HAIR OF THE SEA DOGS:

Once considered suspect, he’s now something special (Rob Bradford, May 25, 2007, Boston Herald)

“That,” Sox first base coach Luis Alicea said, pointing to the out-of-place 22-year-old, “is the next big-time pitcher.”

Skeptics would say Alicea’s analysis was smothered in bias, considering he had managed Buchholz in each of the hurler’s first two professional seasons. The opinion, however, soon spread throughout City of Palms Park. The wide-eyed, wiry, 6-foot-3 Texan has a tendency of wasting no time in making an impression.

“The kid is going to be something else,” Red Sox starter Curt Schilling [stats] said in an e-mail one day after Buchholz first faced big league hitters in that spring training game against Tampa Bay. “He’s an incredible athlete with a dream body for a young power guy. He’s thin and will fill out, and his fastball has hair, big time. He’s going to be special. . . . When catchers talk up a guy after a bullpen (session), the way they were with him, you know you’re seeing something special.”

That’s the type of reaction the Red Sox had hoped Buchholz would elicit since June 7, 2005 - the day when, through a somewhat convoluted set of circumstances, the former all-everything high school wide receiver, shortstop and occasional pitcher became part of their club.

Sea Dogs’ Bowden a major talent (Michael Silverman, May 25, 2007, Boston Herald)

Clay Buchholz gets all the buzz, but the Red Sox [team stats] do have another pitching prospect every bit as worthy: Michael Bowden.

A 20-year-old right-hander, Bowden was the 47th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was taken five spots after the Sox selected Buchholz, his current teammate at Double-A Portland.

Bowden started this season at Single-A Lancaster (Calif.) and showed that his 2006 numbers - 3.56 ERA, 131 strikeouts, 36 walks over 118 innings in stops at Single-A Greenville (S.C.) and Wilmington (Del.) - were no fluke. Pitching in the hitter-friendly California League, Bowden went 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in eight starts, striking out 46 and walking just eight. Those results prompted a call-up to Portland this month.

He made his second start there yesterday and got the no-decision in the Sea Dogs’ 3-2 win against Trenton. Although he struggled with his control, walking five in four innings, he did not allow a run and struck out three. In his first start May 18, he recorded the win, allowing one run in five innings.

“He’s a little (two years) younger than Clay, coming out of high school, but he’s a similar pitcher,” said Mike Hazen, the Red Sox’ director of player development. “Michael is one of our hardest workers and best makeup guys. He’s tremendously driven.”

Tyler Clippard, SP, NYA (Tim Dierkes, 5/25/07, Waiver Wired)

Baseball America describes Clippard's outlook as "solid #4." He's lost a little velocity on the heater, and doesn't have that one nasty out pitch. He does throw a decent curve and change, and has a deceptive delivery. He should stick in the Yanks' rotation until Phil Hughes returns, which might be four starts from now. Worth a look in AL-only, at least until the scouting reports get around.

When hitters can sit on your 88 MPH fastball, you're a AAA 4th starter.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 25, 2007 9:57 AM