Clearing the Bases Blog Index
July 09, 2008
Could Ortiz be coming to Portland?

David Ortiz took batting practice for a second straight day on Tuesday and is expected to play some rehab games next week in the minors.

Could we see Big Papi taking aim at the right field pavilion at Hadlock Field?

Don't count on it ... unless Ortiz's schedule is delayed.

If Ortiz is ready to go right after the All-Star break, then he would be headed for Pawtucket (home July 17-20).

But if Ortiz is not ready until, say July 21 ... then maybe Portland is the place.

Pawtucket plays in Columbus, Ohio after July 20, while Portland continues its home stand until the 24th.

It is always a hope that a big name comes to Hadlock. But Pawtucket is usually the destination because of either proximity or the Triple-A competition.

Portland fans, of course, can say they've seen a lot of the current Red Sox stars, and "almost-stars" like Brandon Moss, who knocked in two runs Tuesday, including the game-winning RBI single in the eighth. Moss is batting .279 with 10 RBI in 68 at-bats.

In the minors, Pawtucket split a doubleheader. Charlie Zink (10-2, 2.28) got the win in the second game, going all 7 innings (5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) ... Sean Danielson went 2-for-3.

Portland lost despite a 3-for-4 performance from Aaron Bates (a triple short of the cycle).

In Portland tonight, Michael Bowden makes another start. His innings will probably be limited to 5 ... and, of course, the speculation builds with every start that he is making his last appearance at Hadlock.

Lancaster won on the road and first baseman Lars Anderson (.319) keeps showing that he may be in Portland by August. He went 2-for-4 with his 12th home run ... Second baseman Chih-Hsien Chang (.294) went 2-for-4 with his 7th home run. Chang, 20, is quietly moving through the system in his third season ... Reliever Bryce Cox (3.47) pitched two scoreless innings (1 K).

In the Gulf Coast League, 18-year-old outfielder Bryan Peterson keeps hitting and went 3-for-4 ... third baseman Michael Almanzar doubled in the first inning and then left for unknown reasons. He was not initially on the Red Sox daily injury report.

And, finally, there was an Anibal Sanchez sighting Tuesday. Sanchez, the prized Red Sox pitching prospect traded to Florida in the Josh Beckett-Hanley Ramirez deal, pitched a no-hitter for the Marlins in 2006, but underwent shoulder surgery after six starts last year ... Sanchez made his first rehab start Tuesday in the advanced Class A Florida State League (4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K).

Posted at 07:39 AM

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Kevin covers baseball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He first reported on spring training games for the St. Petersburg Times in 1978. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 and now writes about the Portland Sea Dogs and Boston Red Sox—when he's not coaching Little League baseball.

He is married to Nancy, and the couple recently completed their lineup card with the birth of their ninth child.



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