Opening Day Rosters
The Pawtucket Red Sox will unveil an Opening Day roster that is highlighted by the return of both the 2008 International League MVP 1B/OF Jeff Bailey (.301/25/75 last season) and the 2008 IL Most Valuable Pitcher RHP Charlie Zink (14-6, 2.84 last year). In addition, the PawSox pitching staff will feature three of the best pitching prospects in the minor leagues as starter Michael Bowden (#2 according to Baseball America), fireballing reliever Daniel Bard (#4 by B.A.), and starter Clay Buchholz (who is not rated by B.A. due to his major league service time) all are expected to be major contributors in Boston. Furthermore, the PawSox welcome nine newcomers to the organization (three pitchers and six position players who all have major league experience). Finally, the three players who will be making their Triple-A debuts this season - Bard, lefty starter Kris Johnson, and OF Zach Daeges - are all coming off terrific seasons for Double-A Portland last year.
Manager Ron Johnson (back for his fifth season at the helm) is joined once again by pitching coach Rich Sauveur and hitting coach Russ Morman (both back for their second season with the club). Trainer Greg Barajas (fifth year) and new strength and conditioning coach Mike Jones round out the PawSox staff.
The PawSox starting staff consists of Opening Day starter RHP Enrique Gonzalez, who pitched for both Triple-A Portland and San Diego last year, along with righties Buchholz, Bowden, & Zink, and lefty Johnson.
The bullpen features impressive closer Bard (10.1 scoreless innings with 14 SO during major league action this spring with the Red Sox) returning righties Devern Hansack, Marcus McBeth, and Jose Vaquedano as well as lefty Hunter Jones (7-2, 3.02 for the PawSox last season) - along with newcomers Fernando Cabrera (formerly of Norfolk and Baltimore) and southpaw Billy Traber (who was with Scranton/WB and the NY Yankees last year).
The catching corps includes Dusty Brown (a .290 hitter with the PawSox last season) and veteran Carlos Maldonado, who has played with Indianapolis and Pittsburgh the last few years.
The PawSox infield features 1B Bailey (who can also play the outfield) coming off his MVP season last year and both a fine September with the Red Sox last season (.280 in 27 games) and a superb spring with the Sox last month (.356 in 23 games). Jeff will be joined at 1B by Paul McAnulty, the former San Diego Padre, who will also DH and play the outfield. The rest of the PawSox infield is versatile as returnees Gil Velazquez & Jeff Natale can play anywhere in the infield while free agent signees Angel Chavez and Ivan Ochoa have had tremendous success in Triple-A.
The outfield spots will be manned by two players who have spent much time in the big leagues - Brad Wilkerson (Montreal, Washington, Texas, Seattle, and Toronto) and Chip Ambres (Kansas City and San Diego) - along with youngsters Zach Daeges (a .307 hitter last season with 34 doubles for Portland) and Jeff Corsaletti (who split time with Portland and Pawtucket last year). IL All-Star OF Jonathan Van Every, who led the PawSox with 26 HR and did not commit an error in 119 games in CF last season, begins the year on the Red Sox disabled list (ankle sprain) but is expected to return to action on April 17 for Pawtucket's home-opener at McCoy Stadium.