While most promotions in the Red Sox minor league system take place in the summer, a few players get pushed up a level around this time, because of a combination of performance and circumstances.

In today's column in the Sunday Telegram, we take a look at possible candidates for promotion.

Now that Justin Masterson is a starter (temporarily, we think), and Michael Bowden has experienced a second quick stint in the majors, and John Smoltz is readying for his return to the majors in June ...

Did we forget about Clay Buchholz?

Buchholz was the man doomed to the minors, no matter how well he performed in spring training (and he performed well).

Then he got off to a slow start in April, which included a tweaked hamstring.

But Buchholz looked back in form on Monday.

Devern Hansack has signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox after clearing waivers, according to CBSSportsline.com.

Hansack had recently been removed from Boston's 40-man roster.

In another transaction, Iggy Suarez officially joined the Pawtucket roster, but Jeff Natale did not go on the DL, as expected (the Sea Dogs were under the impression that Suarez was replacing Natale).

Iggy replaced Robert Coello, who was an extra pitcher on the roster, according to soxprospects.com

Now for tonight's Sea Dogs lineup:

Not a week into the minor league season, and rosters are being adjusted for injuries.

Heading up the hurts is a pulled hamstring suffered by Pawtucket starter Clay Buchholz. He injured it during a workout.

Director of Player Development Mike Hazen, in Portland for one of his routine visits, did not think Buchholz would miss much time.

Pawtucket reliever Devern Hansack may be out a little longer. He suffered a dislocated shoulder. I do not have the details how that happened.

The Pawtucket Red Sox lost in 15 innings, 4-2 to Buffalo, because Pawtucket ran out of pitchers first. Catcher Carlos Maldonado took the mound in the bottom of the 15th and promptly gave up a walk and a home run.

Pawtucket went through pitchers quicker because starter Clay Buchholz showed little command. He lasted 3 2/3 innings, using 82 pitches (50 strikes), allowing 4 walks, 3 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), while striking out 3.

Daniel Bard had another two perfect innings of relief (2 K).

In low Class A, 2008 first-round draft pick Casey Kelly made his pro pitching debut.

Mark Wagner is batting .319 and a trio of relievers are looking strong in the various fall and winter leagues going on.

Wagner, who still may be considered the Red Sox best catching prospect (depending on your opinion of Luis Expositio), has rebounded from a slow start in the Arizona Fall league. He also has 3 home runs and 7 RBI in 15 games.

Outfielder Josh Reddick also had a tough start in the AFL, and is now batting .230 (3 HR, 12 RBI) in 18 games. Reddick is cold and hot. He recently went 7-for-16 in a four-game stretch, with two home runs.

Infielder/outfielder Kris Negron is 22. Then there is pitcher Felix Doubront, 20; Shortstop Oscar Tejada, 18; and third baseman Michael Almanzar, 17.

They are names to look out for as they continue to play above their age level in the minors.

Negron is tearing up the California Legaue (.381). In a 9-0 win at Bakersfield (little wind, by the way), Negron went 5-5 with two home runs ... Doubront got the win in his Lancaster debut (5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K).

In Greenville, Tejada (.264) remains hot (.405 in last 10 games) and was 3-for-5 on Friday ... Almanzar (.200) has been grinding it out since his promotion to Greenville. He went 2-for-4 Friday. Reminder: He is 17.

With Paul Byrd's debut with Boston delayed until day, eyes turned toward the Pawtucket Red Sox, where Bartolo Colon continued his rehab.

He did not go very far. Colon was supposed to go about four innings but left after one because of a "stomach ailment," according to the Providence Journal.

Jeff Natale hit a 3-run homer for Pawtucket.

Portland won a wild one with two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Iggy Suarez got the game-winning single. Lars Anderson (.365) went 4-for-4). Josh Reddick (.250) was 3-for-4 with his fourth home run ... Mickey Hall (12th) and Aaron Bates (9th) also homered ... Argenis Diaz (.297) had a triple.

Ryan Kalish went 3-for-5 in his second game with Lancaster.

Seth Garrison picked up his 7th save for Lowell (1 IP, 1 K) and lowered his ERA to 1.29.

Will check in later from Hadlock.

Right-handed pitcher Michael Bowden and outfielder Jeff Corsaletti have played their last games for the Portland Sea Dogs. They are going to Pawtucket after the All-Star break.

First baseman Lars Anderson and shortstop Argenis Diaz are coming to Portland from advanced Class A Lancaster. And outfielder Bryan Pritz is coming down from Pawtucket to Portland

The website soxprospects.com first reported the moves.

One unreported move is the likely promotion of 1B/DH Sandy Madera from Portland to Pawtucket.

The Secret Service was there, as was the Neil Diamond impersonator. Meanwhile, the star pitcher wasn't sure when or where he would pitch again.

Just another night at Hadlock Field.

Michael Bowden pitches for the Sea Dogs today (the game is sold out, although there might be a few returned season tickets available at the ticket office).

We've seen the likes of Clay Buchholz and Justin Masterson move through on their way to Fenway. My guess is Bowden won't be here too much longer if he keeps dominating. See the story.

While former Deering High standout Ryan Flaherty waits to see where he is drafted, his Vanderbilt teammate, third baseman Pedro Alvarez, did not have to wait long.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Alvarez No. 2 in the draft (after the Rays picked high school shortstop Tim Beckham).

Kansas City chose high school first baseman Eric Hosmer with the third pick (I thought Hosmer might drop down a bit because he has Scott Boras as a consultant; the Royals better be prepared to pay the bucks).

One other player went higher than I expected.

The Sea Dogs are underway here at Hadlock (Dogs up 3-0 after two innings).

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays apparently are prepared to select high school shortstop Tim Beckham with the first overall pick in the Major League draft, according to a story on www.milb.com

More on the draft in later blogs.

As for the Sea Dogs, good crowds are projected for the weekend (about 500 tickets remian for Friday night, 300 for Saturday night and Sunday is very close to selling out.

Here's the Sea Dogs lineup today:

Pitcher Daniel Bard, the Boston Red Sox first-round draft pick in 2006, is joining the Portland Sea Dogs, according to Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe.

Bard, with an 0.64 ERA in 28 innings pitched for low Class A Greenville, is bypassing advanced Class A Lancaster.

The speculation of a Bard move to Portland has been building in recent weeks because Bard had not gone to Lancaster, despite his domination in Greenville.

A couple of notes before we get to tonight's lineups.

Infielder Jeff Natale, who was filling in in Pawtucket, suffered a broken arm in today's game, when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning. Natale was promoted on April 16.

Today's game features the Double-A debut of the Blue Jays No. 1 prospect, 20-year-old outfielder Travis Snider, a first -round draft choice out of high school in 2006. He is considered a superb hitter.

Brandon Moss and Dusty Brown continue to hit away, both batting .333 for Pawtucket. Brown hit is first homer of the season last night.

Another former Sea Dogs player, relief pitcher Craig Hansen, still has his 0.00 ERA after another scoreless inning.

The Tigers are struggling because of poor pitching, and the Red Sox won Tuesday because of Dice-K and company coming through.

Some solid performances were also turned in Tuesday, from Pawtucket, and Portland.

When the Boston Red Sox invited Dustin Richardson to its selective Rookie Camp in the off-season, it raised an eyebrow or two, since he skipped over some prospects not invited (including Sea Dogs teammate Kris Johnson).

So far, so good.

So much has been said about the Red Sox 3-country road trip. Everyone, including the Red Sox, are tired of all the "tired talk."

At least it's over.

As for the Portland Sea Dogs, their 3-state trip is going nicely. No signs of fatigue.

Three of Boston's four minor league teams rained out Friday.

And there's not much to say about the Red Sox major league game (Shaun Marcum shows that the Jays do indeed have a deep pitching rotation ... as along as A.J. Burnett's health holds up).

The one minor league game played was in the California League, where Lancaster lost 7-5 at High Desert. A couple of players stood out. And while it's only two games into the season, maybe we can bookmark them and check their progress later.

If you want a chuckle check out the performance of Mississippi Braves manager
Phillip Wellman in the Southern League Friday night. When you get to the site, find the story about the manager going wild and click on the video