a Red Sox fan, so I don’t have any sentimental attachment. As far as the here and now, I don’t think anyone does it better as far as development.”
Read more in the New Hampshire Sunday News.
The Fisher Cats are hosting the Portland Sea Dogs in seven of their next 11 games. Some NH vs. Portland memories that come to mind …
– Travis Snider hitting homers on consecutive pitches from Kyle Jackson.
– Lyle Overbay hitting a grand slam off Jackson, for that matter.
– Jacoby Ellsbury dominating a series in Manchester.
– The Clay Buchholz ovation — and the fallout in 2007.
– Jon Lester striking out 13 in 2005.
– Jonathan Papelbon, 8 innings, 1 hit, at Manchester.
– Hanley Ramirez getting hit by a pitch during batting practice, then sulking on the tarp for 10 minutes.
– Justin Masterson making his Double-A debut at Manchester, pitching into the seventh without allowing a hit.
– Tree Thorpe saying, “I’ll do anything to beat (the Sea Dogs).”
– Aaron Bates homering into The Sam.
– Portland beating NH in a play-in for the final playoff spot in 2007.
– David Murphy. Jed Lowrie. Class guys.
– Craig Hansen, directing certain questions to his agent, Scott Boras.
– A.J. Burnett pitching against the Sea Dogs at a packed Merch.
Wow, that was fast. The Fisher Cats are playing their 71st game of the season at Reading tonight. They’ve only won 30 games, which means they’re on pace for the worst record in team history without a win tonight.
Year Record Manager
2008 61-81 Gary Cathcart
2007 70-73 Bill Masse
2006 68-73 Doug Davis
2005 68-74 Mike Basso
*2004 84-57 Mike Basso
* Eastern League champs
Yesterday Fisher Cats pitchers were throwing a football around the outfield, part of a daily running routine. They kept running “go” patterns while pitching coach Tom Signore played QB. Later he said, “We’ve never won on days we’ve played football. Today is bizarro world, so we’re going to mix everything up.” It worked. LHP Marc Rzepczynski went seven strong innings and Daniel “The Lord” Farquhar saved the 2-1 win over Akron.
– Rock 101’s “Scorch,” an afternoon show host, has been living in a steel cage outside the Sam Adams Bar & Grill to be raise money for three local animal organizations. His “Pause of the Cause” stunt ends today at 5 p.m.
– Did you know? Bring a Kraft Singles cheese wrapper to the box office on Tuesdays for a buy one ticket, get one ticket free promotion.
– Remember those days when former hitting coach Kenny Joyce would buy the Fisher Kitties steak dinners if they had 20 or more hits in a game? Maybe we should provide incentive for a 10-hit game this season. New Hampshire has gone to fewer than 10 hits for 18 straight games.
– Erie SeaWolves vs. NH tonight. It’s Scout Sleepover night. Bring your tent. No barbecues in the outfield grass!
I’ll have a feature story on Akron Aeros slugger Beau Mills, son of Red sox hitting coach Brad Mills, in Thursday’s editions. Quotes that were left on the cutting room floor:
Mills on making adjustments to this level:
“I’m a very aggressive hitters. That’s good, and it’s bad. In pro ball, they can throw the ball where they want to, and it might be out of the (strike) zone. I have to calm myself down and work on seeing the pitch, not just going out there and swinging at anything.”
On learning the game at an early age:
“I understood the day-to-day grind, the hard work, the toll it takes on your body. I knew all that, but I didn’t feel it. It’s a lot different when you’re going through it and your body is tired, you’re feeling the fatigue. You wake up the next day and feel the pain and keep going.”
Brad Mills (from Fenway Park), on his son:
“He’s enjoyed the game, and he’s played the game, and he’s been around it for a long time. I knew the skills at a very young age, he had some pretty good skills. If he wanted to develop them and play baseball with them, I knew he had the ability to do that if he wanted to do that. He just progressed, and because he had the opportunity to come out on fields and take swings and BP in big league parks, those were experiences he was able to get.”
-Thanks to Brian MacPherson for grabbing some quotes from Fenway.
Today I’m back at the Fisher Cats’ den as the Double-A Jays attempt end their free-fall in the division. New Hampshire spent 39 days in first place but has lost 18 of 24 entering tonight.
Cleveland major leaguer Scott Lewis makes a rehab start tonight for Akron.
Will be examining the losing stretch in Wednesday’s print editions.
Essentially, the Fisher Cats can’t hit. They haven’t had a 10-hit game for 15 straight games. They recently went 33 innings without scoring, a stretch against some of the league’s worst pitching (Harrisburg). They’ve been shut out 10 times already.
Tuesday’s homestand opener also included some buzzard’s luck. In Akron’s five-run fourth innings, two bloopers came within millimeters of being caught by NH defenders. The extended inning led to two errors, which led to some of the five runs.
Kevin Nolan of Nashua South High (and Winthrop U), drafted by the Blue Jays in the 20th round, signed on the dotted line and reported to Toronto’s mini-camp in Dunedin, Fla., today. If he starts climbing the organizational ladder, he could be playing for the Fisher Cats in the next couple years.
He’s not the only local connection hoping to crack the Eastern League.
Franklin Pierce University right-hander Kyle Vazquez of Berlin, Conn., was selected by the Giants in 15th round. He signed last night and will report to short-season Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Oregon.
Butch Hobson’s son, KC, who quarterbacked Nashua North High as a freshman, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the sixth round. Hobson is likely to sign instead of playing for Texas A&M.
Dartmouth College outfielder Nick Santomauro, the Ivy League Player of the Year, was selected in the 10th round by the Mets, whose Double-A affiliate, Binghamton, also plays in the Eastern League.
Manchester native Andre Lamontagne, a right-hander at Oral Roberts University, was taken by the Brewers in the 11th round. He is the nephew of New Hampshire attorney Ovide Lamontagne, a former GOP gubernatorial candidate.
FISHER TRACKS: Catcher Kyle Phillips joked about being forgotten at this year’s media day with the NH Fisher Cats. “Remember me? I played here last year, too,” he said.
Phillips may have been low on the depth chart as a member of the Fisher Cats, playing behind catching prospects J.P. Arencibia and Brian Jeroloman the past two seasons, but he’s lighting it up with Triple-A Las Vegas this season. Phillips nearly quit baseball and became a car salesman after being released by the Twins in 2007.
He stayed in the game and has blossomed this season at Triple-A, batting .357 with three homers for Las Vegas … Toronto’s No. 1 prospect, Travis Snider, began the season with Toronto but was shipped to Las Vegas after cooling off at the plate. He has been on the disabled list with back problems and isn’t expected to return until mid-July.
Chad Jenkins, RHP, Kennesaw State
(Fisher Cats ETA: June 2010)
Baseball America scouting report: He had a strong sophomore season, first with Kennesaw State (5-5, 3.96), then in the Great Lakes League. Jenkins has firmed up his still soft body, and his velocity has caught up with his ability to throw strikes. He now has two or three plus pitches at times with good command, giving him serious helium. Jenkins has a great feel for pitching and now sits at 90-93 mph with his hard sinker and reaches back for 96 mph with a four-seamer at times. His sinker has boring action in on righthanded hitters when it’s going well. His slider gives him a second plus pitch. His changeup is average. Jenkins repeats his delivery, and scouts see his big 6-foot-4, 225-pound body as a durable asset, particularly if he keeps getting in better shape. He resembles Phillies righthander Joe Blanton, with better command, and should go in the first 20 picks.
We interrupt your regularly scheduled program — Red Sox vs. Yankees — to announce tomorrow’s Boston-New York Media Game has been postponed. Darn, I was hoping for another Beane-brawl:
– The Scuffle of 2007: New York pitcher Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record and ESPN.com drilled Red Sox broadcaster Uri Berenguer (Spanish Beisbol Network) with a fastball in the helmet. Berenguer collected himself off the dirt before saying a few words to Klapisch, who approached home plate with more adult words. Both players were restrained. Benches emptied. Red Sox manager Carl Beane got into the action, which featured plenty of pushing and shoving.
Pitcher Tyler Kepner also intentionally walked me that game, and I ended up blogging about how Kepner “left his manhood on the mound at Fenway Park.” That touched off an ongoing feud between Kepner and KG.
I’m pretty sure we’ll fight if we play again.
Former Fisher Cats reliever David Shinskie landed on his feet after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays. He accepted a scholarship to play quarterback for Boston College.
Shinskie, 25, was a two-sport standout at Mt Carmel, Pa., and was drafted in the fourth round by the Twins. In seven pro seasons, the right-hander went 24-30 with a 4.61 ERA. He joined the Fisher Cats this season, going 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA.
As a high school quarterback, he threw for 6,337 yards and 57 touchdowns and won two state titles.
Weinke won the Heisman Trophy at Florida State after playing seven years of pro ball.
