Exposito added to #RedSox 40-Man Roster

The Boston Red Sox today purchased the contracts of catcher Luis Exposito, right-handed pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and infielder Oscar Tejeda from Triple-A Pawtucket, adding them to the 40-man Major League roster. With the moves, the Red Sox 40-man roster is now at 39.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein made the announcement.

Exposito compiled a .260 average (123-for-473) with 39 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 94 RBI, 65 runs scored and 55 walks in a career-high 125 games with Double-A Portland in 2010. The 23-year-old paced the Sea Dogs while finishing among Eastern League leaders in RBI (3rd) and doubles (4th) and caught 30 of 80 attempted base stealers for a league-best 37.5 percent caught stealing rate. Exposito has also played two games with Aguilas Cibaenas of the Dominican Winter League.

A veteran of five professional seasons, Exposito was selected by Boston in the 31st round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. He is a .274 (413-for-1,508) hitter with 42 home runs and 244 RBI in 394 career minor league games in the Red Sox organization.

Pimentel, 20, went 9-11 with a 4.06 ERA (58 ER/128.2 IP) in 26 starts for Single-A Salem in 2010, compiling a team-high 102 strikeouts compared to 42 walks. He ranked among Carolina League leaders in ERA (9th) and starts (T-3rd) while finishing fifth among league starters with a .248 opponent average against (120-for-484). Pimentel placed eighth among qualifying Red Sox minor leaguers in ERA and tied for fourth in wins. The right-hander was also selected to participate in the 2010 All-Star Futures Game and retired both batters he faced while pitching for the World Team.

Signed by Boston as an international free agent on July 2, 2006, Pimentel has gone 27-21 with a 3.64 ERA (150 ER/371.1 IP), 326 strikeouts and 110 walks in 77 career minor league games (73 starts) over four seasons (2007-10) in the Red Sox organization. He was named Red Sox Minor League Latin Program Pitcher of the Year with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox in 2007.

The 20-year-old Tejeda spent the 2010 season with Single-A Salem, where he was named to both the Carolina League’s mid-season and post-season All-Star teams. He ranked fourth in the circuit and second among Red Sox farmhands with a .307 average (156-for-508) and tallied 32 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 69 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 126 games, including a league-high 119 contests at second base. Tejeda also ranked among Carolina League leaders in sacrifice flies (1st, 10), hits (2nd), at-bats (5th), extra-base hits (7th, 48), runs scored (7th, 76), total bases (7th, 231) and slugging percentage (9th, .455). He has also appeared in nine games for Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League.

Originally signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent on July 2, 2006, the infielder has hit .281 (427-for-1,517) with 19 home runs, 190 RBI and 41 stolen bases in 389 career games over four seasons (2007-10) in the Red Sox farm system.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (39)

PITCHERS (18): Scott Atchison, Daniel Bard, Josh Beckett, Michael Bowden, Clay Buchholz, Taylor Buchholz, Robert Coello, Felix Doubront, Matt Fox, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Andrew Miller, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon, Stolmy Pimentel, Junichi Tazawa, Tim Wakefield.
CATCHERS (3): Luis Exposito, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Mark Wagner.
INFIELDERS (10): Lars Anderson, Brent Dlugach, Jose Iglesias, Jed Lowrie, Yamaico Navarro, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Marco Scutaro, Oscar Tejeda, Kevin Youkilis.
OUTFIELDERS (8): Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ryan Kalish, Darnell McDonald, Daniel Nava, Eric Patterson, Josh Reddick.

--- RED SOX COMMUNICATIONS---

Former Sea Dog Dustin Richardson traded to Marlins for Andrew Miller

Former Portland Sea Dogs Dustin Richardson was traded to the Florida Marlins on Friday for former top pitching prospect Andrew Miller. Richardson spent a good portion of the 2008 season with Portland as a starter. He also pitched another 63 innings in relief for Portland in 2009.

Below is the official Red Sox release:

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox on Friday acquired left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller from the Florida Marlins in exchange for left-handed pitcher Dustin Richardson.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Miller, 25, posted a 1-5 record with an 8.54 ERA (31 ER/32.2 IP) and 28 strikeouts in nine games (seven starts) with Florida in 2010. He also combined to go 2-9 with a 5.35 ERA (60 ER/101.0 IP) in 21 minor league starts between the Marlins Double-A Jacksonville (18 starts) and Class A Jupiter (three starts) affiliates before being recalled to the Majors on August 19. Selected by Detroit in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Miller owns a 15-26 record with a 5.84 ERA (191 ER/294.1 IP) in 79 career Major League appearances (54 starts) over parts of five seasons with the Tigers (2006-07) and Marlins (2008-10).

The left-hander won the Roger Clemens Award as college baseball's top pitcher as a junior at the University of North Carolina in 2006, where he was a teammate of Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard.

The 26-year-old Richardson made 26 relief appearances over three stints with Boston in 2010, posting a 4.15 ERA (6 ER/13.0 IP) with 12 strikeouts and 14 walks. The left-hander also pitched in 32 games out of the bullpen with Triple-A Pawtucket, going 3-0 with two saves, a 2.66 ERA (13 ER/44.0 IP) and a .181 opponent average (27-for-149). In 29 career Major League games over parts of two seasons with the Red Sox (2009-10), Richardson has tallied a 3.31 ERA (6 ER/16.1 IP) with 12 strikeouts and 15 walks.

www.redsox.com

Old Orchard introduces team name for NECBL

The Old Orchard Raging Tide

Sea Dogs Hot Stove Taking Shape: Kalish, Rogers to Attend

The Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, will host their annual Hot Stove Dinner and Silent Auction, presented by Hannaford Supermarkets, on Friday, January 21st at 5:30 PM at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks in South Portland. Red Sox outfielder and former Portland Sea Dog Ryan Kalish along with Maine native and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mark Rogers will be the featured guests at the dinner. Additional guests will be announced. All proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will benefit the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Saturday, November 6th at 9:00 AM in person at the Hadlock Field Ticket Office. Tickets can be ordered by phone (207-879-9500) or online at www.seadogs.com starting at 12:00 noon. Only 300 tickets are available for this event. Individual tickets are $50.00 each; reserved tables of ten are also available for $500.00. Everyone who attends will receive a signed 8 X 10 photo of Ryan Kalish and Mark Rogers.

Highlighting the auction is the opportunity to watch three innings of a Red Sox game from inside the Green Monster. Additionally, the lucky bidder will receive four grandstand tickets and will be able to watch batting practice from the warning track at Fenway Park. This once in a lifetime opportunity was donated by the Boston Red Sox.

Ryan Kalish, the Red Sox 2009 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year, opened the 2010 season with the Portland Sea Dogs. Kalish appeared in 44 games for the Sea Dogs hitting .297 (44-for-150) with eight home runs, 29 RBI, and 13 stolen bases earning a promotion to Triple-A Pawtucket on June 1st. After just 37 games with the PawSox, hitting. 294 (42-for-143), he was summoned to Boston. Kalish made his Major League debut on July 31st, going 2-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers. The 22 year-old Kalish appeared in 53 games for the Red Sox batting .252 (41-for-163) with four home runs, 24 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He became the first Red Sox rookie since Bob Zupcic in 1992 to hit two grand slams in a season. Kalish was selected by the Red Sox in ninth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.

Orrs Island, Maine native, Mark Rogers, was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, the highest ever for a Maine born player. On September 10, 2010, Rogers, made his Major League debut with the Brewers, tossing one inning of perfect relief against the Chicago Cubs and recording his first Major League strikeout. Rogers would appear in four Major League games, including two starts, recording a 1.80 ERA and 11 strikeouts with a 0-0 record. In 2009, Rogers was named a Rising Star in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. As a senior at Mt. Ararat High School in 2004, Rogers led Mt. Ararat to the Class A State Championship Game against Deering High School; a game played in front of a sold out crowd at Hadlock Field.

All proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will benefit the official charity of the Portland Sea Dogs’; the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program. The Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program was established in 1995 to raise money for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. For every strikeout that a Sea Dogs’ pitcher throws, money is raised through generous pledges of businesses and individuals. In the 16 year history of the program more than four million dollars has been raised. For more information on the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program log onto www.seadogs.com.

Two Sea Dogs named to Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game

The Arizona Fall League released the rosters for its 2010 Rising Stars Game and two Portland Sea Dogs are included. Shortstop Jose Iglesias and catcher Ryan Lavarnway are the representatives for the Red Sox organization.

Scouting and minor-league directors of every major-league organization, in consultation with Fall League Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff, selected the players for the showcase game, to be held this Saturday at 9 PM EDT. The contest will be nationally televised by MLB Network and online via MLB.com (MLB.TV).

In AFL action, Lavarnway batted .267 with 1 HR and 7 RBIs in 45 ABs . Iglesias batted .294-0-4 in 34 AFL ABs.

Bates College Names Former Sea Dogs Catcher as Manager

Mike Leonard, a former Boston Red Sox minor leaguer and All-Big East collegiate career at the University of Connecticut, has been appointed as head baseball coach at Bates College.

Leonard, who served as head baseball coach at Elms College in 2010, takes over a Bates team that went went 25-11 in 2010 to break the team record for wins. The Bobcats return all but one starter from the 2010 season.

"I'm thrilled to become the head baseball coach at Bates College," Leonard said. "This program has been moving in an outstanding direction, and I look forward to taking it to an even higher level."

Leonard was drafted by the Red Sox following an All-Big East career at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in 2004. He spent four years as a catcher in the Red Sox minor league system, including two months with the Double A Portland Sea Dogs. He concluded his professional career in 2009 as a player-coach under former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman with the Worcester Tornadoes of the independent Can-Am League.

"We are very pleased and excited about Mike's appointment," said Bates Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh. "He is the person best suited to continue the arc of success that has been established with Bates baseball."

McHugh said he was impressed by Leonard’s coaching philosophy and his plan for the team's future, which combines “a unique blend” of the influences of some of his former coaches, such as his two head coaches at Connecticut, Andy Baylock and Jim Penders, and Red Sox major league coaching assistant Rob Leary, a former minor league instructor for the organization. McHugh also cited Leonard’s playing background, his coaching experience and “the unique and highly applicable lessons that he learned while playing professionally."

Leonard began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Lawrence University in 2008 and 2009, with primary responsibilities for pitchers, catchers, hitters and strength and conditioning. At St. Lawrence he earned a master of education degree in 2009.

Appointed head coach at Elms College in 2010, he led the Blazers to a 10-22 record. Leonard also instituted the "Blazer Buddies" after-school mentor program that served 15 elementary school children.

Leonard will assume his duties on Nov. 19. He replaces Bates head coach Edwin Thompson, who resigned in September to accept an assistant coach position at Duke University. Thompson led the Bobcats to a 12-22 record in 2009, his first year at Bates, then headed the remarkable 25-11 turnaround in 2010. Eight starters from the team will return for 2011, including three All-NESCAC players in seniors Chris Burke (North Andover, Mass.), Noah Lynd (Meriden, N.H.) and Jake Simon (Waterford, Conn.).

"I know that Bates, the athletic department and Kevin McHugh are committed to the same kind of athletic and academic excellence that I am," said Leonard. "I really look forward to being one piece of that."

A four-year starting catcher for Division I Connecticut, Leonard was an All-Big East selection in 2002 and 2003, and he remains on the Huskies' top-15 career lists in hits (205), runs batted in (118), at bats (648) and games played (177). He was a team captain, a Dee Rowe Athletic Scholarship winner and a Big East Academic All-Conference honoree. During his college years he played with the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Leonard starred at Rockville (Conn.) High School, and was named Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year and The Hartford Courant Player of the Year.

During his stint with the Red Sox, he played for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, the Lowell Spinners, and the Greenville Drive before reaching Portland. While with the Spinners in 2005, Leonard competed alongside such future major league players as Jed Lowrie, Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury.

--Bates Communications--