Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
When Torey Lovullo managed Triple-A Pawtucket in 2010, Ryan Kalish joined him on June 1, earning a promotion from Double-A Portland. In 27 games with the PawSox, Kalish hit .261 with four home runs and 14 RBI, playing all three outfield positions. He wasn’t with the PawSox long, though, before he earned another promotion, making his big league debut on July 31.
“First of all, when Ryan Kalish is healthy he’s as capable as any young
player that the Red Sox have,” Lovullo said. “I think we got a little
snapshot of that in 2010 when he had a great run. Unfortunately, these
injuries have kind of sidetracked him. My discussions with him since
that time, even though it’s been brief, I think he has to find a way to
make sure that he is a healthy ballplayer and one that is going to be
moving forward and evaluating himself properly. You can’t evaluate
yourself when you’re injured and I think that was the one comment that I
continued to make to him.
“So there’s no doubt about his
importance to the Boston Red Sox. I definitely plan on establishing a
little bit more of a rapport with him, understanding where he is
physically and mentally, and then doing all that I can in my area to
make sure that we get the most of him like we did in 2010.”
CSNNE - Lovullo: Sox hope to need to see healthy Kalish
News this morning is pretty sparse, unless you want to read about all the different ways Farrell and Lovullo have worked together in the past.
What am I interested in is roster building, and trying to get a grasp for how the Sox plan to approach the 2013 season. While I can't imagine Torey Lovullo is going to have much pull when it comes to who stays or who goes, I'm sure his opinion will count for something. So when he says that Ryan Kalish is "as capable" as any other young Sox player, that's a notch in the "play Kalish" column.
If Kalish can remain healthy, I think he's going to be a very good player. I don't know exactly how high his ceiling is, but it's probably somewhere between everyday starter and not-quite-all-star. A guy you can plug into your lineup every day, get good production at the plate, and not have to worry about him in the field. If the Sox had a few more of those guys, and less supposed perennial all-stars, these last two seasons wouldn't have happened.
So I'm happy to have Kalish, and more guys like him, suiting up for Boston next year. Having Lovullo on board, someone who's managed in the minors, on a team that may be filled with youth is a great combination. I'm becoming more optimistic about this team by the day.
Rest of the links:
Herald -Torey Lovullo, John Farrell go back | Globe -Carl Crawford gets a second chance in Los Angeles | WEEI -Steve Phillips: Bobby V has his 'own reality' | CSNNE -Farrell, Lovullo continue longstanding relationship in Boston | ESPN - Lovullo-Farrell bond bodes well for 2013 | Reports: Peterson to talk pitching coach
