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About

Lowell Spinners 20th Anniversary Team

By
April 11, 2016

 

 

As part of our 20th Anniversary Season, the Lowell Spinners and 980 WCAP are proud to reveal our official 20th Anniversary Team. The team consists of players who played for the Spinners since the team's inception in 1996 and the players were selected based on their performance in Lowell and their lasting legacy with the Spinners. Positions were assigned based on where each player spent most of their playing time with the Spinners. The team will be honored with a 20th Anniversary Team Card Set Giveaway on June 20. The Spinners would like to extend a big "thank you" to our team historians Bob Ellis and Chaz Scoggins for all their research that went into selecting the 20th Anniversary Team.

 

C Luis Exposito (2006): In his lone season at LeLacheur Park, "Expo" batted .250 with a home run and 23 RBI. He also led the team in doubles with 13. Expo made his Major League debut on May 4th, 2012 with the Baltimore Orioles where he appeared in 9 games in his lone MLB season.

1B Shea Hillenbrand (1996): A member of the inaugural Spinners team in 1996, Hillenbrand was an offensive force to be reckoned with. In a record setting 72 games, he batted .315 with 2 HR and 38 RBI. After his year with the Spinners, Hillenbrand climbed the ladder of the Red Sox farm system and made his MLB debut in 2001. He played seven years in the bigs with six different teams, highlighted by two All Star game appearances with the Red Sox in 2002 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005. He finished his career as a .284 hitter with 108 HR and 490 RBI.

2B David Eckstein (1997): Aside from having the honor of being the only Spinner to ever be named World Series MVP, David Eckstein was arguably the Spinners' best player prior to the team moving to LeLacheur Park in 1998. With a .301/.407/.426 line backed up by his phenomenal defense, Eckstein hit 4 HR, 39 RBI, a team leading 4 3B, all while stealing 21 bases. "Eck" made his MLB in 2001 with the Anaheim Angels and won the AL Rookie of the Year award. He continued to add to his trophy case over his 10 year career when he appeared in two All Star games, won his first World Series title with the Angels in 2002, and won the 2006 World Series MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2015, Eckstein became the first former Spinner to receive a vote on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

SS Freddy Sanchez (2000): With a .288/.358/.407 line, Freddy Sanchez became one of the greatest infielders in Spinners history. The power hitting shortstop also whacked 13 2B and a pair of triples. Sanchez made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2002 but didn't breakthrough until the 2005 season as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The following season, Sanchez led the league in 2B (53) and brought home a batting title (.343). It was the first of three All Star seasons with the Pirates. He went on to win a World Series ring with the San Francisco Giants in 2010 before calling it a career after the 2011 season.

3B Kevin Youkilis (2001): Before becoming one of the faces of the mid-2000's Red Sox, "the Greek God of Walks" got his start at LeLacheur Park. "Youk" currently holds the records for most runs in a game (5), highest single season OBP (.512), consecutive games reaching base safely (46), most career walks (70), and most consecutive games with a walk (14). As if opposing pitchers couldn't stand him enough already, he was also a .307 hitter and had 3 HR. Youkilis made his MLB debut in 2004 with the Red Sox, where he spent the next eight of his ten year career. With the Red Sox he appeared in three All Star games, won a Gold Glove, and won two World Series rings. He retired in 2013.

OF Jacoby Ellsbury (2005): A first round selection in the 2005 First Year Player Draft, Ellsbury made his professional debut with the Spinners in 2005. He posted a .317/.418/.432 line and led the team with 23 SB and 5 3B. Ellsbury quickly rose through the minors and made his MLB debut in 2007, playing a key role in the Red Sox World Series championship run. Ellsbury was an All Star in 2011 and finished second in the AL MVP voting, though he did win a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. He has led the league in SB three times, including the Red Sox record for steals in a season with 70. Ellsbury is currently in his 10th MLB season and his second with the New York Yankees.

OF Ryan Kalish (2006-2007/2011): A 9th round draft pick in 2006, Kalish's first season with the Spinners was nothing to get excited about, batting .200 over 11 games with no HR. In 2007 however, Kalish established himself as a "can't miss" prospect. In 23 games, he batted .368, jacked 3 HR, drove in 13 RBI, stole 18 bases, all while posting a .471 OBP and a .540 SLG. Kalish made his MLB debut on July 31, 2010 with the Red Sox but struggled to stay in the show following a string of injuries. He is currently a member of the Chicago Cubs organization.

OF Andrew Benintendi (2015): The most recent position player on team, "Benny" came to Lowell after being the 7th overall selection in the 2015 First Year Player Draft. He quickly made an impact in his professional season, posting a .290/.408/.540 slash line while co-leading the team in HR with 7. He also played a flawless CF at LeLacheur, never recording an error in 31 games. Benintendi finished the 2015 in Low-A Greenville and currently is in High-A Salem.

DH Ryan Westmoreland (2009): A New England native, "Westy" had arguably the greatest individual season ever by a Spinner in 2009 when he batted .296 with 7 HR, 35 RBI, and 19 SB over 60 games. His standout season in Lowell would be his only professional season after it was discovered following the season that he had a cavernous malformation, a medical condition that required three brain surgeries and ended his playing career. Westy's impact with the Spinners was so strong that in 2014 his number "25" was retired by the Spinners, the first to ever be retired by the team.

LHP Jose Alvarez (2009): Before becoming a reliable reliever in the majors, Jose Alvarez was among the most effective starting pitchers in Spinners history. In his lone season at LeLacheur, Alvarez posted team records in wins (8), ERA by a lefty (1.52), and shutouts (2). He made his MLB debut on June 9, 2013 with the Detroit Tigers and currently comes out of the bullpen for the Los Angeles Angels, where he appeared in 64 games with a 3.49 ERA last season.

RHP Clay Buchholz (2005): A vote-in by the fans, Buchholz has arguably gone on to have the most success in a Red Sox uniform than any other Spinners pitcher. In 15 starts for Lowell, he posted a 2.61 ERA while striking out 45 in 41.1 IP. Buchholz made his MLB debut in 2007 with the Red Sox and threw a no-hitter in his second career appearance. He has since appeared in 2 All Star games and earned a World Series ring in 2013. He is currently in his 10th season with the Red Sox, making him the longest Red Sox-tenured-Spinner in team history.

RHP Dan Giese (1999-2000): One of the best arms to ever come out of the Spinners bullpen, Dan Giese appeared in 33 games over two seasons. He posted a career ERA of 1.67, had 11 saves, and recorded 47 SO in 54.0 IP. Giese spent the next seven seasons in the minors before finally making his MLB debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2007 at age 30. He spent the following season with the New York Yankees and appeared in 20 games, a career high, and spent 2009 season with the Oakland Athletics. He last pitched professionally in 2010 as a member of Oakland's farm system.

LHP Nick Hagadone (2007): Starting in 10 games for the Spinners, Hagadone struck out a hair-raising 33 batters in just 24.1 IP. His 1.85 ERA and .163 BAA only further illustrated his dominance of the New York-Penn League. Along with fellow All Second Decade teamer Justin Masterson, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2009 for Victor Martinez. He made his Major League debut with the Indians in 2011 and spent the next four seasons coming out of their bullpen.

RHP Justin Masterson (2006): Arguably the nicest guy to ever come through Lowell, Masterson got his career off to a hot start by making an impression out of the Spinners bullpen in 2006. In 14 games, he went 3-1 with a 0.85 ERA, 33 SO, and only 2 BB. Masterson quickly rose through the Red Sox farm system and made his big league debut in 2008. He has enjoyed an 8-year career with the Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals. In 2013, he was named to the American All Star team as a member of the Indians.

RHP Jonathan Papelbon (2003): Among the most popular faces in team history, Papelbon quickly became one the Spinners most memorable characters. The only pitcher in team history to strike out the side on 9 pitches, he struck out 36 batters in 32.2 IP. He also holds the honor of being the only Spinner to ever milk a cow in LeLacheur Park. Following his stint in Lowell, he rose quickly through the minors and made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2005. Papelbon went on to become the greatest closer in Red Sox history, saving 219 games in seven seasons. Currently a member of the Washington Nationals in the 12th year of his career, he has appeared in six All Star games, has recorded 350 career saves (11th all-time), and recorded the final out of the 2007 World Series for the Red Sox.

RHP Josh Papelbon (2006): Among the great closers in team history, Jonathan's little brother, Josh, made a name for himself dominating the 9th inning in the New York-Penn League. With 13 saves in 25 appearances, Papelbon posted a 1.86 ERA and struck out 36 in just 29.0 IP of work. He stuck around the Red Sox organization for several years after and last pitched professionally for AA Portland in 2009.

RHP Stolmy Pimentel (2008): Pimentel appeared in 13 games (11 GS) for the Spinners in 2008. With a 5-2 record, he struck out 61 batters in 63.0 IP while posting a 3.14 ERA. He was also a key member of the team's 2008 Stedler Division championship team. Pimentel made it to the show on September 4, 2013 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has since bounced around between the majors and minors as member of both the Pirates and Texas Rangers. He currently is a member of the New York Mets organization.

LHP Ryan Phillips (2005): With a 7-2 record in 14 starts, Phillips had one of the best seasons in Spinners history during the 2005 season. With a 2.28 ERA and an 8.2 K/9 ratio, Phillips was one of the most effective lefty starters in team history. Phillips spent the next two seasons with the Low-A Greenville Drive and retired following the 2007 season.

RHP Bobby Rodgers (1996): What makes Bobby Rodgers lone season in Lowell is that to this day many of the records he set back in 1996 still stand today. Rodgers holds the franchise records for SO (108), SO in a game (16), most 10 SO games (3), CG (2), and IP (90.0). His 1.90 ERA also ranks as the seventh lowest in team history. Following his big debut season, Rodgers was traded to the Florida Marlins and struggled to match the production he had in Lowell. Rodgers never made it to the majors but spent the next seven seasons bouncing around the minors, racking up 765 career strikeouts.

RHP Anibal Sanchez (2004): Arguably the greatest pitcher in Spinners history, Anibal Sanchez dominated the New York-Penn League in the summer of 2004. In 15 starts, Sanchez posted a 1.77 ERA and 101 SO in just 76.1 IP. His ERA ranks as the fourth lowest in team history and he is only one of two Spinners pitchers to ever throw at least 100 strikeouts in a season. Sanchez was key piece in a trade with the Florida Marlins that brought Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston in 2005. He made his MLB debut in 2006 and has since started in over 200 games with the Marlins and Detroit Tigers, leading the American League in ERA (2.57) in 2013. He is currently in the starting rotation with the Tigers.

RHP Hunter Strickland (2008): Voted in by the fans, Strickland became the third pitcher from the 2008 team to be named to the 20th Anniversary team. He appeared in 15 games, 10 GS, and posted a 3.18 ERA while winning 5 games. Following his stint in Lowell, Strickland bounced around the minors as part of the Red Sox, Pirates, and Giants organizations before making his MLB debut in 2014 with San Francisco. He appeared in 8 games for the Giants during their 2014 World Series run and currently comes out of the team's bullpen.

RHP Kyle Weiland (2008): A graduate of Notre Dame, Weiland made his professional debut with the Spinners in the summer of 2008. In 15 appearances (10 GS), he dominated the competition, holding opponents to a .166 AVG and striking out 68 batters in 60.0 IP while only walking 10 batters on the season. He ascended through the Red Sox farm system and made his MLB debut in 2011, where he appeared in 7 games. Weiland was traded to the Houston Astros in 2012 and last pitched professionally in 2014.

C Tim Federowicz (2008): The back stop behind a Stedler Division Championship, Federowicz posted a .244/.338/.315 slash line. He also flashed some athleticism during his time at LeLacheur with 10 SB. After being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Federowicz made his MLB debut in 2011 and spent the next few season bouncing between the majors and minors, highlighted by a 56 game season in 2013. He is currently a member of the Chicago Cubs organization playing in AAA Iowa.

INF Mookie Betts (2012): Before he was a highlight-making outfielder at Fenway Park, Mookie was a scrappy middle infielder for the Lowell Spinners. In 71 games, Betts led the team in RBI with 31 as well as 20 SB and a .267/.352/.307 line. Betts made his Major League Debut on June 29, 2014 and has since become one of the best lead off hitters in baseball. Some national media outlets have even pegged Betts as a dark horse MVP candidate for 2016.

INF Hanley Ramirez (2002): Once one of the top prospects in all of baseball, fan vote-in Hanley Ramirez tore up the New York-Penn League during his 22 game stay with the Spinners. As a .371 hitter, he had 9 2B, 2 3B, and a HR while driving in 19 RBI. He made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2005 and went on to have a decorated career with the Florida Marlins, winning the 2006 Rookie of the Year, a batting title in 2009, and 3 All Star game appearances. He came back to the Red Sox in 2015 and currently serves as the team's starting 1B.

3B Will Middlebrooks (2008/2011): World Series Champion Will Middlebrooks made his professional debut with the Spinners back in 2008. In his first stint with the team, he batted .254 with a home run and a team leading 17 2B. While on a rehab assignment in 2011, he had 3 HR in just 4 games. Middlebrooks made his Major League debut in 2012 with the Red Sox, where he batted .288 with 15 HR and 54 RBI in his first season. He currently is a member of the San Diego Padres organization.

OF Jackie Bradley Jr. (2011): Despite spending less time with the Spinners than any other member of the 20th Anniversary Team, this fan vote-in clearly left his mark on Lowell. Bradley tore up the minors in 2012 before making the Red Sox Opening Day roster in 2013 despite never having played in a Major League game. He has since established himself as an elite defensive outfielder and can be seen making jaw-dropping highlights on a nightly basis. He currently is the starting CF with the Red Sox.

MGR Gary DiSarcina (2007-2009): With 125 wins in three seasons, DiSarcina is the second winningest manager in team history. He was the skipper of the only two Stedler Division Championships in Spinners history in 2008 and 2009. 23 different Spinners who played under DiSarcina went on to play in the majors. After bouncing around the majors for several seasons following his stint in Lowell, DiSarcina was named 2013 Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America after winning the Governors' Cup with the Pawtucket Red Sox. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels.

BENCH COACH Dick Berardino (1997-1998): Dick Berardino was a heavy influence during the early years of the Lowell Spinners. Though he posted a career 70-82 record with the Spinners, Berardino was a popular face at LeLacheur park following his tenure as Spinners manager. He continued to be an influence in the community, helping out with the Lowell Spinners Holiday Caravan every year, a program designed to give back to a local veterans hospital during the holiday season.

OWNER Drew Weber (1996-present): Drew Weber purchased the team following the Spinners inaugural 1996 season and oversaw the team's move from Alumni Field to LeLacheur Park in 1998. He has always been seen mingling with fans on the concourse and cheering on the Spinners. During his tenure, the Spinners won two Stedler Division titles in 2008 and 2009 and have become one of the most respected franchises in Minor League Baseball. Drew and his family have helped keep the Spinners the place to be in the Merrimack Valley each and every summer.