Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Will Middlebrooks has had his adjustment times when he was promoted to a new level. He played a full season in Greenville in 2009, and in Salem in 2010. But at the end of 2011, he was promoted from Portland to Pawtucket for 16 games, where he batted .161.
Apparently, that was all the adjustment Middlebrooks needed. After going 2-for-5 Thursday, with his fifth home run, Middlebrooks is batting .368 with 16 RBI. His OPS is 1.074.
Alex Hassan (.216) started very slow with his first taste of Triple-A.He's coming around, going 3-for-5 Thursday. He is 8-for-20 in his last five games.
When back-up catcher Matt Spring was sent from Portland to Pawtucket, it was thought to be temporary, but he may stay, now that Luis Exposito was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. Spring got into his first PawSox game and went 2-for-5.
Alex Wilson did not last long in his start (3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 6 K).
Worse, Andrew Miller lost the strike zone again (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 4 BB, 3 K)
The Sea Dogs managed only three hits in a 6-0 loss at Binghamton Thursday - a double by Kolbrin Vitek (.267) and singles from Juan Carlos Linares (.380) and Ronald Bermudez (.545) ... Bermudez just came off the DL and is 6-for-11.
Two prospects in Salem are shining - outfielder Jackie Bradley (.333) and Xander Bogaerts (.300). Both had two hits Thursday.
The surprise is Salem first baseman Travis Shaw (.420), a 9th-round draft pick out of Kent State last year. He went 4-for-5 Thursday.
Big weekend at Fenway, with the 100th anniversary celebration tonight, and the Yankees in town. (Check this space and Twitter: ClearTheBases).
Here are the pitching match-ups:
Tonight: Ivan Nova (2-0, 4.15) vs. Clay Buchholz (1-0, 9.82), 3 p.m. (NESN)
Saturday: Freddy Garcia (0-1, 6.97) vs. Felix Doubront (0-0, 5.40), 4 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday: CC Sabathia (1-0, 5.59) vs. Daniel Bard (0-2, 4.63), 8 p.m. (ESPN)
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Kevin Thomas covers baseball and basketball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 after working for the St. Petersburg Times. He is married to Nancy and they have nine children.
Follow his thoughts on the Boston Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs on Clearing the Bases
Follow his thoughts on the Boston Celtics and Maine Red Claws on Holding Court
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