Series Starts TONIGHT, Fall League Update

Since the World Series starts tonight at Fenway Park and I gave you my primer yesterday, let's take a small break from the Series today and take a look at how some of the Red Sox prospects are doing in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.

The Red Sox top farm-hands combined with the Indians, Brewers, Rangers and Orioles make up the Surprise Saguaros. So far, they are 7-5.

Boston has eight participants, only one having played for the PawSox, right hander Keith Couch.

First baseman Travis Shaw, who spent the 2013 season in Double-A Portland, has been a stalwart on offense. He's hitting .318 (7-for-22) with a team leading three homers and 11 RBI (2nd most on the team).

A guy who put himself on the prospect map this season was second baseman Mookie Betts who split the season between Single-A Greenville and Salem. He's hitting .294 (5-for-17) with a double and two RBI while stealing three bases in three tries.

Third baseman Garin Cecchini is hitting .250 (8-for-32) with two doubles, five RBI and has drawn the 2nd most walks on the club with seven. He's stolen two bases. He combined to hit .322 with 7 homers, 61 RBI and 23 steals in 129 games between Salem and Portland during the regular season.

Derrik Gibson is the final position player and he is 0-for-9 in four games played.

On the pitching side, Couch has excelled appearing in five games, all in relief, allowing just one run on four hits in 5.1 innings of work. He has struck out six, walked two and picked up a save. Couch spent all but one start with Portland in 2013.

Miguel Pena has started a team high three games to the tune of an 0-1 record with a 5.06 ERA (six earned runs) in 10.2 innings. He's struck out five and walked three. Pena made 18 starts in 2013, 15 with Salem, three with Portland.

Noe Ramirez, converted into a reliever in 2013, has pitched in four games allowing no runs on just two hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. He split the year between Salem and Portland with a 3-2 record with a 2.38 ERA in 36 appearances.

Pete Ruiz has also pitched in four games going 1-0 with a 6.03 ERA allowing three earned runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. he has walked five (tied for team high) with three k's and has allowed just one run over his last four innings of work (three appearances). Ruiz spent all of 2-13 in Portland going 3-3 with a 5.23 ERA in 30 games and hails from one of my favorite cities (just from a pure name standpoint) Rough and Ready, California. That is a real city!

For those of you curious what a Saguaro is...The saguaro is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus which can grow to be over 20 meters (70 ft) tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. And, the saguaro blossom is the State Wildflower of Arizona. And know you know...and as G.I. Joe used to say, "And knowing is half the battle".

World Series Game 1 is tonight at 8pm. Adam Wainwright for the Cardinals against Jon Lester of the Red Sox. It's supposed to be a little brisk, so if you're going to the game, bundle up. If you are watching from home, grab a blanket, a warm beverage (or a cold one in a frosty mug) and buckle up...It's going to a wild series!