We're all pretty familiar with the Red Sox spotty record when it comes to developing pitchers. Since the days of Lester and Papelbon, it's been a pretty low bar.
Trey Ball. Henry Owens. Craig Hansen. Michael Bowden.
We're more familiar with the failures than the moderate successes.
That's why it's pretty encouraging to see some minor leaguers come in and step up early in the season while the team deals with some injuries.
Matt Barnes is becoming a reliable option near the end of the bullpen. While Brian Johnson, Hector Velazquez and Bobby Poyner didn't set the world on fire, just doing an acceptable job for the major league club is a nice improvement. Even career minor leaguer Marcus Walden contributed.
It's also nice to see a guy like Velazquez make some significant changes, adding a splitter, dropping the curveball, mixing up his pitches. Even though it feels like he's been struggling forever, Trey Ball is still only 23 , maybe someone can get him to make some changes and at least show something. Either that or take the Rick Ankiel route.
The Red Sox have some young arms worth following this year including high draft picks Jay Groome and Tanner Houck. Maybe there's a ray of hope?
Trey Ball. Henry Owens. Craig Hansen. Michael Bowden.
We're more familiar with the failures than the moderate successes.
That's why it's pretty encouraging to see some minor leaguers come in and step up early in the season while the team deals with some injuries.
Matt Barnes is becoming a reliable option near the end of the bullpen. While Brian Johnson, Hector Velazquez and Bobby Poyner didn't set the world on fire, just doing an acceptable job for the major league club is a nice improvement. Even career minor leaguer Marcus Walden contributed.
It's also nice to see a guy like Velazquez make some significant changes, adding a splitter, dropping the curveball, mixing up his pitches. Even though it feels like he's been struggling forever, Trey Ball is still only 23 , maybe someone can get him to make some changes and at least show something. Either that or take the Rick Ankiel route.
The Red Sox have some young arms worth following this year including high draft picks Jay Groome and Tanner Houck. Maybe there's a ray of hope?