Still bite in these Dogs
New names have chance to jump up
PORTLAND, Maine — Ninety miles north on Interstate 95, through a sliver of New Hampshire and along the coast of southern Maine.
This is where you’ll find the upside of a depleted Red Sox farm system.
In the home clubhouse of Double-A Portland’s Hadlock Field, the big leagues never have felt so close. If the word depleted suggests the Sox’ minor league cupboard is bare, the players here will take exception, but they recognize the opportunity that’s been created.
“Players get traded. It opens up more opportunities for other guys,” Sea Dogs manager Carlos Febles said. “That will have them say, ‘(Screw) it. If I put it together, definitely it can happen now because I don’t have anybody in front of me.’”
In the past year and a half, the Red Sox have made nine trades that cost them 17 minor league prospects. They’ve added just two minor leaguers in the process. Recent deals for Chris Sale, Tyler Thornburg and Drew Pomeranz have removed many of the organization’s biggest prospects, and a once highly touted minor league system now is considered middle-of-the-pack at best.
Of course, that’s a label for outsiders. Here in Portland, fewer names means more at-bats, more innings and more opportunities for the guys who remain.
“Whether they have to trade or whether they have to get rid of some guys, they’re going to find someone who does the job at the big league level,” first baseman Nick Longhi said. “But we have so many young guys who are coming up, and opportunity is the name of the game. Everybody wants their chance.” Footsteps to follow
In the clubhouse, a banner lists former Sea Dogs who have played in the big leagues. That banner needs work. There’s Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia, but it hasn’t been updated to include two names that stick out to current Portland players: left fielder Andrew Benintendi and relief pitcher Ben Taylor.
Less than a year ago, those two were in this very clubhouse, working their way through Double A, two levels away from the majors. Less than a month ago, Benintendi and Taylor were being introduced at Fenway Park on Opening Day.
“I mean, (Benintendi) was my roommate,” Sea Dogs outfielder Danny Mars said. “And six months later, he’s playing in the big leagues. It gives you a lot of hope and gives you reason to wake up in the morning and do what you want to do every single day.”
Although the vast majority of big league call-ups involve players from Triple A, the Red Sox have shown a willingness to promote players straight from Double A.
Benintendi, Taylor and Jackie Bradley Jr. skipped from Portland to Boston, and Betts got to the big leagues after less than a month in Triple A.
“I had the mantra and the idea that the Red Sox take their time with people and it’s going to be a long haul,” Portland reliever Jake Cosart said. “Even if I dominate this year, there’s no chance. And then all that’s thrown out of the (window) whenever you see someone like Ben (Taylor).
“You literally think you have no chance . . . and boom, he’s in the show and he’s putting up good numbers.”
Taylor’s Opening Day roster spot nearly went to other Sea Dogs relievers. Jamie Callahan and Austin Maddox were the final cuts in big league camp.
“It is an eye-opener, for sure,” Callahan said. “You really don’t know how close you are until something like that happens and you realize it’s right around the corner. I’m really happy for (Taylor). He’s one of my good friends, but it is an eye-opener.”
Devers top Dog
Don’t discount Portland because a big name like Yoan Moncada, dealt for Sale, isn’t there anymore.
“There’s still an incredible amount of talent in the system,” Longhi said, “and a lot of guys that can just flat-out play the game.”
Third baseman Rafael Devers is the closest thing to a Moncadalevel prospect in Portland. He’s a massive 20-year-old with bigtime power who happens to play one of Moncada’s positions.
Baseball America ranked Devers the 18th-best prospect in baseball, and there are now only utility infielders and stop-gap veterans between Devers and Pablo Sandoval’s spot at Fenway.
His goal for this year?
Help wanted
“Finish in the big leagues,” Devers said, with help from reliever Williams Jerez acting as translator.
Either as part of the quote, or as his own aside, Jerez added: “He doesn’t want to play a lot in Double A.” No one does. Double A is not the goal, but it can be a turning point. Behind his manager’s desk, Febles looks like he still can hit, and he played parts of six years in the majors.
He said most of his players don’t know he got there by jumping straight from Double A.
“This level is a separator,” Febles said. “This is a level that, if you don’t perform, you’re not going to Triple A or going to the big leagues. If you’re a prospect and you’re in Low A or High A, you will get to Double A. But once you get here, you have to prove and show that you are ready to go to the next level.”
A Double-A salary won’t pay for much of an apartment, so many of the Sea Dogs live with host families. They eat cheap pizza and travel the Eastern League on a bus. They watch Red Sox games on a TV in the corner of the clubhouse.
“I would always like to end the year in Boston,” ace Teddy Stankiewicz said. “That would be great, wouldn’t it?”
Right now, the Red Sox have homegrown players at all three outfield positions and both middle infield spots. They’ve used prospects to trade for three of their starting pitchers, three of their current relievers, and two other relievers on the disabled list.
The farm system has done its part to build this roster, but at some point, there will be an unexpected need and a fresh opportunity. That’s what this clubhouse is waiting for. It’s the reality of minor league baseball: When something happens to one player, it creates opportunity for someone else.
The door will be open for someone in Double A to make an impression and create an opportunity.
Ninety miles north on I-95, through a sliver of New Hampshire and along the coast of southern Maine, that road from Portland to Boston doesn’t seem so long these days.
“This is where it starts to set in,” Longhi said. “No, it’s not going to be easy, but if I do something special and I have a good year, for any guy — hitter or pitcher — this could be the chance.”