ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. --Red Sox prospects Craig Hansen and Hanley Ramirez have joined the big club today in Tampa Bay, and will be activated in time for tonights game against the Devil Rays.
The Double A seasons of both Hansen (reliever) and Ramirez (infielder) ended Saturday when the Porland Sea Dogs were eliminated from the playoffs. Only 13 games remain in the Sox season, and the club begins a six-game road swing tonight in Tampa, where media attention will be scant.
Hansen, in 11 games (postseason included) at Double A, has the following line: 12 2/3 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 10 K. However, he was shut down for about two weeks following his Aug. 26 appearance with a fatigued arm. In three appearances since then, he walked two and allowed one hit. He last made an appearance Friday, tossing a scoreless inning in Portlands 2-0 loss at Akron in Game Three of the Eastern League Championship Series.
Selected by the Red Sox with the 26th pick out of St. Johns University in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Hansen is the third member from this years draft class to join a major league roster, joining Atlanta righthander Joey Devine and Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
Signed by the Red Sox to a major league contract on July 23, Hansen was ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect and the No. 4 pitching prospect in the draft according to Baseball America. The 21-year-old was honored as the 2005 Big East Conference Pitcher of the Year, after going 3-2 with 14 saves and a 1.68 ERA in 31 appearances (30 in relief) as a junior at St. John's University. The 6-foot-5, 185-pounder struck out 85 in 64 1/3 innings, an average of 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He held foes to a .173 average and allowed just one home run.
In his first full season in Double-A, Ramirez tied for sixth in the Eastern League with seven triples and ranked 10th with 26 stolen bases in 2005. Ramirez hit .271 with six homers, 52 RBIs, and 26 steals in 122 regular-season games with the Sea Dogs this season.
The 21-year-old appeared in 115 games at shortstop, five games at second base and one game at third base this season. Ramirez, who has yet to play above Double-A, started at shortstop in all nine of Portlands post-season contests, batting .286 (10-for-35) with two doubles, a homer, three RBI and three runs scored.
Signed as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2000, Ramirez has hit .302 with 98 doubles, 24 triples, 32 home runs, 227 RBI, 277 runs and 112 stolen bases in 454 career minor league games.
Information from the Globes Chris Snow was used in this report.