2014-2015 Minor League Coming and Going

vadertime

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A blast from the past.  Veteran utility man Joe Thurston is back on a minor league deal.  The defition of a 4A player, he played 4 games with Boston in 2008 and has played 184 games over parts of 7 seasons, and a 124 of those were in 2010.  Hasn't appeared in a major league game since 2011 with Florida and that was only for 1 game. 
 
https://twitter.com/MattEddyBA/status/573930680691744768
 

mabrowndog

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As reported a few weeks ago, part of the Yoan Moncada package is that the Sox would be bringing 27-yo Cuban-born OF Carlos Mesa aboard as a mentor. That signing is now official, and Mesa will join Moncada on Greenville's roster to start the season.
 
Originally signed by the Pirates as a 23-yo, he never made it past high-A. Prior to his 2013 (and final) season with Bradenton, Tim Williams of piratesprospects.com wrote:
 
 
Carlos Mesa is an interesting story. He signed out of Cuba for $490,000 as a 23-year-old. He was a pitcher, but the Pirates switched him to right field, where he displayed a plus arm. I didn’t see a lot that I liked out of Mesa in his first two years, and was surprised when I learned his bonus was so high. Then, during instructs last year, I noticed what I thought was a new international hitter. Turns out it was a slimmed down Carlos Mesa. He was looking more like a prospect, hitting the ball well and showing some speed. I don’t know if he’s going to make it, but I do know that I had him as a non-prospect his first two years, and now I’d at least give him a shot to eventually be something. He needs to do it quick, since he’ll be 25 this year.
 
Obviously, it didn't happen -- quickly or otherwise. The site's prospect profile for Mesa has more info on his Pittsburgh tenure.
 
Last April he signed with the New Jersey Jackals of the independent Can-Am League and put up a .204/.214/.352/.566 line in 56 PA before getting released in early June.
 

mabrowndog

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vadertime said:
A blast from the past.  Veteran utility man Joe Thurston is back on a minor league deal.
 
NESN managed to devote 6 paragraphs to Thurston in announcing the signing, but buried this snippet at the very bottom:
 
"The Red Sox also re-signed minor league utility man Justin Henry this week."
 
Meanwhile, San Diego signed UT IF Mike McCoy to a minor league deal late last month.

 
 

Plympton91

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If Mesa was a pitcher, and has shown he can't hit but still has a plus arm, why not try him as a relief pitcher at Greenville?
 

mabrowndog

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charlieoscar said:
Kukuk released.
 
The report I read saying Kukuk was released was erroneous. He is on the restricted list.
 
Actually, I think you had it right the first time. According to SoxProspects they released him on Dec. 2, two weeks after his arrest, though the club didn't publicize the decision.
 

billy ashley

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Kendrick Perkins released per Alex Speier. 6th round pick a couple years ago, had plus raw power but it never really translated. 
 
Perkins was a raw draftee with a high ceiling but he could never keep his ks under control. Too bad...
 
https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/581638418930761728
 
Will admit being more bummed about this than I should be. I remember being excited when Boston drafted him. Was a well regarded football recruit, as well.
 

mabrowndog

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Others released: RHP Deryk Hooker, OF Matty Johnson, RHP Willie Ethington.
 
I figured Matty might be one of those lifelong minor leaguers who keeps playing for the fun of it, even when stuck in A ball. He always had a great attitude that's bound to rub off on younger players.
 

Humphrey

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Did Felix Doubront burn every bridge here- he's available.   Minor league deal, of course.
 

mabrowndog

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From Chris Hatfield over in the SP forums:
 
Quintero already agreed to stay with the [PawSox]. Apparently Eveland also accepted assignment to the minors.

Justin Henry, as has been reported, is one of the many guys they signed as a player/coach, which is apparently just "coach without an official title like hitting coach" in actual practice. Joe Thurston and Nick Green were others, and Dreily Guerrero retired to take a similar position with the team.
 

mabrowndog

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* Pawsox release 1B Brian LaHair, IF Henry Rodriguez, LHP Casey Crosby & LHP Chris Hernandez.
 
* Greenville releases RHP Sergio Gomez and catcher-turned-RHP Joe Winterburn.
 
* Lowell releases 1B Nick Moore.
 

Plympton91

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The crazy amount of depth allowing a team to release someone like Chris Hernandez is just ridiculous. It would not be a surprise if he played a couple major league games this year, and the PawSox have no room for him.
 

BrooklynDog45

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When are minor league rosters set? Wondering where and when Moncada will get assigned. Extended spring seems likely before full season assignment.