6/24 Gameday Thread: Welcome to the GCL!

A positive development is that there's been some realignment in the GCL to three divisions. So the Sox will play against five teams this year adding the Pirates and Braves, rather than the three they've faced the last several years.

not sure where to put this, but wanted to check on a sox prospect who, though injured, has shown a history of solid results, but is nowhere to be found. anyelo gomez who they got from the yankees this offseason. I know he had shoulder surgery this time last year, but it is assumed he is out for this year? I just hadnt seen anything about him and I thought his track record warranted a spot in say the top 40 prospects. If Groome is hanging around the top 5, I thought this guy with a better track record deserved some consideration. Is it the injury, or bullpen only keeping him out of the discussion?

I went to the Lowell games in CT this weekend and meant to post Saturdays notes in the Sunday game thread but wound up putting it the the actual day which is now in the gameday archives if you would like to read it. Maybe a moderator would like to move it to Sundays thread or today for the main board.

Acosta is gone again. I'm closing the door there.

Maita with a double followed by Rafaela with a tater to kick off the GCL season


Not baaaaaaad

Ball worked a walk

It could be the first sign of the Apocalypse. We now have a Jesus Maita (DSL) and an Angel Maita (GCL).

I had forgotten we had twins. My brain is now officially overloaded. Two GCL teams would probably kill me.

Zach Schneider struck out the side, allowed a hit in his only inning of work. I feel like he's going to be a prospect that I really end up wanting to succeed.

Congrats to US women's soccer for advancing today. Here are a few things I remember from talking with Boston's Brian Bannister this weekend in Lowell. Brian works both with the major league staff and travels to see our prospects in person, taking images of them and giving them a developmental plan. He said he has tens of thousands of images on his phone that a computer program sorts out for him, technology in use since 2012. The last major league draft he was involved in was 2016 drafting Groome, Anderson and Nogosek. He does some scouting in the Dominican writing reports on pitchers. He called the Dominican the wild west of scouting.

Recently, he has seen Ward up to 97 and Mata to 98. He saw Steven Wright throw three good innings in a rehab. I asked if he worked with a pitcher like Wright and he said he did. It's just everything is opposite with him. He develops spin with other pitchers but works with Wright to eliminate spin.

I asked about the decision making process on whether a pitcher would continue as a starter or move to the pen. Brian said there were 40 people with a voice but Dave would make the final decision. He likes Shawaryn to stay in the pen (as reportedly does Cora) and Darwinzon to move to the pen. To remain a starter, he is looking for pitchers who can stay strong that third time through the order. I asked about Bazardo pitching only relief this year and he said that was something he suggested and that he was up to 96 this year out of the pen.

Brian thought Scroggins would be in Lowell Sunday but wasn't there yet so maybe that is a done deal. He liked him as better than the typical senior sign you get in the ninth round. He was also excited about Song and was waiting on the navy to approve the contract. He said Song couldn't even pitch this year without the navy's permission.

I asked about Thornburg and he said thoracic outlet was just a tough operation to come back from. He only knew two pitchers who had explaining it was a different type of surgery that took things out of your arm, unlike Tommy John which replaces something. His friend Hochevar retired after the surgery. He said Thornburg has his velocity back to 95 but doesn't have the same feel for the curve that made him so successful.

I asked about Houck's splits and he said you expect splits and may live with them if the overall numbers are good enough. So there was still hope he would remain a starter.

Brian talked about some pitchers not having enough velocity on the curve to be effective in the majors. I asked how hard it needed to be and he said between 82 and 85.

I asked how his dad Floyd (134 wins, 26.4 WAR) was doing and he said fine. He was already in London for the Yankee series. Just a great guy to speak with. The Sox are fortunate to have him working in the system.