Hernandez Solid in Major League Debut

Marco Hernandez arrived at the ballpark on Sunday afternoon like any normal day except one noticeable difference - his name was in a Major League lineup for the first time in his career.

Ranked the Red Sox' #9 prospect by New England Diamond Digest, the 23-year old Hernandez made the most of that opportunity by putting up a highly impressive performance on a day in which Toronto Blue Jay's starter, Aaron Sanchez, was absolutely dealing.

After drawing a walk in his first at-bat, Hernandez was able to break up Sanchez's no-hit bid in the fifth with a broken-bat single for his first Major League hit. After following that with his first career steal, Mookie Betts drove him in with an RBI single for his first career run scored.

That run would be the only Red Sox offense until a Travis Shaw home run in the bottom of the ninth inning cut Toronto's lead to 5-3. Hernandez was in the on-deck circle as Ryan Hanigan lined out to third base to end the contest.

Despite the fact Hernandez hit .579/.577/.792/1.369 with six doubles and seven RBIs in 14 games during Spring Training, he was still surprised to get the call to the show so early in the season.

"I expected [the call] middle of July when they play against the National League to pinch-hit for the pitcher," Hernandez told reporters after the game.

Nonetheless, his performance on Sunday was enough to impress even the battle-tested veterans in the Red Sox' lineup.

"He did an excellent job for us," advised Xander Bogaerts. "He looked solid offensively, defensively, [he] ran the bases well [and] created a run for us."

Hernandez was largely unnoticed by fans after the Red Sox acquired him as the player-to-be-named-later in the Felix Doubront deal with the Chicago Cubs, but began to pop up on many people's radar screens after an impressive start to the 2015 season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs where he hit .326/.349/.482 with  five home runs, four triples and 21 doubles in 68 games.

That was good enough to earn Hernandez Eastern League All-Star honors, in which he was voted "Top Star" of the 2015 EL All-Star Classic at Hadlock Field.

Immediately after the All-Star game Hernandez was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket where he cooled off slightly, but was still impressive considering his age and fast climb through the Minor League ranks. In 46 games for the PawSox last season, Hernandez hit .271/.300/.409 with four homers and 22 RBIs.

He began this season with Pawtucket hitting .286/.375/.429 in six games before earning his promotion to Boston.

Although it may be too early to call Hernandez a superstar in the making, he does possess the tools necessary to become an effective Major League player. With speed on the base paths and the versatility to play multiple infield positions, Red Sox fans may be hearing a lot more of his name in the future.

Vazquez Called to Majors, Swihart Optioned to Triple-A

According to Jon Morosi, the Boston Red Sox have promoted Christian Vazquez to the Major League club while optioning Blake Swihart to Triple-A Pawtucket.

It has been widely speculated that this move would be made as soon as Vazquez was healthy to return, large in part due to Swihart's struggles defensively so far this season.

Many forget that the catching job was Vazquez's to lose last season until undergoing season ending Tommy John surgery. Although he does not posses the same offensive skills as Swihart (Vazquez hit only .240/.308/.309 in 55 games for the Red Sox in 2014), Vazquez has been heralded as a great game caller and has one of the strongest arms in the league (caught 52% of attempted base stealers in 2014). The Red Sox hope the move will help add some stability to a starting rotation that has struggled to go deep into games.

Swihart has showed promise with the bat hitting .275/.324/.386 over his first 90 Major League games, but at this point it is evident the 24 year old needs more seasoning in Pawtucket before managing a big league rotation.

Christian Vazquez Ready for the Show

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What was once his job could easily become his job once again relatively soon.

Tommy John Surgery may have set Christian Vazquez back. But it appears as though he is ready to catch in the majors once again.

The Red Sox optioned Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo to Triple-A Pawtucket and calling up Vazquez appears to be the corresponding move.

In cold Pawtucket weather over the weekend, Vazquez gave the impression that he feels as though he is healthy and ready to go.

“I’m feeling good man.” he said. “I’m feeling great, on time and I’m seeing the ball well. I’m having some good swings.”

At the plate, the defensive-minded catcher said he was not trying to do too much other than make sure his timing is down. And with a new high leg kick, Vazquez has strung together quality plate appearances. He posted a .650 on-base percentage in five Triple-A games, drawing seven walks in 20 plate appearances. It could be a sign that he has improved at the plate, keeping in mind he posted just a .617 OPS in 55 MLB games in 2014.

It may be a positive sign for him to be hitting pro pitching and drawing walks in a small sample size, but he is a catcher and hitting is secondary for catchers.

Vazquez probably is not going to see the workload the Red Sox gave Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the summer months of 2013, especially with the catching depth they possess. But Vazquez said his body feels great. He also appeared slimmer and mentioned losing about 25 pounds in the offseason.

In Pawtucket, Vazquez took full advantage of working in a low pressure environment.

“I’m working on everything,” he said. “My catching, my arm, my hitting stuff. Overall, I’m working on everything.”

With Ryan Hanigan and Blake Swihart already on the big league roster, a position battle between Vazquez and Swihart will surely ensue. The Red Sox are 29-24 in Hanigan’s starts since the start of 2015 and Swihart has struggled to command the pitching staff.

Regardless of what comes of it, the Red Sox have an opportunity right now to keep all of their catchers fresh.

Is it Time to Fire John Farrell?

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John Farrell has made several questionable decisions in his time as Red Sox' manager (from starting an injured Shane Victorino over Rusney Castillo last season to bringing Franklin Morales and his 27.00 postseason ERA into a crucial spot in the sixth game of the 2013 ALCS) but few have been more puzzling than today's.

Many Sox fans were confused to see Chris Young's name in the lineup today against the right handed Marco Estrada (Young hit .182 against righties last year and only .224 for his career) while the hot-hitting Brock Holt and $11 million man Rusney Castillo were left on the bench.

It has been rumored that Holt was given the day off to recover from a foul ball he hit off his ankle in a previous game, but that doesn't explain why Castillo, who had two hits including a double in his season debut, was left on the bench.

It was announced earlier in the year that Young would get the majority of his cuts against left handed pitching, which considering his career average against lefties is 40 points higher then righties (still not that impressive at .264) seemed to make sense.

Yet here we are in the fifth game of the season and Young is out there looking foolish against Estrada while Castillo can't seem to catch a break with the Sox no matter how well he plays. Without any playing time, let alone consistent playing time, how can anyone expect Castillo to become a dependable Major League player?

Some have reasoned that because the Red Sox have faced a slug of right handed pitching that Farrell needed to get Young some game action. Is getting the fourth outfielder some game action really worth putting out a sub-par lineup against a division rival and the team most people think will win the American League East? I hardly think so.

It may be early in the season, but it is time to take a long hard look at Farrell and his future with the organization before we become mired in third straight last place season. Outside of 2013 (and let's be honest, anyone could have managed that team to a World Series championship) Farrell has done little to impress anyone during his time as Boston's manager.

It's not like he accomplished much in Toronto, either, posting a 154-170 record (.475 winning percentage) in his time there and missed the playoffs both seasons.

After it was announced last season that Farrell would be taking a leave of absence due to a cancer diagnosis, bench coach Torey Lovullo stepped up in an interim basis and led the team to a 28-21 record over their final 49 games. Lovullo's impressive performance earned him numerous offers to leave Boston over the offseason, but he remained loyal to the team and returned as the bench coach for this season.

I do respect Farrell, what he accomplished in 2013 and what he has done to return from cancer - but it is time to start holding him accountable for his poor decision making on the field. One more questionable decision like today's and the Sox really ought to consider promoting Lovullo back to the managerial position before it's too late.

Why Starting David Price at Home on Monday is the Right Decision

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There has been plenty of debate surrounding the decision to bump David Price's second start of the season from Sunday against the Blue Jays to the home opener on Monday against the Orioles - but rest assured, the Red Sox did their homework and have made the right decision. 

The decision was made last Thursday after that night's game against the Cleveland Indians was postponed due to inclement weather, and it didn't take long for people to start questioning the Red Sox' thought process.

There were many valid reasons to question the decision to bump Price up a day - the fact many people believe that Toronto is the best team in the division, Price's 11-1 record and 3.34 ERA at Rogers Center, or simply the fact the Red Sox stated at the beginning of the season they would attempt to keep the lefty pitching every fifth day even when an off day allows for extra rest.

However, a quick crunching of some numbers shows the Red Sox' decision makes a lot of sense.

Baltimore may not be everyone's favorite pick to win the division, but they are hardly a team to overlook with a lineup that includes Manny Machado, Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters. They are also just a single season removed from a division title and have historically always played the Red Sox tough (Boston is 24-33 against Baltimore since the start of 2013).

Add to that the fact that the Red Sox actually won the season series against the AL East Champion Blue Jays last season (10 games to 9) with one of the worst pitching staffs in all of baseball - starting Price at home seems to be the smarter decision.

After going just 43-38 at home last season, there is also plenty of reason that the Red Sox would want to get out to a quick start in Boston. In the three years since 2004 that the Red Sox have won the World Series, they have never posted less than 51 wins at home (55-26 in 2004, 51-30 in 2007 and 53-28 in 2013).

Starting Price on Monday also lines the lefty up favorably for the remainder of April and the month of May if the Red Sox choose to stick with their plan to start him every fifth day as opposed to every fifth game (barring any unforeseen circumstances).

On the every fifth day rotation, Price would be lined up to make his first start after the home opener next Saturday against the Blue Jays. He would then face the Tampa Bay Rays on April 21, the Atlanta Braves on April 26th before making back-to-back starts against the rival New York Yankees on May 1st and 6th. It would also line him up to pitch against the defending World Series Champion Royals in Kansas City on May 16th.

Despite the fact there were many valid reasons to start Price in Toronto this afternoon, a quick bit of research shows that the Red Sox absolutely made the correct decision. Now that the Red Sox have already won the series against the Blue Jays by taking the first two games, Red Sox fans can sit back and celebrate the first home start with their newly acquired ace pitcher.

Anderson Espinoza Impresses in Season Debut

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The Red Sox top pitching prospect, Anderson Espinoza, may only be 18-years old - but he is already showing everyone that he will be ready for the majors sooner rather than later.

There was a lot of hype leading up to the young pitchers debut after he posted a 1.23 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while striking out 65 batters over 58.1 innings between the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the Single-A Greenville Drive last season - and he did not disappoint.

In just his second start at the Single-A level, Espinoza fired five shutout innings allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out four. He allowed a lead off single before retiring the next seven batters in order. 

It was just the first time in the young Venezuelan's career that he hit the five inning mark in the minor leagues. Greenville's manager, Darren Fenster, advised that they will be keeping a close eye on his innings as he moves forward in his development. 

"We're going to manage his innings," Fenster told Michael Leboff of MiLB.com. "It's his first full year in pro ball, so we're going to be conservative." 

Considered 'untouchable' in offseason trade talks, the Red Sox have not been shy about the faith they have in the young righty. If Espinoza can continue to dominate the Minor Leagues at such a young age, it may not be long before he joins David Price and the big league staff. 

Former Yard Goat Trevor Story Making History in the Majors

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With two swings of the bat on Friday night, Colorado Rockies' shortstop and former member of the Hartford Yard Goats (then New Britain Rock Cats) Trevor Story continues to rewrite the history books. 

After last night's two home run gem in his first game at Coors field, Story becomes the first person in the last 100 years to homer in his first four major league starts and only the fifth player to accomplish the feat in his teams first four games.

 “Special,” Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez told CBS Denver. “Never seen anything like this before. Every day, a new record. It’s nice to see a teammate of yours play the way he [has played]. Hopefully, that’s just the beginning.”

Story spent the first 69 games of last season with the Colorado Rockies' Double-A affiliate the New Britain Rock Goats, who have relocated to Hartford and changed their name to the Yard Goats for the 2016 season. While he looked impressive in New Britain hitting .281/.373/.523 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs - it hardly forecast his historic MLB start.

In fact, Story was not even slated to become the Rockies' starting shortstop until it was announced that Jose Reyes would serve an indefinite suspension for his involvement in domestic abuse allegations. Nonetheless, Story has taken his opportunity and ran with it.

“I’m just excited to get there and get out on the field and get familiar with and play in front of the Rockies fans,” explained Story.

As far as the home runs go, it's not something he is worried about.

"I've said it before, I'm not trying to hit home runs, sometimes it kind of happens," Story said.

Story will have a chance to continue his historic streak tonight when the Rockies take on the San Diego Padres in the second game of the three-game series at Coors Field. Unfortunately for him, the Padres will send lefty Drew Pomeranz to the mound. In 71 at-bats against left-handed pitching last season, Story hit just .197/.284/.338 with a single home run and eight RBIs.

It seems as though if any pitcher is going to cool down Story's white hot bat, it will be a southpaw.

Aaron Wilkerson Shines in Sea Dogs' Season Debut

(Photo Source: Portland Sea Dogs)

If you saw Portland Sea Dogs starter Aaron Wilkerson pitch last night, it would be tough to believe he was an undrafted free agent, who was traded four times in independent league baseball.

Earning the Opening Day nod for the Red Sox Double-A affiliate, Wilkerson fanned a career-high 11 men as he helped the Sea Dogs top the Reading Fightin’ Phils in Reading, 3-1.

Statistically speaking, it was the sharpest outing of his career in the Red Sox organization as he allowed just three base runners in 5.2 innings (two hits and a walk). And, as previously mentioned, he struck out just about two hitters per inning.

At 26, Wilkerson is not topping out any Red Sox prospect lists. But last season, he started the year in the back end of the Low-A Greenville Drive’s bullpen. And he finished it off going 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA in seven starts for the Sea Dogs.

With strong numbers in Portland, like he had at the end of last season, Wilkerson could be in line for a promotion to Pawtucket by mid-season where he would join fellow undrafted free agents Robby Scott and Dan Butler. Butler made his MLB debut with Boston in 2014.

Moncada, Benintendi Explode in Salem's Season Opener

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Two of the Red Sox top four prospects began their season in high-A Salem last night and proceeded to show everyone just exactly what all the hype is about. 

Red Sox number one prospect Yoan Moncada, alongside number four prospect Andrew Benintendi, combined to go 6-for-9 with four RBIs and four runs scored in Salem's 13-4 victory over Carolina in their season opener. 

Moncada led off the game with one of four straight singles before coming around to score on a Benintendi RBI single in the bottom of the first. Salem would bat around in that first inning scoring five runs on seven hits. 

Benintendi stepped in the box for his second at bat in the bottom of the second inning and promptly drilled an RBI triple to right field scoring shortstop Mauricio Dubon. 

The Cuban phenom Moncada followed suit with his second hit of the contest the following inning, an RBI single that scored left fielder Mike Meyers, before Benintendi drove him in with his third hit in as many innings - an RBI double. 

Benintendi came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning needing only a home run to complete the cycle, but would single to centerfield and fly out in his next two at-bats. Had the bottom of the ninth been needed for Salem, the 2015 first-round draft pick would have had one more chance to complete the cycle on Opening Day. 

Daniel McGrath got the start for Salem and earned his first victory of the season, tossing six innings of three-run ball on four hits and a walk. 

Salem will take on Carolina once again tonight from Lewisgale Field at 7:05pm.