Final Record: 66-73
Final Position: 3rd in North Division (17 1/2 Games back of the Iron Pigs)
Of all the leagues to cover in a prospect series, AAA is by far the worst. Because, while there may be some prospects on a given team... it is largely an extension of the Major League Club, some break glass in case of emergency guys, a bunch of filler, and Rusney Castillo. Hope and Dreams don't stop in Pawtucket, this is real life.
Offense:
Befitting the fact that this is not the place for prospects, the youngest offense in the league (Buffalo Bisons) clocked in at 24.7 years of age. The League average, 26.5. The PawSox... 27.7... with only the Iron Pigs and the Chiefs of Syracuse clocking in as more geriatric. Extra experience did not help the PawSox offense however, clocking in with only 3.85 runs scored per game... with only the Knights of Charlotte and the Red Wings of Rochester scoring less. Their Slugging (.367) and OPS (.685) was only worsted by Rochester... while their OBP made it all the way to fourth worst at .318. Oddly, Batting average was midpack at .249.
The team was midpack in hits (1158), fourth worst in doubles (224), last in triples (10 - 9 fewer than any other team), and third to the bottom in homers (101... with Syracuse and Rochester hitting fewer). The PawSox were third worst in runs (535), were fourth BEST in walks (440), midpack in hit by pitches (47) and in Ks (1138). The team was in the upper quartile in GIDP (107) and in the bottom half in stolen bases (64).
Pitching:
The pitching was also on the older side, clocking in at 27.2 (with Syracuse and Columbus more elderly, the league average being 26.2, the Youngest being the Young Yankees of Pennsylvania who clocked in at 24.8). Unlike the offense, the pitching kept the team in games with an ERA of 3.45 and an R/9 of 4.01 (2nd to Rochester). They were fourth in the league in WHIP (1.262) with their hits allowed (1127) being sixth best and their walks allowed (413) being fifth in the league. The team was second in the league in Strikeouts (1221 – behind the Durham Devil Rays) as well as HBP (60). On the semi-negative side... they did give up 117 dingers, fifth most in the league.
Next... the individuals. We'll start with the pitching this time just to highlight the pipeline to Boston.
Final Position: 3rd in North Division (17 1/2 Games back of the Iron Pigs)
Of all the leagues to cover in a prospect series, AAA is by far the worst. Because, while there may be some prospects on a given team... it is largely an extension of the Major League Club, some break glass in case of emergency guys, a bunch of filler, and Rusney Castillo. Hope and Dreams don't stop in Pawtucket, this is real life.
Offense:
Befitting the fact that this is not the place for prospects, the youngest offense in the league (Buffalo Bisons) clocked in at 24.7 years of age. The League average, 26.5. The PawSox... 27.7... with only the Iron Pigs and the Chiefs of Syracuse clocking in as more geriatric. Extra experience did not help the PawSox offense however, clocking in with only 3.85 runs scored per game... with only the Knights of Charlotte and the Red Wings of Rochester scoring less. Their Slugging (.367) and OPS (.685) was only worsted by Rochester... while their OBP made it all the way to fourth worst at .318. Oddly, Batting average was midpack at .249.
The team was midpack in hits (1158), fourth worst in doubles (224), last in triples (10 - 9 fewer than any other team), and third to the bottom in homers (101... with Syracuse and Rochester hitting fewer). The PawSox were third worst in runs (535), were fourth BEST in walks (440), midpack in hit by pitches (47) and in Ks (1138). The team was in the upper quartile in GIDP (107) and in the bottom half in stolen bases (64).
Pitching:
The pitching was also on the older side, clocking in at 27.2 (with Syracuse and Columbus more elderly, the league average being 26.2, the Youngest being the Young Yankees of Pennsylvania who clocked in at 24.8). Unlike the offense, the pitching kept the team in games with an ERA of 3.45 and an R/9 of 4.01 (2nd to Rochester). They were fourth in the league in WHIP (1.262) with their hits allowed (1127) being sixth best and their walks allowed (413) being fifth in the league. The team was second in the league in Strikeouts (1221 – behind the Durham Devil Rays) as well as HBP (60). On the semi-negative side... they did give up 117 dingers, fifth most in the league.
Next... the individuals. We'll start with the pitching this time just to highlight the pipeline to Boston.