7/4 Gameday Thread: Erod rehabs, Owens back in AA. Fireworks

GCL 10am and Batista is the starter according to the lineup.

Why ?

You would expect a 23 year old with plus command and control from a major college to rise relatively fast. On the other hand, having no plus pitches makes him an unlikely major league player. Intriguing only if you care about minor league win loss records.

I was viewing it the other way around. With Longhi gone, Ockimey seems less likely for a promotion now considering his recent downturn in production.

I like 10 AM starts!! The GCL game was interesting. They played in the stadium. Let me start by asking who is Jecorrah Arnold?? I really liked what I saw with this kid. 18 year old kid shortstop with some tools. Maybe my eyes were fooled, but this kid has a great build 6'1" 190+, good foot work, solid accurate arm, and decent bat speed. I never have seen the name, but I walked away quite impressed with his defense, arm, legs, and even the bat. Keep the name in mind.

Other thoughts:
1) Esplin may be a player. IMO he needs to lose 10 to 15 pounds, but he moved well. His double off a decent left-hander was a shot over the head of the right fielder. He hustled all day in the field and on the base paths. He was the 1st out of the dugout after a 3rd out. He is a big kid, listed at 6'3" and 230. He showed some patience and a good arm.
2) Dalbec better hope he can turn it on. Loved his foot work and arm at 3rd. Struck out twice. One on a real poor breaking ball up, and a fastball he missed later. Bobby is one of my favorite players in the system, but not sure he will ever make enough contact.
3) Marrero has a real good arm, and looked good behind the plate. And a homer!
4) my last opinion is hopefully all wrong. Cole Brannen did not start, and seemed to be not engaged. How can a kid with 2 weeks of professional baseball not be involved. I get it that he wasn't starting, but when the players were paired and throwing to each other he threw lollipops while everyone else were stepping towards their partner and putting effort in it. When they ran some sprints, Cole finished last every time and gave little effort. I can't help when I watch an athlete to watch things about their body language. Maybe he had a headache. I hope that was the case!

Arnold was a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American Southeast - All Region 2nd Team and he was the number 1 ranked 3B in Georgia. He had a 3.83 GPA and had committed to college. He well might be a find.

Is it possible he wanted more money than any team would pay him as a draftee and then the Sox met his number outside of the draft? I assume that would be legal. There is no bonus amount listed on the board's draft list.

www.perfectgame.org/Players/PlayerProfile.aspx?ID=458014

No updates for this year for some reason.

Would an UDFA signing bonus count again the draft pool? Or would he just be considered another minor league free agent?

Weak in terms of prospects, yeah, but their roster has a bunch of older guys, and at 17/18 years old, an extra year of experience means a lot in terms of wins and losses.

Kutter Crawford (16th round, $125,000) and Brett Netzer making their Lowell debuts tonight.

I feel really sorry for Owens. He seemed to be developing, was in a position to perhaps earn consideration as a fifth starter, and now he seems to be falling apart. I wonder if the effort to rise above being a kind of AAAA pitcher just mixed him up even more mechanically. Is he someone who might find himself with a fresh start? I am rooting for him; maybe the Sox need to send him someplace he can try again.