Red Sox find bounty on the farm
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jed Lowrie stood a few feet from what he hopes will be his future.
He saw Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury at their lockers in Boston’s clubhouse – last year’s A.L. rookie of the year and a strong preseason candidate for this year’s award.
He saw two cornerstones of the Red Sox youth movement and two of the best hitters in their World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
By 2009, the shortstop could join second baseman Pedroia and center fielder Ellsbury in Boston, the next in line in the annual addition of young talent to an already powerful lineup.
“We want to help the Red Sox win championships because that’s what we get paid to do,” Lowrie said. “Come in as individuals and perform to help the team win.”
Not long ago, Boston had one of the worst farm systems in baseball. From 2002 through 2004, five of its players were rated among the top 100 prospects by Baseball America.
This year’s ranking is drastically different: seven of the top 100, including Ellsbury at 13 and Lowrie at 73.
“I think if we are able to add a (minor league) player a year to the major league team we would be extremely fortunate as an organization,” Mike Hazen, Boston’s director of player development, said in an e-mail to the Associated Press. “With all the pitfalls of minor league baseball and the inherent roadblocks that exist, while it sounds easy, I don’t think in actuality it is.
“I think if Jed continues to progress like he did in 2007, he will have an opportunity at some point to impact our major league club.”
Lowrie hit .297 in 93 games at Double-A Portland then .300 in 40 games at Triple-A Pawtucket.
The Red Sox drafted Pedroia in the second round in 2004, Ellsbury in the first round in 2005 and Lowrie between the first and second rounds as a sandwich pick in 2005.
All three faced each other in Pacific-10 play in college – Pedroia at Arizona State, Ellsbury at Oregon State and Lowrie at Stanford. Ellsbury and Lowrie also played together on a high school all-star team in Oregon.
“We thought it was neat we both got drafted by the Red Sox,” Ellsbury said. “Pretty much, we went together at each level and have been roommates and then you continue through the minor leagues into the major leagues.”
Ellsbury began spring training after an eye-catching stretch in September and October. His speed and defensive ability wowed fans and his .438 World Series batting average, after he replaced Coco Crisp as the starting center fielder in Game 6 of the A.L. Championship Series, led the team.
Ellsbury is clearly the center fielder of the future, perhaps as soon as opening day. But manager Terry Francona insists that Crisp, with two years left on his contract, is the incumbent.
Lowrie may be the shortstop of the future even though Julio Lugo has three years remaining on his deal.