He isn't down after step back

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff  |  August 10, 2007

PORTLAND, Maine -- It's never a good call to receive -- the one that sets a career back a tick.

Chad Spann got it a month ago. No longer would he be a third baseman -- mostly manning the bench -- for Triple A Pawtucket. Instead, he would have a chance to play more regularly at Double A Portland. He's working to correct the mechanical issues that had sent his normally reliable offense plummeting: He was batting just .222 with 17 RBIs with the PawSox.

"They gave me a pretty good chance while I was up there to straighten things out, but it just didn't happen," said Spann, 23. "You hear about guys getting sent down all the time. You just always hope it's not you that it happens to."

Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2002 out of high school in Georgia, Spann has progressed through the organization, earning All-Star status with Portland last season. He hit .294 (with 28 doubles) in 2006, the fifth-highest average in the Red Sox minor league system.

He never clicked in Triple A and lost playing time. He wasn't being patient. His head was flying off the ball. So he returned to Portland July 12 to work at getting his stroke back. Since that time, Spann has hit .260 and has already surpassed his Pawtucket RBI total with 21 (including a franchise-record-tying seven in one game), though he had a tough 0 for 5 with four strikeouts Wednesday.

"[There were] just numerous times where I was just missing fastballs right down the middle, fouling them back, whether it was swinging through them or whatever," Spann said. "You get more of those down here, more chances, than you do in Triple A, and then in Triple A, you get more than you do in the big leagues. You've just got to minimize the mistakes like that the higher you get."

With Andrew Pinckney already stationed at third base, Spann has spent almost all of his time in Double A learning to play first, a position to which he was introduced last year in the Arizona Fall League.

Though Portland catcher Dusty Brown, 25, has been known for his defense, he was named the organization's offensive player of the month for July. Brown had a .455 average, .516 on-base percentage, and .800 slugging percentage. He hit three home runs and eight doubles in 55 at-bats. Overall, Brown is hitting .280 with eight home runs and an .821 OPS. As for his defense, Red Sox bullpen coach Gary Tuck expounded on it recently, saying he believes Brown has the physical tools to play at the highest level. "I love him," Tuck said. "I think he has a chance to play. He's quick, got quick feet, got an above-average arm, above-average release. He's accurate. He receives the ball OK. I think he's maturing as a receiver. I think people think his hitting is not good enough. [But] I think he's got a chance to play defense here. Tough kid, too." . . . Other players receiving awards for July were: Portland's Justin Masterson, pitcher of the month (4-0, 1.36 ERA, 15 hits in 33 innings); Greenville's Josh Reddick, defensive player; Lancaster's Christian Lara, base runner; Gulf Coast League's Victor Serrano, base stealer; and Greenville's Jon Still, top quality plate appearance percentage. Ronald Bermudez won the Dominican Summer League's position player of the month award, and Randy Consuegra was the DSL pitcher of the month. Masterson also was Eastern League pitcher of the month.

While the Red Sox are in Baltimore this weekend, all will not be quiet at Fenway Park. The second annual Futures at Fenway doubleheader will take place tomorrow, featuring the Lowell Spinners and Sea Dogs. Lowell, the Sox' entry in the short-season Single A New York-Penn League, will play the Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay) at 12:05 p.m. Then Portland takes on the Harrisburg Senators (Washington). While Lowell played at Fenway last season, this will be Portland's first appearance. Ace Jose Capellan is scheduled to start for the Spinners. Michael Bowden is likely to start for Portland.

Pawtucket's Craig Hansen was placed on the seven-day disabled list yesterday with a right forearm strain. He hadn't pitched since Aug. 1, and the move is retroactive to Aug. 6. His spot on the roster was taken by outfielder Brandon Moss, who was sent down after his three-game stint with the Red Sox . . . Bubba Bell hit his fourth home run since being called up to Portland in a three-hit, three-RBI performance yesterday that included his 100th RBI in 2007. Bell had 22 homers with Single A Lancaster. The 24-year-old has had to adjust to playing in a pitcher's park after enjoying the lefthander-friendly winds in Lancaster, Calif. After hitting .370 with 214 total bases in 322 at-bats, plus 83 RBIs, with the JetHawks, Bell has hit .256 (33 for 129) with 17 RBIs for the Sea Dogs, who were 10-7 losers to the Altoona Curve yesterday. "It's been hard," Bell said before hitting the homer. "It's expected. They say that A to Double A is one of the harder jumps in professional baseball." . . . Lowell's Nick Hagadone has pitched nearly flawless ball since allowing five earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in his professional debut. Hagadone was the Red Sox' first choice in the 2007 draft. Over his last four outings, the University of Washington product has thrown eight innings, with no earned runs, three hits, and 11 strikeouts . . . Lowell has five All-Stars: injured center fielder Ryan Kalish, first baseman Mike Jones, shortstop Yamaico Navarro, closer Felix Ventura, and catcher Ty Weeden.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.