Manny trade opens the door for Bailey in Boston
Friday, August 22, 2008 1:05 PM PDT
By David Driver
For The Daily News
Printable version
E-mail this articleBALTIMORE — The last time Jeff Bailey came to Baltimore with the Red Sox, the Boston clubhouse featured right-handed slugger Manny Ramirez.
Ramirez, of course, has since been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And while Bailey knows he’s no Ramirez — on or off the field — the 1997 Kelso High School graduate does admit he could get some key at-bats as a right-handed hitter down the stretch for the Red Sox after being called up Aug. 14 from Class AAA Pawtucket.
“This year it turned out that way,” Bailey said after Monday’s win over the Orioles. “There is a need for a right-handed bat and I turned out to be the guy with the good year (in the minors). I assume I would be up here for the rest of the year.”
Bailey added he may not see a lot of action as the Red Sox fight for a playoff spot.
“That means probably less playing time than most September call-ups,” he said, standing by his locker in the Boston clubhouse. “That is fine. I would rather be here getting sporadic at-bats ... than just being on a losing team.”
“That is all right with me. I got my 400 at-bats down there” in the minors, he added. “I have to do extra work with (hitting coach Dave) Magadan and stay fresh and be sure I produce when I get in there. You take the same approach (as the minors). You go up there and do your best. That is what it’s about.”
Magadan played 16 years in the Major Leagues, including part of 1993 with Seattle. He has been impressed with Bailey in the little he has seen of him in 2008. Bailey took about 100 swings while working with Magadan before Monday’s game here.
“He is going to get his opportunities. We have a lot of confidence in him,” Magadan said. “We all think very highly of him. He has a great knowledge of the strike zone.
“He has made great improvement on his defense,” Magadan added. “He is a professional hitter. He is very highly thought of in our organization.”
Bailey played 68 games at first for Pawtucket, nine in left field, 25 in right field and 14 at designated hitter this season. He was drafted as a catcher.
Bailey, who did not play Monday against Baltimore, was called up to Boston for the third time this year on Aug. 14. That night he got his first hit at the Major League level since a home run on July 8, 2007 against Nate Robertson of Detroit.
“Hopefully the third time is the charm,” Bailey said.
Pawtucket ends regular-season play Sept. 1.
Bailey, a Kelso resident, had a double on Aug. 17 for the Red Sox, his first extra-base hit in the majors this season. He batted .301 with 25 homers, 28 doubles and 75 RBIs in 418 at-bats this season in the minors with Pawtucket.
At the time of his promotion he was ninth in the International League in hitting, third in homers, tied for fourth in doubles and first in runs. He was one of five Pawtucket players chosen to the International League All-Star team.
Bailey played in two games with Boston on July 8-9 and was hitless in two at-bats. He was with the Red Sox from May 30 to June 2 and was hitless in three at-bats, but did have three walks in a game at Baltimore on June 1.
He hit .284 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games with Pawtucket since his last appearance with Boston. In games through Monday with Boston, he had two hits in nine at-bats this season with one RBI.
What did Boston manager Terry Francona tell Bailey when he came back to the Red Sox last week?
“He just said, ‘Be ready when we need you,’ ” Bailey said.
So what is it like without Ramirez, who has more than 500 career homers?
“It seems like everyone is moving on,” Bailey said. “What are you going to do? We are trying to win. I am here to try and help them win. No one has talked about it much.”
Notes: Bailey’s locker in Baltimore was next to Jed Lowrie, an infielder from Salem, Ore. The Red Sox also feature outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who is also from Madras, Ore., and played at Oregon State … The Orioles’ starter Monday was Jeremy Guthrie, from Ashland, Ore. … Jason Bay, acquired from the Pirates by the Red Sox in the three-way trade with the Dodgers, hit two homers here Monday against the Orioles.
David Driver is a free-lance writer in Maryland. He can be reached at www.davidsdriver.com
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