Expansion Era Minor League All-Star Rosters – Red Sox
Founded on my research for the “Minors vs Majors” chapter in my book, “Hardball Retroactive” paired with complementary articles “Minors vs. Majors: The Top Minor League Batters in the Expansion Era” and “Minors vs. Majors: The Top Minor League Pitchers in the Expansion Era“, the ensuing series will reveal the Minor League All-Star rosters for every MLB franchise based primarily on single-season statistics in Runs Created / 140 Games (batters) and Fielding Independent Pitching (pitchers).
Selection Criteria
- individual seasons in the Expansion Era (1961 – 2017)
- levels A through AAA
- ages 24 or younger (A and A+)
- age 25 seasons (AA and AAA)
- age 26 seasons (AAA)
Terminology
RC – Runs Created – using the basic formula devised by Bill James:
((H + BB) * TB) / (AB + BB)
Note: I utilized the basic formula as opposed to the Technical Version due to
incomplete GIDP and IBB data.
RC/140 – Runs Created per 140 Games as Minor League ballplayers
RC / (G / 140)
FIP – Fielding Independent Pitching – “Fielding Independent Pitching converts a pitcher’s three true outcomes into an earned run average-like number. The formula is (13*HR+3*(HBP+BB)-2*K)/IP, plus a constant (usually around 3.2) to put it on the same scale as earned run average.
FIP is a component ERA inspired by the work of Voros McCracken on defense-independent pitching statistics, but has become more widely used because of the ease of computation – it requires only four easily-found box score stats, uses only basic arithmetic operations and has four easily-memorized constants. It was conceived of by both Tom Tango and Clay Dreslough, the latter of who called it Defense-Independent Component ERA.” (definition courtesy of Baseball Prospectus Glossary).
((13*HR+3*(HBP+BB)-2*K)/IP)+3.2)
Assessment
The Boston Red Sox
Tony Conigliaro led the American League with 32 round-trippers in 1965 following a phenomenal campaign as an 18-year-old at Wellsville (A) two years earlier where he delivered a .363 BA, 42 doubles and 24 jacks while posting the highest single-season RC/140 (167.8) in the last 55 seasons for the Sox franchise. Selected in the 39th round of the 2005 Amateur Draft, outfielder Bubba Bell slashed .337 / .420 / .584 as he split the 2007 campaign between the Lancaster JetHawks (A+) and the Portland Sea Dogs (AA). Carmen Fanzone clubbed 20 long balls over a half-decade of part-time play for the Cubs and Red Sox after producing a .356 BA and slugging .620 with 106 runs scored between Wellsville (A) and Winston-Salem (A) in ’64. Mookie Betts, runner-up for the 2016 AL MVP award, crafted a .346 BA with 30 two-baggers and 33 steals to merit a promotion to the Majors in the summer of 2014. Sam Horn (#1, 1982) launched a moon-shot every 11.2 at-bats in his big league debut (1987) following a call-up from Pawtucket where he mashed 30 taters and slugged .649. Yoan Moncada rapped 31 two-base hits and swiped 45 bags while dividing the 2016 season among Salem (A+) and Portland. The Red Sox packaged Moncada and three other prospects in exchange for ace southpaw Chris Sale in December 2016.
Brandon Moss supplied a .353 BA and registered 111 ribbies in 2004 while playing for Augusta (A) and Sarasota (A+). Jim Rice (#1, 1971) finished runner-up to fellow Sox outfielder Fred Lynn in the 1975 AL Rookie of the Year balloting and captured the 1978 AL MVP award. Rice advanced to the big leagues in August ‘74 after posting a .337 BA with 25 big-flies for Pawtucket (AAA). Rafael Devers combined for 30 round-trippers and 90 ribbies between the upper minors and a two-month stint in Beantown during the 2017 season. Two-time All-Star Clay Buchholz (#1, 2005) capped a sensational 2007 campaign (2.44 ERA, 12.3 SO/9 in the upper minors) with a no-hitter in his second MLB start.
| Starting Lineup | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | POS | RC140 | BA | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG |
| Mookie Betts | 21 | 2014 | PRT,PAW | AA,AAA | CF | 129.1 | 0.346 | 11 | 65 | 0.431 | 0.529 |
| Bubba Bell* | 24 | 2007 | LNR,PRT | A+,AA | DH | 144.5 | 0.337 | 26 | 105 | 0.420 | 0.584 |
| Tony Conigliaro | 18 | 1963 | WVL | A | RF | 167.8 | 0.363 | 24 | 74 | 0.409 | 0.730 |
| Carmen Fanzone | 22 | 1964 | WVL,WSM | A | 3B | 139.1 | 0.358 | 26 | 90 | 0.446 | 0.620 |
| Zach Daeges* | 23 | 2007 | LNR | A+ | LF | 138.7 | 0.330 | 21 | 113 | 0.423 | 0.579 |
| Sam Horn* | 23 | 1987 | PAW | AAA | 1B | 123 | 0.321 | 30 | 84 | 0.389 | 0.649 |
| Mark Wagner | 23 | 2007 | LNR | A+ | C | 117.5 | 0.318 | 14 | 82 | 0.406 | 0.533 |
| Al Montreuil | 20 | 1964 | WLO | A | SS | 115 | 0.328 | 15 | 63 | 0.463 | 0.513 |
| Yoan Moncada# | 21 | 2016 | SAL,PRT | A+,AA | 2B | 109.5 | 0.294 | 15 | 62 | 0.407 | 0.511 |
| Bench | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | POS | RC140 | BA | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG |
| Chih-Hsien Chiang* | 23 | 2011 | PRT | AA | RF | 128.2 | 0.340 | 18 | 76 | 0.402 | 0.648 |
| Adam Hyzdu | 24 | 1996 | TRE | AA | OF | 125.6 | 0.337 | 25 | 80 | 0.424 | 0.618 |
| Aaron Bates | 23 | 2007 | LNR,PRT | A+,AA | 1B | 120.7 | 0.306 | 28 | 101 | 0.435 | 0.560 |
| Craig Brooks* | 23 | 1980 | WSM | A | OF | 120.3 | 0.327 | 24 | 83 | 0.457 | 0.559 |
| Rudy Pemberton | 26 | 1996 | PAW | AAA | OF | 118.9 | 0.326 | 27 | 92 | 0.375 | 0.616 |
| Jerry Dorsch | 22 | 1965 | WVL,WSM | A | 1B | 117.5 | 0.307 | 29 | 87 | 0.391 | 0.620 |
| Brandon Moss* | 20 | 2004 | AUG,SAR | A,A+ | OF | 117.4 | 0.353 | 15 | 111 | 0.411 | 0.519 |
| Jim Rice | 21 | 1974 | PAW | AAA | OF | 116.5 | 0.337 | 25 | 93 | 0.391 | 0.579 |
| Damian Sapp | 20 | 1996 | BTC | A | C | 116.4 | 0.322 | 18 | 52 | 0.395 | 0.570 |
| Bryce Brentz | 22 | 2011 | SAL,GRV | A+,A | RF | 115.8 | 0.306 | 30 | 94 | 0.365 | 0.574 |
| Raul Gonzalez | 25 | 1999 | TRE | AA | OF | 115.2 | 0.335 | 18 | 103 | 0.394 | 0.523 |
| Dave Schmidt | 22 | 1979 | BRI | AA | C | 115.1 | 0.332 | 19 | 73 | 0.453 | 0.571 |
| Rafael Devers* | 20 | 2017 | PRT,PAW | AA,AAA | 3B | 114 | 0.311 | 20 | 60 | 0.377 | 0.578 |
| Jon Still | 22 | 2007 | GRV,LNR | A,A+ | C | 112.9 | 0.291 | 25 | 98 | 0.429 | 0.532 |
| Tony Granadillo | 22 | 2007 | LNR,PRT | A+,AA | 2B | 109.3 | 0.326 | 8 | 67 | 0.410 | 0.489 |
| Starters | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | FIP | WLSV | ERA | WHIP | BB9 | SO9 |
| Clay Buchholz | 22 | 2007 | PRT,PAW | AA,AAA | 2.31 | 8-5 | 2.45 | 0.975 | 2.5 | 12.3 |
| Scott Taylor* | 22 | 1990 | LBG,NBR | A+,AA | 2.08 | 5-8 | 2.48 | 1.223 | 3.3 | 11.4 |
| Bob Heffner | 23 | 1962 | YOR | A | 2.29 | 13-10 | 2.68 | 1.214 | 2.8 | 9.8 |
| Seung Song | 21 | 2001 | AUG,SAR | A,A+ | 2.36 | 8-4 | 1.90 | 0.975 | 2.6 | 9.9 |
| Andy Hazlett* | 22 | 1998 | SAR | A+ | 2.36 | 11-7 | 3.20 | 1.117 | 1.4 | 7.6 |
| Relievers | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | FIP | WLSV | ERA | WHIP | BB9 | SO9 |
| Jeff Taglienti | 22 | 1998 | BTC | A | 1.07 | 30 | 1.89 | 0.933 | 2 | 13.1 |
| Dan Giese | 24 | 2001 | AUG | A | 1.35 | 9 | 2.19 | 0.986 | 1 | 11.6 |
| Robert Remson* | 19 | 1970 | WHV | A | 2.12 | 3 | 1.76 | 1.118 | 2.6 | 8.8 |
| Bobby Poyner* | 24 | 2017 | PRT,SAL | AA,A+ | 2.17 | 15 | 1.50 | 0.932 | 2.5 | 12.6 |
| Kevan Cannon* | 21 | 1996 | BTC,SAR | A,A+ | 2.23 | 5 | 2.55 | 1.243 | 2.6 | 9.1 |
| Bench | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | FIP | WLSV | ERA | WHIP | BB9 | SO9 |
| Rene Miniel | 22 | 2001 | AUG | A | 2.45 | 8-4 | 2.73 | 1.074 | 2.8 | 8.4 |
| Mike G. Brown | 23 | 1982 | BRI | AA | 2.48 | 9-6 | 2.45 | 1.155 | 2.9 | 9.2 |
| Rob Snow | 24 | 1966 | WSM | A | 2.54 | 20-2 | 1.75 | 0.916 | 1.9 | 7.7 |
| Jake Cosart | 22 | 2016 | GRV,SAL | A,A+ | 2.23 | 2 | 1.79 | 1.125 | 4.6 | 13.3 |
| Jim Corsi | 23 | 1985 | GBO | A | 2.25 | 9 | 4.26 | 1.496 | 2.6 | 9.7 |
| Cesar Cabral* | 21 | 2010 | SAL,GRV | A+,A | 2.33 | 9 | 3.64 | 1.226 | 2.4 | 9.1 |
Honorable Mention
Two-time All-Star corner infielder Shea Hillenbrand paced the Michigan Battle Cats (A) in batting average (.349), doubles (33), home runs (19) and RBI (93) as a backstop in ’98. Brewers’ first-sacker Cecil Cooper averaged .320 with 25 dingers and 107 ribbies over a five-year span (1979-1983) nearly a decade after carving up the Carolina (A) and Eastern (AA) league opposition (.354/16/86 in ’71). Butch Hobson rewarded the Boston faithful with 30 round-trippers and 112 RBI from the hot corner in ’77 subsequent to posting a .286 BA and slugging .558 for Pawtucket (AAA) in the previous campaign. Trot Nixon (#1, 1993) produced a .310 BA and dialed long distance 23 times for the Pawtucket (AAA) squad in ’98, then topped the century mark in runs scored during his third MLB season (2001). In the wake of three mediocre years with the Pirates (9-14, 5.44), Bronson Arroyo aka “Saturn Nuts”, “Smokey”, “Tacks”, “Dirty”, “BroYo” or “Free Love” returned to the Red Sox attempting to salvage his big-league career. Arroyo prevailed in 12 of 18 decisions and fashioned a 1.146 WHIP against International League (AAA) competition, then averaged 30 starts and 12 wins annually over the next decade for Boston and Cincinnati.
| Batter | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | POS | RC140 | BA | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG |
| Lars Anderson* | 20 | 2008 | LNR,PRT | A+,AA | 1B | 112.1 | 0.317 | 18 | 80 | 0.417 | 0.517 |
| John Maddox | 23 | 1963 | WVL | A | OF | 112 | 0.315 | 24 | 101 | 0.387 | 0.558 |
| Jose Malave | 23 | 1994 | NBR | AA | OF | 111.1 | 0.299 | 24 | 92 | 0.369 | 0.563 |
| Stefan Bailie | 24 | 2004 | SAR,PRT | A+,AA | 1B | 110.5 | 0.307 | 19 | 76 | 0.376 | 0.576 |
| Shea Hillenbrand | 22 | 1998 | BTC | A | C | 110.2 | 0.349 | 19 | 93 | 0.383 | 0.546 |
| Ryan Lavarnway | 23 | 2011 | PAW,PRT | AAA,AA | C | 109.9 | 0.290 | 32 | 93 | 0.376 | 0.563 |
| Cecil Cooper* | 21 | 1971 | PAW,WSM | AA,A | 1B | 109 | 0.354 | 16 | 86 | 0.406 | 0.517 |
| Ted Cox | 22 | 1977 | PAW | AAA | 3B | 108.6 | 0.334 | 14 | 81 | 0.396 | 0.531 |
| Butch Hobson | 24 | 1976 | PAW | AAA | 3B | 108.3 | 0.286 | 25 | 72 | 0.341 | 0.558 |
| Trot Nixon* | 24 | 1998 | PAW | AAA | OF | 108.3 | 0.310 | 23 | 74 | 0.400 | 0.513 |
| Pitcher | Age | Year | Teams | Levels | FIP | WLSV | ERA | WHIP | BB9 | SO9 |
| Casey Fossum* | 23 | 2001 | TRE | AA | 3 | 3-7 | 2.84 | 1.109 | 2.2 | 10 |
| Rich Rundles* | 20 | 2001 | AUG | A | 3 | 7-6 | 2.43 | 1.035 | 0.8 | 7.4 |
| Bronson Arroyo | 26 | 2003 | PAW | AAA | 3 | 12-6 | 3.44 | 1.146 | 1.4 | 9.3 |
| Mitch Herold* | 23 | 2009 | GRV | A | 2 | 4 | 1.93 | 1.258 | 3.3 | 9.8 |
| Ben Taylor | 23 | 2016 | SAL,PRT | A+,AA | 2 | 8 | 2.96 | 1.076 | 2.5 | 11.2 |
| Noe Ramirez | 24 | 2014 | PRT | AA | 2 | 18 | 2.15 | 1.075 | 2.1 | 7.5 |
References and Resources
Bill James Baseball Abstract
About the Author
I am a New Jersey native with a passion for baseball, statistics, computers and video games who enjoys spending quality time with his family.
“Hardball Retroactive”, published in June 2018, is available in paperback and digital (Kindle) format at Amazon.com along with digital eBook format at GooglePlay.com.
“Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.
Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.
“Hardball Retrospective – Addendum 2014 to 2016” supplements my research for Hardball Retrospective, providing retroactive standings based on Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Win Shares (WS) for each “original” team over the past three seasons (2014-2016). Team totals from 2010 – 2013 are included for reference purposes. “Addendum” is available in paperback and digital formats through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace.
