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Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 2/11

UConn Huskies Daily Roundup

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you're on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Women's Basketball links

UConn, Dolson make quick work of DePaul [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Notebook: Hustle plays please Auriemma [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Snowball showdown for Huskies [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Great Friends, Great Partners [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Quite The Performance For UConn [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Doug Bruno Says The Weather Wasn’t The Problem [john altavilla – hartford courant]

UConn’s Goal The Same For Decades [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Auriemma Thrilled With The Attendance At Gampel Sunday [rich elliott – ct post]

Bruno Not Using Same-Day Travel As An Excuse For Loss [rich elliott – ct post]

Academics To Play A Role In Deciding Date For Banks’ Surgery [rich elliott – ct post]

No rush for Brianna Banks' ACL surgery [jim fuller – new haven register]

Geno impressed with fan turnout [jim fuller – new haven register]

DePaul coach not using travel issues as a crutch [jim fuller – new haven register]

Huskies win the game before the game [jim fuller – new haven register]

Dolson, Hartley pace UConn rout [ct post]

Game at a glance: UConn 78, Seton Hall 67 [ct post]

Huskies handle downtime with ease [ct post]

Dolson Leads UConn Women To Rout Of DePaul [hartford courant]

Barely Time For Old Friends Auriemma And Bruno To Get Together [hartford courant]

Huskies storm past DePaul [new haven register]

UConn Men's Basketball links

Kevin Ollie’s Take [dom amore – hartford courant]

Wrapping Things Up From The Rock [dom amore – hartford courant]

Snowball Fights, Wrestling Matches, Alley-Oop Dunks: Fun Times for UConn [david borges – new haven register]

Notes/Quotes from Seton Hall: “Without him, I don’t know where we’d be at” [kevin duffy – ct post]

Post-game breakdown, video: Seton Hall [gavin keefe – the day]

Napier, Boatright and Scott the bus driver [neill ostrout – journal inquirer]

Digging Out [uconn huskies basketball]

Napier-led UConn trims Seton Hall [ct post]

Napier in mix for Big East player of year [ct post]

UConn Shakes Off Lull, Puts Away Seton Hall [hartford courant]

UConn Men's Notebook: Ride To New Jersey Was An Adventure [hartford courant]

Unstoppable Team, But Conference Realignment Is Worse Than Any Storm [hartford courant]

Huskies make long trip to Seton Hall a winning one [new haven register]

Defense sparks Huskies past Seton Hall [the day]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Catching Up With UConn Baseball [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Harris Notches Two Goals To Lead Men's Hockey Over Bentley, 4-1 [uconnhuskies.com]

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Video: UConn Women Crush DePaul, 91-44

The DePaul Blue Demons had a tough time getting to Storrs, CT on Sunday for their matchup with the UConn Huskies. They didn't get to Gampel Pavilion until just over an hour before tipoff.

And even though they're really good friends, DePaul coach Doug Bruno probably wishes his team just stayed back in Chicago.

The Connecticut Huskies' Stefanie Dolson scores two of her 22 first-half points at Gampel Pavilion Sunday against DePaul.The Huskies got out to a quick start and never looked back as they cruised to a 91-44 win over the Blue Demons in front of 8,861 fans and a nationally televised audience on ESPNU.

UConn improves to 22-1 (9-1 Big East) while DePaul falls to 17-7 (6-4).

Stefanie Dolson led the way for the Huskies with 23 points and six assists while pulling down five rebounds. Bria Hartley was the only other Husky in double-digits with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Breanna Stewart added nine points and a team-high nine rebounds while Kiah Stokes had eight points and eight rebounds. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds.

Megan Rogowski led the Blue Demons with 12 points. Jasmine Penny added eight points and a team-high six rebounds, a total she shared with Brittany Hrynko.

The Huskies started out fast with a 15-3 run to start the game. Behind Dolson, they continued to build their lead as they took a 52-27 at the break.

They opened up the half with a 17-4 run to start the second half putting the game way out of reach.

Look folks, DePaul isn't a bad team. They are battling injuries and played without their best player Anna Martin who was sidelined with a knee injury.

The good thing about the blowout for UConn is that it gives the bench an opportunity to get more minutes. This is especially good for players like Moriah Jefferson, Stokes and Morgan Tuck who will be counted on as the season winds down.

The Huskies won't have much downtime as they head across state lines on Tuesday night for a matchup with the Providence Friars. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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DePaul Blue Demons @ UConn Huskies 2.10.13

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

Here are UConn's postgame notes.

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photo credit: cloe poisson – hartford courant (no. 15 in gallery)

Video: Napier Pushes UConn Men Past Seton Hall, 78-67

In the past two games, the UConn Huskies men's basketball team has gotten off to slow starts. Despite a slow long trip to Newark, NJ due to the blizzard, the Huskies got off to a better start in this one.

But they almost blew it against the Seton Hall Pirates on Sunday afternoon.

Connecticut Huskies guard Shabazz Napier (13) drives to the basket during the first half against the Seton Hall Pirates at the Prudential Center. After blowing a 13 point lead in the first half, a strong second half surge propelled  UConn to a 78-67 win over the Pirates in front of 7,634 at the Prudential Center.

The Huskies improve to 16-6 (6-4 Big East) while the Pirates fall to 13-11 (2-9).

Shabazz Napier led the Huskies with 22 points, nine assists and six steals. Ryan Boatright added 20 points, a team-high five rebounds (shared with Omar Calhoun) and four steals while Calhoun had 10 points and five rebounds.

Aaron Cosby led all scorers in the game with 25 points for the Hall. Fuquan Edwin chipped in with 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and five steals.

Kevin Johnson led the Pirates with six rebounds to go along with his nine points.

With the Huskies enjoying a 15-10 lead in the first half, they went on a 10-2 run to open up a 13 point lead. But Seton Hall responded with a 16-0 run and just like that UConn found themselves down three points.

The Pirates wouldn't relinquish the lead in the half as they went into the locker room up one at 35-34.

Napier would get the first basket of the half to put UConn back up front but Seton Hall responded with an 8-0 run to retake the lead. Not to be outdone, the Huskies battled back with a 6-0 run to cut it to one.

The Hall pushed lead up to four before UCon began to rally tying the game at 46 on a Niels Giffey old fashioned three point lead that was the start of a 6-0 run. Seton Hall would get no closer three points the rest of the way.

Much better start to the game for the Huskies than what we've seen recently. The problem is they need to maintain that kind of effort for 20 minutes in the first half just like they maintained it for 20 minutes in the second half. I'm sure head coach Kevin Ollie will make sure that happens.

This was a game they should have won considering Seton Hall's record. But going along, UConn can make some noise in the Big East and possibly affect other team's seedings for the Big East Tournament.

UConn is back in action on Wednesday night when they'll host the Syracuse Orange at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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UConn Huskies @ Seton Hall Pirates 2.10.13 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Kevin Ollie. Here is the postgame press conference video of Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard.

photo credit: jim o'conner – usa today sports (no. 18 in gallery)

Red Sox Announce 2013 Non-Roster Invitees to Spring Training

Here's the release from the Red Sox announcing the non-roster invitees to spring training this year:

The Boston Red Sox today announced that 19 players will attend the team's Major League Spring Training camp as non-roster invitees. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

Boston Red SoxPedro Beato, RHP – Beato, 26, made four relief appearances with Boston after being acquired from the New York Mets on August 16, going 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA (4 ER/7.2 IP) in those games.  He also pitched in seven contests for Triple-A Pawtucket, including three during the International League postseason. For his major league career, Beato is 3-1 with a 4.67 ERA in 71 games between the Mets (2011-12) and Red Sox (2012).  He was originally a supplemental-round pick (32nd overall) of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2006 June draft.

Xander Bogaerts, INF – Bogaerts, 20, enters 2013 as Boston's No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America.  He was named Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 after hitting .307 with 37 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 81 RBI, and 44 walks in 127 games between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland, including a .326 average in 23 games for the Sea Dogs as the Eastern League's youngest position player all year. A native of Aruba, Bogaerts signed with Boston as an international free agent in August of 2009.

Jackie Bradley, OF – The 22-year-old Bradley hit .315 with 42 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, and 63 RBI in 128 games between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland last season.  He topped the Red Sox system in runs (90), walks (87), and on-base percentage (.430) while finishing second in batting average.  Bradley, the Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year, was ranked by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Red Sox system. He was a supplemental first-round selection (40th overall) by Boston in the 2011 June Draft.

Chris Carpenter, RHP – Carpenter, 27, opened the 2012 season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow on March 29.  Before joining the Red Sox as a September call-up, he posted a combined 2.08 ERA in 21 appearances between the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, Greenville, Portland, and Pawtucket. With Pawtucket alone, Carpenter had a 1.15 ERA with four saves in four chances in 16 games. Carpenter was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2008 June Draft.

Anthony Carter, RHP – Last season, the 26-year-old Carter posted a 4-6 record with a 4.60 ERA in 39 appearances (one start) for Triple-A Charlotte in the White Sox organization.  In his 38 relief appearances for Charlotte in 2012, he posted a 3.58 ERA. Originally a 26th-round selection of the White Sox in the 2005 June Draft, Carter went 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA and converted all seven of his save chances in 17 games for Indios de Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

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Jose De La Torre, RHP – Acquired by the Red Sox in a July 24 trade with Cleveland, De La Torre, 27, went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 12 appearances for Triple-A Pawtucket last season.  Overall in 2012, he combined to go 9-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 46 appearances (one start) for Double-A Akron, Triple-A Columbus, and Pawtucket. De La Torre, who is on the 2013 provisional roster for Puerto Rico in this year's World Baseball Classic, was originally signed by the Mets as an international free agent in 2006.     

Jonathan Diaz, INF – Last season, Diaz, 27, combined to hit .221 with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 40 RBI in 134 games between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Las Vegas in the Blue Jays minor league system.  Although he primarily appeared at shortstop, he also played second base and third base, and between both clubs and all three positions, he committed only 12 errors in 754 total chances. Diaz was originally a 12th-round selection of the Blue Jays in the 2006 June Draft.

Terry Doyle, RHP – A Boston College graduate and native of Salem, New Hampshire, Doyle, 27, was in both the Twins and White Sox organizations last year. Selected by the Twins in the 2011 Rule 5 Draft, he was returned to the White Sox in late March and pitched for Triple-A Charlotte where in 12 games (11 starts), he went 6-3 with a 2.83 ERA. In mid-June, Doyle was released by the White Sox in order to pursue an opportunity to pitch in Japan with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks where he went 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in three games.  Doyle was originally a 37th-round selection of the White Sox in the 2007 June Draft.   

Mark Hamilton, INF/OF – Hamilton, 28, spent last year with Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals organization where he hit .231 with 12 doubles, 15 home runs, 51 RBI, and a career-best 51 walks in 90 games.  Defensively in 2012, he appeared in 51 games (50 starts) in left field and in 14 games (12 starts) at first base.  Originally a supplemental second-round selection by St. Louis in the 2006 June Draft, Hamilton has appeared in 47 career major league games for the Cardinals between the 2010 and 2011 seasons. 

Jeremy Hazelbaker, OF – In 121 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket last season, the 25-year-old Hazelbaker combined to hit .273 with 24 doubles, six triples, a career-high 19 home runs and 67 RBI, also a career high.  He scored 79 runs between both clubs and stole 36 bases, which included 33 for Portland, the second-most in the Eastern League. Among all Red Sox minor leaguers in 2012, Hazelbaker, a fourth-round selection by Boston in the 2008 June Draft, ranked second in steals and tied for fourth in homers. 

Justin Henry, INF – In 2012, the 27-year-old Henry played for Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers organization and hit .300 with 14 doubles, five triples, one home run and 38 RBI in 131 games. Among all International League players, he ranked third in hits, sixth in on-base percentage (.372) and seventh in average. Originally a ninth-round selection of the Tigers in the 2007 June Draft, Henry was acquired by Boston via trade during the 2012 Rule 5 Draft.

Chris Hernandez, LHP – Hernandez, 24, pitched for both Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2012 and combined to go 5-12 with a 3.26 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 26 games (25 starts).  For the second straight year, his ERA ranked second lowest among all Red Sox full-season minor leaguers (3.18 ERA in 2011). Selected to the Eastern League's mid-season All-Star team in 2012, Hernandez was the Red Sox' seventh-round selection in the 2010 June Draft.

Juan Carlos Linares, OF – Linares, 28, combined to hit .316 with 28 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 62 RBI in 110 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket last season. With runners in scoring position, he batted .314 (32-for-102) between both teams. Defensively, Linares appeared in all three outfield positions, spending the majority of his games in right field.  A non-roster invitee to Red Sox major league spring training in 2012, Linares was originally signed by Boston as an international free agent in July of 2010.

Mitch Maier, OF – Maier, 30, split the 2012 season between Triple-A Omaha and the Kansas City Royals. A veteran of six major league seasons, all with Kansas City (2006, 2008-12), Maier appeared in 32 games for the Royals last season and hit .172 with two home runs and seven RBI.  In 38 games for Omaha, he hit .288 with four doubles, one triple and four home runs with 17 RBI. Maier, who has appeared in 360 career major league games, was Kansas City's first-round selection (30th overall) in the 2003 June Draft.

Deven Marrero, INF – The Red Sox' first-round selection (24th overall) in the 2012 June Draft, Marrero, 22, made his professional debut last season for Single-A Lowell. In 64 games, he batted .268 with 14 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 24 RBI while leading his club in steals (24), runs scored (45), walks (34) and extra-base hits (19). Marrero enters the 2013 season, his first full professional season, ranked the No. 10 prospect in the Red Sox minor league system.

Lyle Overbay, INF – Overbay, 36, split the 2012 season between the Diamondbacks and Braves, for whom he combined to hit .259 with 10 doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI in 65 games.  Over his career, the veteran of 12 major league seasons for Arizona (2001-03, 2011-12), Milwaukee (2004-05), Toronto (2006-10), Pittsburgh (2011) and Atlanta (2012), has hit .270 with 318 doubles, 133 home runs and 581 RBI in 1,324 games. Overbay was originally an 18th-round selection of the Diamondbacks in the 1999 June Draft. 

Drew Sutton, INF – The 2013 season marks the second stint for Sutton, 29, in the Red Sox organization as he was also a non-roster invitee to major league camp in 2011. In 2012, he was a part of the Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay organizations and saw major league action with the Pirates and Rays.  In his 42 games between both of those clubs, he hit .254 with 12 doubles, one triple, one home run and 13 RBI.  For his big league career, Sutton, a 15th-round selection of the Astros in the 2004 June Draft, has hit .256 with 24 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 37 RBI in 128 games for the Reds (2009-10), Indians (2010), Red Sox (2011), Rays (2012), and Pirates (2012).    

Ryan Sweeney, OF – Three separate trips to the disabled list limited the 27-year-old Sweeney to just 63 games for the Red Sox last season in which he batted .260 with 19 doubles, two triples and 16 RBI. Originally a second-round selection of the White Sox in the 2003 June Draft, Sweeney has hit .280 with 102 doubles, 12 triples and 14 RBI in 535 major league games for the White Sox (2006-07), Athletics (2008-11) and Red Sox (2012). He was acquired by Boston along with right-hander Andrew Bailey via trade from Oakland in December of 2011.

Oscar Villarreal, LHP – Last season, Villarreal, 31, went 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 37 games (two starts) for Triple-A Norfolk in the Orioles minor league system. Following the regular season, he pitched in the Mexican Pacific League and also appeared for Mexico in the 2013 Caribbean Series.  A veteran of six major league seasons for Arizona (2003-05), Atlanta (2006-07) and Houston (2008), Villarreal was originally signed by the Diamondbacks as an international free agent in November of 1998.

Eight of the 19 invitees have major league experience, including Beato, Carpenter, Hamilton, Maier, Overbay, Sutton, Sweeney and Villarreal.  Beato, Carpenter and Sweeney all saw action for the Red Sox in 2012.

Pitchers and catchers will participate in their first on-field workout at the Fenway South Player Development Complex in Lee County on Tuesday, February 12.  The first full squad workout of the Red Sox spring training camp is on Friday, February 15.

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Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 2/9

UConn Huskies Daily Roundup

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you're on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Women's Basketball links

Hartley plans to keep positive approach [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

UConn Braving The Storm – Like Everyone Else [john altavilla – hartford courant]

No Date Set (Yet) For Banks’ Surgery [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Rehab Underway For Banks; No Surgery Date Set [rich elliott – ct post]

Huskies Slightly Change Practice Schedule Due To Nemo [rich elliott – ct post]

Tuck Back At Practice, Expected To Play Sunday Vs. DePaul [rich elliott – ct post]

Huskies Opened The Offense Vs. Marquette — Big Time [rich elliott – ct post]

No date for Brianna Banks' surgery; Morgan Tuck practicing [jim fuller – new haven register]

Women's Hoops Welcomes DePaul to Gampel on Sunday [uconnhuskies.com]

Coach Says Weather Never Stopped UConn Women [uconnhuskies.com]

Who’s on UConn’s all-time greatest team? [snyuconn.com]

UConn Men's Basketball links

Kevin Ollie: Huskies Need To Attack With More Confidence Vs. Seton Hall [dom amore – hartford courant]

Andre Drummond Injured; Huskies Look to Bounce Back vs. Seton Hall [david borges – new haven register]

Notes/Quotes from Feb. 8: “What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. That’s up to me to try to change that.” [kevin duffy – ct post]

Report: Drummond out at least a month [kevin duffy – ct post]

Huskies hunkered down [neill ostrout – journal inquirer]

Men's Basketball Heads To Seton Hall For Sunday Matinee [uconnhuskies.com]

Kevin Ollie Continues To Stress 'Mind-Set Change' With Seton Hall Next [hartford courant]

Vandal's living out his dream [the day]

UConn Football links

 

UConn’s 2013 Recruiting Class: What They’re Saying [desmond conner – hartford courant]

DC answered a question in his mailbag [desmond conner – hartford courant]

UConn Coach Pasqualoni On New Assistants On Recruiting Trail: “Gave Us Energy Coming Down The Stretch” [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Update on UConn commit Jamar Summers [jim fuller – new haven register]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. UConn Baseball Building Toward Return Trip to NCAAs [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Track. BIG EAST Championship Up Next for Men's Track & Field [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Bruce Marshall At Peace With Decision To Step Away From UConn Hockey [hartford courant]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Three Former UConn Baseball Players In MLB.com’s 2013 Top 100 Prospects

Just like his adversary over at ESPN Insider, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com has ranked his top 100 MLB Prospects for 2013. In there, he has included three former members of the UConn Huskies Baseball team.

UConn Huskies BaseballThey are Mike Olt of the Texas Rangers (No. 21), Matt Barnes of the Boston Red Sox (No. 38) and George Springer of the Houston Astros (No. 57).

Here's what he has to say about Olt who comes in as the No. 2 prospect in the Rangers organization:

Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 4/5 | Power: 5/6 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/5 | Overall: 5/6

There are those who feel Olt is ready to play every day at third base in the big leagues, and could do so for a number of teams. The issue for Olt is that the Rangers aren't one of them, with Adrian Beltre standing in his way at the hot corner. When he was up briefly in 2012, he played some first base and some corner outfield, but that's not a condemnation of his skills at third. His hands, range and arm, the last of which being his best defensive tool, all play very well at that position, leaving little doubt about his ability to stay there long-term. Olt may not hit for a really high average, and fans should be prepared for a good amount of strikeouts, but he'll also draw a ton of walks and is a better all-around hitter than many anticipated. The power is legit, too, and it's not a projection. Olt's ready to hit the ball out to any field at any time. All he needs is a regular opportunity to do so.

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Here's what he has to say about Barnes who comes in as the No. 3 prospect for the Red Sox:

Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/7 | Curveball: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6

This University of Connecticut product had a solid first full season of pro ball in 2012, including a visit to the Futures Game, though he clearly ran out of gas and struggled a bit in the second half of the season. Barnes has everything a team is looking for in a future frontline starter: arm strength, good overall stuff and even a feel for pitching. He isn’t afraid to go right after hitters or go inside, especially with his plus fastball that touches 96 mph. His tight downer curve has the chance to be an out pitch as well and while his changeup is clearly his third pitch, it’s improving and should be an average offering in the future. With good overall command, it shouldn’t take him too long to be ready for Boston.

Here's what he has to say about Springer who comes in as the No. 2 prospect in the Astros organization:

Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 4/5 | Power: 5/6 | Run: 6/6 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6

Power and speed. It’s a combination always in high demand in a player, but often difficult to find. But there’s no question Springer has plenty of both, and not the raw kind of tools that never show up. His outstanding bat speed allows the University of Connecticut product to drive the ball to all fields, with plenty of power to leave the yard regularly. While he does tend to strike out a good amount, most feel he’ll hit enough to tap into that power and hit for a little average. His speed is legit and he should continue to be a threat on the basepaths and a well above-average defensive center fielder, though he has the arm for right field should that be the spot the Astros need him to play. He gets very high marks for his makeup and energy. Springer went 20-20 in his first full season of pro ball and there’s no reason to think that won’t be a regular occurrence for him in the future.

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Six Red Sox Players In MLB.com’s 2013 Top 100 Prospects

Just like his adversary over at ESPN Insider, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com has ranked his top 100 MLB Prospects for 2013. In there, he has included six members of the Boston Red Sox farm system in his top 100.

Boston Red SoxThey are Xander Bogaerts (No. 20), Jackie Bradley, Jr (No. 32), Matt Barnes (No. 38), Allen Webster (No. 71), Henry Owens (No. 91) and Jose Iglesias (No. 96).

Here's what he says about Bogaerts:

Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 4/6 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 4/6 | Overall: 5/6

The Aruba native and 2012 Futures Game participant has some serious tools and he's used them to rush up the Red Sox's organizational ladder, reaching Double-A in 2012 at age 19. He has the ability to make hard contact and can shoot the ball to all fields with excellent bat speed and a smooth swing. He has significant raw power he's still learning to tap into and he will be a better overall hitter as his plate discipline continues to improve, something that happened in the Carolina League in 2012, but not as much once he moved up a level. His plus arm works just fine from shortstop and while he's an average runner, he has better range than one would expect for a player his size. If he has to move over to third, his bat looks like it will play just fine there, though Will Middlebrooks is standing in the way there.

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Here's what he says about Bradley:

Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 5/6 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 6/7 | Overall: 5/6

A subpar junior season at South Carolina, which ended in injury, may have been the biggest blessing for the Boston Red Sox. Otherwise, the talented outfielder would not have been around in the supplemental first round of the 2011 Draft. Bradley put that rough final college campaign in his rear view mirror quickly by reaching Double-A in his first full season and finishing second in the system in batting average while topping the organization in on-base percentage. He can really hit and can square up to the ball consistently to go along with his superb on-base skills. He's not a burner, but his plus instincts make him a threat on the bases as well as a plus defender in center field. He doesn't need that much more time before he'll be ready to contribute and most see Jacoby Ellsbury's impending free agency as the opening for Bradley to step through full-time.

Here's what he has to say about Barnes:

Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/7 | Curveball: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6

This University of Connecticut product had a solid first full season of pro ball in 2012, including a visit to the Futures Game, though he clearly ran out of gas and struggled a bit in the second half of the season. Barnes has everything a team is looking for in a future frontline starter: arm strength, good overall stuff and even a feel for pitching. He isn’t afraid to go right after hitters or go inside, especially with his plus fastball that touches 96 mph. His tight downer curve has the chance to be an out pitch as well and while his changeup is clearly his third pitch, it’s improving and should be an average offering in the future. With good overall command, it shouldn’t take him too long to be ready for Boston.

Here's what he has to say about Webster:

Scouting Grades* (present/future): FB: 6/7 | Curve: 4/5 | Slider: 4/5 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 4/6 | Overall: 4/5

Having to trade someone like Adrian Gonzalez is never a good thing, especially for an organization like the Red Sox, but one of the silver linings of that cloud was the acquisition of Webster from the Dodgers in the deal. A bit of a project as a later-round selection, he has really developed into a right-hander who will be ready to help a big league staff very soon. Webster's best pitch is his fastball, but it's not just because he throws it up into the mid-90s. His heater has plus life with a ton of sink, which has enabled him to get a ton of groundball outs along with swings and misses. His changeup also has sink to it and he has a pretty good feel for it. When he's in sync, his slider is sharp with late break and has glimpses of being an out pitch as well. While Webster rarely gives up the long ball, his command wasn't as sharp in 2012. If he can find better consistency with his outstanding stuff, he can start. If not, a bullpen role could ultimately be his future.

Here's what he has to say about Owens:

Scouting Grades (present/future): FB: 5/6 | Curve: 5/5 | Slider: 5/5 | Changeup: 5/6 | Control: 4/5 | Overall: 5/5

The Southern California high school standout had a very successful first full season, spending the year in the South Atlantic League and finishing fourth in strikeouts despite being on an innings count. Tall and lanky, the ball comes out of Owens’ hand free and easy, allowing his lively fastball to play up. Despite his walk rate, he actually can locate his fastball in and out of the strike zone fairly well. Owens has two breaking balls, with both the curve and the slider looking like average offerings at least. He has a very good changeup which he uses as an out pitch effectively. His ceiling might be that of a No. 3 starter, but that’s nothing to sneeze at, and the gloves could come off a bit in 2013.

And here's what he has to say about Iglesias:

Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/4 | Power: 2/2 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 7/7 | Overall: 4/5

Since the Red Sox signed Iglesias back in 2009, everyone knew the glove would be ready and the bat would take time. The Cuban defector is a plus defensive shortstop, the kind worth the price of admission to watch play the position. His offensive game, however, still raises concerns over his ability to be an everyday big leaguer. Some of the problem has been injury-related. He’s missed a good amount of development time and repetitions to allow that part of his game to catch up. He still has some ability, with good bat speed and the ability to make consistent contact. He also has solid speed, but there’s not much power to speak of and while he doesn’t strike out, he doesn’t walk much, either. Iglesias will still be just 23 for all of the 2013 season, but he needs to stay healthy and get the chance to show if he can hit enough to be in a big league lineup as a regular at shortstop.

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Three Former UConn Baseball Players In Keith Law’s 2013 Top 100 Prospects

In perusing Keith Law's 2013 Top 100 Prospects for 2013 article on ESPN Insider yesterday for the players from the Boston Red Sox, I also had to take into consideration one of the other subjects of the site, the UConn Huskies.

UConn Huskies BaseballSo when you go through the list of the top 100, you'll notice that there are three former UConn Huskies baseball players in it.

They are George Springer of the Houston Astros (No. 43), Mike Olt of the Texas Rangers (No. 71) and Matt Barnes of the Red Sox (No. 79).

Here's what Law had to say about Springer who he ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Astros organization:

Springer is a true five-tool player who is, as scouts say, what prospects are supposed to look like, but the lack of adjustments in his approach in the last two years is becoming more and more of a concern.

On the plus side, Springer can run, throw, hit for power (including to the opposite field), and cover ground in center; if he has to move to a corner, he'll easily be plus in right, similar to Jason Heyward, a center fielder in high school who's become one of the game's best right fielders.

At the plate, Springer is fine when he's ahead in the count, with superlative hand acceleration, letting him load a little deeply and wait on the ball, then exploding to it with the bat speed and rotation to produce plus power. When he falls behind, however, he struggles to adjust, with no real two-strike approach — he doesn't shorten up, he doesn't look for different pitch types, and he doesn't use the whole field.

These are all changes he is able to make, but hasn't yet. If he does, he's an All-Star and would give the Astros a second impact bat with Jonathan Singleton. If not, Springer might not make enough contact to be a big league regular.

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Here's what Law had to say about Olt who he ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the Rangers organization:

Olt's big league debut could have gone better, as he swung and missed a lot (13 K's in 33 at-bats) when he was able to get into the Rangers' lineup, but he's also the team's main trading chip and might have to wait for a deal to get his chance to play third base every day.

A poor defensive shortstop in college at UConn, Olt has remade himself into a plus defender at third, and he has big raw power that could produce 30-plus bombs a year if he makes enough contact. That's the main question on Olt at this point. Contact rates were an issue for him in college, and between Double-A and the majors last year, it's resurfaced to the point where he's probably going to be a low-to-moderate batting average guy who draws 60-70 walks a year and hits 20-25 homers.

The swing-and-miss problem isn't from his swing, though, which has gotten more direct since college, so perhaps he just needs more reps — he had just over 600 pro plate appearances coming into 2012 — to get past it.

And here's what he has to say about Barnes who he ranks as the fourth best Red Sox prospect.

Barnes shocked a lot of scouts this year with the leap forward in his fastball command, working with it up and down, side to side, so even though he wasn't consistently 93-97 as he was in college he could still get outs and set up his off-speed stuff.

He's ditched the below-average slider that screwed him up in his junior year at UConn and pitched most of the season with an above-average downer curveball that he could throw for strikes. His changeup gradually improved over the year as the Red Sox forced him to throw it a number of times each game, but even in Salem he was still getting hitters on both sides of the plate out with the fastball.

Barnes was a little experienced to spend the whole year in A-ball, so his stat line overstates how advanced he is, but he looks like a solid mid-rotation guy who'll be at least league-average, with a chance to profile better than that because of how well he locates the fastball.

Law's complete top 100: Index  | 1-25  | 26-50 | 51-75  | 76-100

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Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 2/8

UConn Huskies Daily Roundup

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you're on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Women's Basketball links

Tina Charles has dominant EuroLeague season [jim fuller – new haven register]

Moriah Jefferson and UConn Have Been a Great Match [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn TV Timeout: Breanna Stewart [snyuconn.com]

UConn Men's Basketball links

Thoughts from St. John’s… [kevin duffy – ct post]

UConn's Slow Starts Frustrate Ollie [hartford courant]

Three points from Wednesday's loss to St. John's [new haven register]

UConn Football links

Closer look at UConn's recruiting class [jim fuller – new haven register]

Second impression: Signing Day 24 hours later [jim fuller – new haven register]

Report: UConn-Michigan tickets will only be sold to season ticket holders [the uconn blog]

State Farm: UConn Harvesting Home-Grown Talent [hartford courant]

Paul Pasqualoni turns six Connecticut kids into Huskies [new haven register]

Other UConn related links

W. Track. Valentine Invite Cancelled Due to Inclement Weather [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Saturday Hockey vs. Northeastern Postponed to Tuesday Night [uconnhuskies.com]

CPIA. UConn Honors 3.0 GPA Student-Athletes [uconnhuskies.com]

W & M. Tennis. Men's and Women's Tennis Matches Cancelled Due To Storm [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Men's Hockey Games Postponed To Sunday-Monday [uconnhuskies.com]

A Good First Step In Improving The XL Center [hartford courant]

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NESN to Deliver 49 Consecutive Days of Live Spring Training Coverage

Feb. 7, 2013 — NESN, New England’s most-watched sports network, will deliver 49 consecutive days of live Boston Red Sox Spring Training coverage. For the first time, the network will co-anchor NESN Daily, the network’s nightly sports news NESNand highlights program, live from the Red Sox spring training facility. In addition to NESN Daily from JetBlue Park at Fenway South, NESN will also originate an additional 72 hours of live programming that includes:

  • 11 days of Red Sox LIVE from Fort Myers presented by Jordan’s Furniture
  • 6 days of WEEI’s The Dennis and Callahan Morning Show
  • 14 spring training games beginning Saturday, Feb. 23

NESN.com will also feature up-to-the-minute news and exclusive video in a special spring training section at NESN.com/springtraining.

11 Days of Red Sox LIVE from Fort Myers presented by Jordan’s Furniture

NESN’s live spring training coverage begins the day pitchers and catchers report, on Sunday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m. with Red Sox LIVE from Fort Myers presented by Jordan’s Furniture. NESN studio host Tom Caron will be joined by Peter Gammons and Red Sox players, coaches and executives to deliver 11 consecutive days of live programming from JetBlue Park at Fenway South.

6 Days of WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan Morning Show

NESN’s live coverage from Fort Myers will also include six days of WEEI’s The Dennis & Callahan Morning Show beginning Wednesday, Feb. 13. John Dennis and Gerry Callahan will be at JetBlue Park at Fenway South to deliver exclusive interviews with players, coaches and other experts.

14 spring training games

NESN’s coverage of 14 Grapefruit League games will begin Saturday, Feb. 23, at 1:30 p.m., when the Red Sox play the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy will team up for their 13th season together in the NESN broadcast booth to deliver all the action, with Jenny Dell returning for her second season as NESN’s Red Sox reporter.

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