Noe Ramirez reached Boston for the first time last season, appearing in 17 games and, outside a couple difficult outings, pitched 13 strong innings out of the bullpen for the 2015 Red Sox.  For those aware of Ramirez’s background, reaching Boston at all was a miracle in and of itself, and it is because of his background that no one should count him out moving forward.

The 26-year-old Ramirez grew up in Ramona Gardens, a housing project in East Los Angeles termed one of the most dangerous in all of California.  In fact, Ramona Gardens was once described as a “bleak bastion of crime” by the Los Angeles Times. The dirt field in Ramona Gardens is where Ramirez learned how to throw a baseball, and Ramona Gardens is where Ramirez learned what pressure felt like, which is important considering his potential role as a reliever for one of the most demanding baseball media markets and fan bases in the game.

Ramirez played college ball at Cal State Fullerton and was taken by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2011 draft.  The 6’3” Ramirez has a quick and deceptive delivery, throwing the ball from a low arm slot and hiding the ball very well until the moment of release.  Ramirez has three pitches – fastball, changeup and slider – and although none grade out as exceptionally strong, his high mound IQ and deceptive delivery have made him quite effective at getting hitters out.

Ramirez’s first professional season was in 2012 with Greenville, where the Red Sox used him as a starting pitcher.  However, after struggling through 16 starts that year, the Red Sox transitioned him to the bullpen prior to the 2013 season and he excelled in the role. Ramirez started out 2013 with Salem, where he pitched 47 innings, struck out 44 batters, walked only nine and compiled a 2.11 ERA.  Following this performance, Ramirez was called up to Portland, where he pitched his final 28.2 innings of the 2013 season, all of which were just as good (22 H, 8 BB, 31 K, 2.83 ERA).

Ramirez spent the entire 2014 season with Portland, where he served as their closer and was selected to the Eastern League All-Star team.  He finished 2014 with a final line of 67 IP, 56 H, 16 BB, 56 SO and a 2.15 ERA.  Needless to say, Ramirez’s first 140 innings of relief work could not have gone better, which is why the Red Sox made him a non-roster invitee to Spring Training and had him open up the 2015 season right on the doorstep of Boston in Pawtucket.

What Went Right in 2015

In Pawtucket, almost everything went right for Ramirez.  In early July, Ramirez had compiled a 2.42 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and .217 batting average against for Pawtucket, and found out the Red Sox were not only adding him to the 40-man roster, but also the big league 25-man roster.

Ramirez spent most of July with the Red Sox, but was sent back down for all of August and then called back up when the rosters expanded in September.  Despite some struggles during his first MLB stint in July, Ramirez pitched well overall considering it was his first experience with major league hitters.

Although Ramirez finished the 2015 season with a 4.18 ERA for Boston, he compiled a very respectable 3.38 ERA over 14 of his final 17 appearances.  Additionally, over the eight innings he pitched in September and October, Ramirez held opponents to a .214 BA.  Lastly, although an admittedly small sample size (10 ABs), Ramirez did well against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .200 BA overall.

What Went Wrong in 2015

During his time in Pawtucket and Boston, Ramirez experienced issues with his command.  For context, his walks per nine innings was 2.1 in 2014 and 2.0 in 2013.  However, in his 42.2 total innings with Pawtucket in 2015, Ramirez’s walks per nine innings increased to 3.8.  It was even worse in Boston, though, as Ramirez walked 4.8 batters per nine innings, a completely unsustainable number for a major league reliever.

With that said, Ramirez did see improvement in his command during his second stint in Boston in September and October.  Other than an outing in Toronto where he walked two batters in two-thirds of an inning, Ramirez only walked one batter over his final eight innings of 2015.  Still, considering Ramirez dealt with command issues in Pawtucket as well in 2015, it is clear this is something the Red Sox and Ramirez will need to watch.

Ramirez also struggled with right-handed hitters during his time in Boston.  Over 17 appearances, right-handed hitters registered 42 at-bats against Ramirez, batting .262 overall, with 3 HRs and a .500 slugging percentage.

2016 Outlook/ MLB ETA

The best thing about Ramirez and what may serve him well heading into 2016, besides his high IQ on the mound, is his toughness, his ability to stay even-keeled, learn from his mistakes and be put right back out there in a high-leverage situation.  We saw that last year when he had a poor September outing in Toronto, but came back the very next night in the eighth inning of a one-run game to get through the heart of the Blue Jays order.  This personality trait could make Ramirez an effective seventh-inning reliever, if he can figure out what plagued him in 2015.

Ramirez is back with the Red Sox this spring, but is on the outside looking in with regards to a spot on the team’s 25-man roster.  In Craig Kimbrel and Carson Smith, the Red Sox added two right-handers during the offseason.  Their presence, along with fellow right-handers, Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa, make it tough for the Red Sox to find room or a need for Ramirez.  Although there is one spot left in the bullpen for a righty, John Farrell has said he wants someone who can be extended over multiple innings.  If true, there are better options vying for the spot, such as Steven Wright and Matt Barnes.  Plus, with two minor-league options left for Ramirez, the Red Sox may want to obtain flexibility on the roster and in their bullpen depth by sending Ramirez down to Pawtucket to start 2016.

With that said, he still needs work, which is why it may be in Ramirez’s best long-term interest to start the year in Pawtucket, so he can work on some of the issues that plagued him during his 2015 stay in Boston, such as his command and difficulties with right-handed hitters.  Although Ramirez will likely have to wait his turn again this season, he should get his next turn at some point in 2016.

Photo by Gregory Fisher/USA Today Sports Images

Teddy Stankiewicz may be the most interesting pitching prospect in the Red Sox system.  At 6’4, 200 pounds, with a four-pitch repertoire (fastball, curveball, changeup, slider), the 22-year-old Texan has the prototypical frame, build and makeup of a major league starting pitcher.

Entering what will be his third full professional season, the young right-hander is someone to watch, as he has the tools to soar up the Red Sox prospect rankings this year.

As a senior in high school, Stankiewicz, who was 18-years-old at the time, was selected 75th (2nd rd) by the New York Mets in the 2012 draft, but the two sides were unable to reach a deal.  Stankiewicz spent the 2012 season at Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma before re-entering the draft in 2013, when he was selected 45th (2nd rd) by the Red Sox as a 19-year-old.  Although the negotiations between Stankiewicz and the Red Sox went better than the one with the Mets, they did not go off without issue.

Stankiewicz was due to receive $1.1 million from the Red Sox, but the team discovered during a routine physical that he does not have a right pectoral muscle.  As a result, the team and Stankiewicz agreed to reduce the signing amount by $200,000.  Considering Stankiewicz has been throwing a low-to-mid-90s fastball since he was 18-years-old, this clearly has not been an issue for Stankiewicz and doctors say it never will be.  The only impact it has on Stankiewicz and baseball relates to his workout routine.  For example, there are certain exercises in the gym, i.e. bench press, that he avoids.

In his first three professional seasons, Stankiewicz’s strike-throwing ability has been his best attribute.  He works quickly and has great control over his fastball and slider, which are his two best pitches.  With more development, his changeup also has the potential to be an above-average pitch for him.  There is no doubt Stankiewicz prides himself on being a workhorse and always in control of his pitches.

Although he issues very few walks, Stankiewicz also does not register many outs via strikeout.  Rather, he relies on batters putting the ball in play and his defenders doing the rest.

Although he issues very few walks, Stankiewicz also does not register many outs via strikeout.  Rather, he relies on batters putting the ball in play and his defenders doing the rest.  In so doing, Stankiewicz limits his pitch count and eats innings for his team, and we all know how valuable that quality is and how expensive it is too.  A 200-inning pitcher will cost you close to $100 million in today’s MLB (see Mike Leake), so the development of Stankiewicz is important to the team, but it is also critical to his value as an asset should the Red Sox choose to ever dangle him in trade talks.

Stankiewicz has moved up a level every year of his professional career.  In 2013, right after the draft, Stankiewicz was sent to Single-A Lowell, where, as a 19-year-old, he was 2.3 years younger than the average player at that level.  Stankiewicz pitched 19.1 innings over nine starts, struck out 15, walked only two and finished with a 2.29 ERA.

In 2014, Stankiewicz moved up a level to Single-A Greenville for his first full professional season.  Stankiewicz, at 20-years-old, was 1.7 years younger than the average player at that level.  Stankiewicz compiled 140.1 innings over 25 starts and walked only 29 batters, which is incredible.  However, he only struck out 102 batters.  He finished the season with a 3.72 ERA.

In 2015, Stankiewicz moved up to the Carolina League, an advanced Single-A level, where he played for Salem.  Stankiewicz pitched the entire season as a 21-year-old, which is nearly two years younger than the average player at that level. You might be noticing a theme here; Stank has been young for his levels.

What Went Right in 2015

Despite receiving minimal run support and sub-par defense behind him, which is not a good thing for a pitcher who relies on his defenders for most of his outs, Stankiewicz continued to do what he does best by throwing strikes and innings.

Given his age and the issues around him, it is hard to see Stankiewicz’s 2015 season as anything but a developmental success.  He started 25 games, threw 141.1 innings and handed out only 32 walks, which amounts to approximately two walks per nine innings.  His 141.1 innings was fourth-best in the Carolina League in 2015.  Stankiewicz finished the season with a 4.01 ERA, thanks in part to slowing down near the end of the season.

In addition to continuing to develop where he is strongest — control and durability — Stankiewicz demonstrated he is capable of being dominant when he puts all of it together.  On May 25th, Stankiewicz threw eight shutout innings, permitting only three batters to reach base (2 hits, 1 walk).  Then, on July 3rd, Stankiewicz flashed his strikeout potential as well, throwing seven shutout innings, surrendering three hits, zero walks and striking out nine batters, which was a season-high.  On July 15th, he threw six shutout innings and in his final start of the season, Stankiewicz threw seven shutout innings, surrendering five hits and only two walks.  There is nothing better than finishing on a high note, which was even more important for Stankiewicz given the struggles he had experienced in his prior three starts.

What Went Wrong in 2015

Although he pitched the entire 2015 season at only 21-years-old, Stankiewicz’s struggles cannot be overlooked and there were plenty in 2015.  For example, he failed to improve in any statistical category.

Since Stankiewicz pitched nearly identical innings in both 2014 and 2015, it is quite easy to compare his numbers and the comparisons are not good.  While he struck out 102 batters in 2014, he only struck out 77 in 2015, which lowered his SO/9IP from 6.5 to 4.9.  Although the differences were barely noticeable, he gave up more hits, walks and home runs in 2015, resulting in an increase in his WHIP from 1.211 in 2014 to 1.281 in 2015.

As mentioned before, Stankiewicz started the same amount of games and pitched nearly the same amount of innings in 2015 that he did in 2014, which may be a bad thing.  Given the fact he was fourth in the Carolina League in innings pitched, it is hard to criticize that aspect of his season, but should he not have seen a larger increase in his workload than one inning?

Outlook for 2016/MLB ETA

Stankiewicz will be moving up to Double-A ball in 2016, joining the Portland Sea Dogs, where he will once again be one of the younger players on his team.  He is projected to be the ace and workhorse of Portland’s rotation, which may put him in line for a call-up to Pawtucket if a need arises.

After throwing 140 innings the last two seasons, do not be surprised if the Red Sox let him approach or exceed the 160-inning threshold.  If so, it will be fascinating to watch because if at age-22, Stankiewicz can replicate his successes from 2014 and 2015 at the Double-A level, he may find himself in the top-10 of the Red Sox prospect rankings heading into 2017.

Stankiewicz needs at least another full season in the minor leagues and that is exactly what is going to happen in 2016.  His best-case scenario for 2016 is finishing the season in Pawtucket, which is entirely possible given his position within the system and Portland’s rotation. From there, it depends.  Beyond that, well, there are a lot of pitchers ahead of him for the Red Sox 2017 rotation, especially if Clay Buchholz’s 2017 option is exercised and Joe Kelly and/or Henry Owens breaks out as well.  That’s putting the cart before the horse though; Stank needs to further develop his secondaries and prove he can miss bats before we worry about him making the rotation in Boston.

The 2016 season will tell us a lot about Stankiewicz and whether or not he can become a back-end, cost-effective workhorse for the Red Sox rotation.  As we all know, the Red Sox have been searching for a 200-inning pitcher for quite some time and hope to have finally found one in David Price, which only cost them $217 million.  That is what makes Stankiewicz potentially so valuable.  Not everyone can be the ace of a rotation and strike 10 batters out per game.  Teams who succeed need the workhorse as well, the guy you can rely on to take the ball every fifth day, start 30-plus games, pitch 190-plus innings and save your bullpen more often than not.  That is who Stankiewicz is capable of becoming.

Photo by Kelly O’Connor/www.sittingstill.smugmug.com

Going Deep

The positional players reported for Spring Training this week. Among them was Pablo Sandoval, who caused quite the stir amongst the Boston fans and media after he showed up overweight and then held a press conference in which he gave various unflattering answers about his offseason, weight and motivation for the upcoming season.  Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe joined in on the barrage of fat-shaming pieces about Sandoval, despite saying last season he never would, and John Tomase of WEEI provided some further context to the situation.  In my view, this week has been an embarrassing one for the Boston media and its fans.  The Red Sox signed Sandoval to a five-year deal prior to last season.  At the time, his nickname for years had been “Panda.”  In fact, the Red Sox did a marketing push following his signing playing on the Panda nickname.

News flash: Sandoval was not given the Panda nickname for his skinny body type.  Rather, he was given the Panda nickname because he was famously overweight while playing for the San Francisco Giants.  Sandoval was overweight when he helped the Giants win three World Series, even winning one World Series MVP.  He was overweight in his 39 playoff games, in which he compiled a .344 BA, 6 HRs and 20 RBIs.  He was overweight in his 12 World Series games, in which he compiled a .426 BA, 3 HRs and 8 RBIs.  He was overweight when he was voted an All-Star in 2011 and 2012.  He was overweight when his home run totals in 2012 and 2013 were 12 and 14, not much different than the 10 he hit in 2015.  And he was overweight during his final three seasons in San Francisco when his average season was 14 HRs, 73 RBIs and a .278 BA. Those numbers are much stronger than what he produced in his first season in Boston, but would they satisfy Red Sox fans?  The point is, who did the Red Sox, including Tom Werner, think they were getting when they signed Sandoval?  He was, is and always will be an overweight, average regular-season player.

As Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald recently discussed, John Farrell began Spring Training by opening up a competition for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, much to the delight of Henry Owens, who genuinely believes he has a chance to win the job over Joe Kelly.  With that being said, Kelly is the favorite, as the Red Sox will want to see if his finish to last season can be replicated.  Over his final nine starts of 2015, Kelly went 8-0 with a 3.00 ERA over 51 innings.  However, that is not to say there is not a path forward for Owens, who actually finished last season with a better ERA than Kelly, albeit in fewer innings.  In 2015, Owens finished with 11 starts, 63 innings, 24 walks, 50 strikeouts and a 4.57 ERA.  In fact, considering he surrendered at least seven runs in three of his 11 starts, his 4.57 ERA is fairly impressive.

Quick Hits

Chris Young began his first Spring Training with the Red Sox and outlined his plan to attack the Green Monster this season, per ESPN.com’s Rick Weber.  Young was signed to a two-year deal in the offseason, with the idea of him being their fourth outfielder behind Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Rusney Castillo.  Young is much stronger against left-handers than righties, finishing with a .327 BA, 7 HRs and 24 RBIs last season against southpaws, which is why many thought Young would get most of his at-bats this year against left-handers.  However, according to John Farrell, Young is going to start against every left-hander the Red Sox face this season.  Although Farrell did not note who Young would primarily play for — Castillo or Bradley — it will probably depend upon who is swinging the bat better at the time, as both are substantially better against righties than lefties.

Clay Buchholz is “probably” going to be the Red Sox number two starter to begin the season, per WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, which makes complete sense given his track record.  With apologies to Rick Porcello, the only other potential candidate is Eduardo Rodriguez, but he does not need that added pressure on him in only his second season.  Plus, how a team lines up their starters to begin a year is more symbolic than anything else and Buchholz, as the veteran of the rotation, deserves that spot.  Plus, do not forget, this is a pitcher who is only two years removed from being 12-1 with a 1.74 era.  As for his injury-shortened 2015, he was quite good, compiling a 3.26 ERA over his 18 starts.  And over Buchholz’s final five starts. he pitched 34.1 innings and surrendered only 4 runs.

Bradford also examined the journey Roenis Elias has taken to the Red Sox.  As you all know, the Red Sox acquired him in their offseason trade with the Seattle Mariners for Wade Miley.

Christopher Smith of Mass Live explained John Farrell’s conundrum regarding Hanley Ramirez’s defense, and it revolves around wanting to keep his bat in the lineup every day.

David Ortiz arrived for what is supposed to be the last Spring Training of his playing career.  Dan Shaughnessy thought Ortiz hit a home-run in his opening remarks to the media.  Rick Weber of ESPN discussed how the Red Sox and Ortiz do not want his final year to be a distraction to the team.

Photo by Nick Tuchiaro/USA Today Sports Images

The 2016 season will be Pat Light’s most important yet.  After being added to the Red Sox’s 40-man roster earlier this winter, expectations are beginning to rise for the soon-to-be 25-year-old right-hander, and that makes sense considering this will be his fifth year in their system.  In addition to being his fifth overall, this will be Light’s second season out of the bullpen, which means he and the team will be unable to use the “learning curve: excuse in the face of any early struggles.  There is a lot of pressure on Light as he enters Spring Training with the big league club, but make no mistake about it; with pressure comes opportunity, and that is something the Red Sox are likely to give him at some point this season.

There is little doubt the Red Sox thought Light would have broken through by now when they selected him with their supplemental first-round pick in 2012.  A pick they received, quite coincidentally given his current makeup, as compensation from the Philadelphia Phillies for their signing of Jonathan Papelbon.  However, Light’s rise and growth within the system was stunted as a result of a switch in his role prior to last season.

For his first three years in the Red Sox system, Light was being groomed as a starter with a three-pitch repertoire: fastball, slider and changeup.  His fastball was consistently in the low 90s during this part of his career, but he had the ability to turn it up when he had to.  Things started out well for Light, who immediately reported to Lowell after being drafted.  He started 12 games that year, pitched 30.1 innings and finished with 30 strikeouts, 5 walks and a 2.37 era.  However, that would be the last time Light saw success as a starter.

In 2013, after moving up a level to Greenville, Light started nine games and pitched 28.1 innings.  He surrendered 44 hits, issued 14 walks and finished with an 8.89 ERA.  In 2014, after moving up another  level, he started 22 games and pitched 115 innings, surrendering 135 hits, issuing 35 walks and compiling a 4.93 era.  However, of most concern to the Red Sox at the time was his low strikeout rate, which had dipped to a career-low 11.2%.  Given his performance to date and ability to reach back and throw in the upper 90’s, the organization decided to make a change and try Light out as a reliever in 2015 — a role many had him pegged for when the Sox first drafted him.

What Went Right in 2015

Light began the 2015 season in Portland and he did so with a brand-new pitch repertoire.  He shelved his slider and changeup, which he had limited success with, and started to throw a splitter that he used throughout college, but never after.  Armed with an upper-90s fastball and swing-and-miss splitter, Light set out to prove himself as a reliever and he did just that.  After giving up six earned runs in his first nine innings with Portland, Light settled in and surrendered only two runs over his next 20.2 innings.  It was at that point he was called up to Pawtucket. Overall, Light finished his time in Portland with the following numbers: 21 appearances; 29.2 IP; 18 hits; 3 HR; 11 walks; 32 strikeouts and a 2.43 era.  Simply put, he was dominant, striking out 27.1% of the batters he faced, with opponents only hitting .168 off him.  All the reason why it was the right time for him to move up and test himself in Pawtucket.

What Went Wrong in 2015

Light was unable to find the same success in Pawtucket, and that had a lot to do with his loss of command.  He appeared in 11 games before the Triple-A All-Star Break, which saw him walk 12 batters in 11.1 innings and only strike out 10.  Opponents hit .318 off him during this 11-game stretch and he compiled an 8.74 ERA.  It was one of the worst stretches of his career and by far the worst in his short time as a reliever.

During the second-half of the Triple-A season, although Light never obtained the level of success he found in Portland, he did improve.  He pitched 21.1 innings over 15 appearances, held batters to a .210 average and compiled a 3.32 ERA.  Most importantly his strikeout and walk numbers improved.  In the first half, he struck out 10 and walked 12, but in the second half, he walked 14 and struck out 25.  While his command remained an issue, the return of his swing-and-miss stuff was encouraging for he and the Red Sox organization.

Despite the strong finish, there is no question that Light struggled through much of his 33 innings in Pawtucket.  Overall, he surrendered 31 hits and walked 26 batters.  Contrast that with his near-30 innings in Portland, where he surrendered 18 hits and walked 11 batters.

Future Outlook/ETA

There were a lot of encouraging signs from Light’s 2015 season, which is why at the end of the year, BP Boston’s Alex Skillin labeled him one of the top five prospects to watch for in 2016.  It is important to remember that while he struggled during much of his time in Pawtucket, it was not only his first time pitching out of the bullpen, but also his first battle with Triple-A hitters.  It is entirely plausible, and reasonable for that matter, to imagine he was simply over-matched when he first arrived there.  However, recently, a new theory arose that the Red Sox think he was tipping pitches.  It is an issue they have figured out this offseason, but if true, may explain Light’s struggles.  Ultimately, Light figured it out long enough to produce a strong month of August (14.1 IP, 8 H, 19 SO, .157 BAA) with Pawtucket, which was something he could hold onto heading into the offseason.

Light did not have to wait long to put some of the things he learned from his time in Pawtucket to work, as he and the Red Sox organization decided to have him pitch and continue his relief work in the Puerto Rican Winter League.  Although he once again dealt with command problems, issuing eight walks in 11.1 innings, he struck out 10 batters and compiled an impressive 1.59 ERA.

Light is likely going to debut with the Red Sox in 2016.  That is no doubt the plan, and anything less will be disappointing to both him and the organization. He’s unlikely to start the year in the pen given the offseason acquisitions of Craig Kimbrel and Carson Smith and out-of-options players like Tommy Layne and Steven Wright ahead of him, but he’s certainly in the next tier of depth.

Regardless of who wins the 12th spot out of Spring Training, I think Light is going to throw his first pitch in Fenway Park in 2016 for the following reasons: (1) barring a complete meltdown both this spring and to begin the Triple-A season, he is going to be one of the next men up in case of an injury or need; (2) on the injury front, Koji Uehara is turning 41-years-old in April and dealt with injuries and slightly diminishing stuff this past season; (3) Matt Barnes has yet to find success at the Major League level and there is not much reason to believe anything will be different this season; and (4) Light fits the mold of what GM Dave Dombrowski wants in his bullpen and that is the ability to throw 100 MPH.

If there is a need and Light is pitching well, Dombrowski will not hesitate to give him a chance. Light could give the Red Sox yet another flame-throwing righty out of the pen, and thanks to  Boston’s offseason moves, he shouldn’t be rushed into high-leverage situations right away. That’s a great situation for a reliever to find himself in, and Light could position himself for a more consequential role in 2017 and beyond.

Photo by Kelly O’Connor, www.sittingstill.smugmug.com