Versatile Lin settling in nicely with PawSox 01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, May 28, 2011 By BRIAN MacPHERSON Journal Sports Writer PAWTUCKET — When he looks around the McCoy Stadium clubhouse, in some ways Che-Hsuan Lin feels like he’s right back in Double-A. The 22-year-old center fielder is less than a week into his stint at Triple-A Pawtucket, still freshly promoted to the top level of the minor leagues. But the PawSox clubhouse is full of familiar faces from his season-plus at Double-A Portland — Luis Exposito, Jose Iglesias and Kyle Weiland among them. That comfort level has eased the transition to the new level — that and a skill set that lends itself to relatively easy transition. Lin is, by consensus, the best defensive outfielder in the Red Sox minor-league system, and his ability to get on base is matched by few of his peers. He finished last season with a .386 on-base percentage in almost 550 plate appearances at Portland, and he had a .373 on-base percentage when he was summoned to Pawtucket last week. In his first five games with the PawSox, Lin got on base nine times in 23 plate appearances, a .478 clip. “He’s a good defender, can play all the outfield spots, and he can get on base and set the table for guys,” said PawSox manager Arnie Beyeler, who managed Lin at Portland last season. “He’s a good base-runner. He can steal bases. He’s got a lot of ability, and it’s a lot of fun to watch him play.” Unlike most minor-league players, his issue hasn’t been recognizing balls and strikes and swinging only at good pitches. His issue has been swinging at more good pitches — and driving them. He has hit 18 home runs in close to 2,000 minor-league plate appearances, including just two last season. “I’m focused on hitting right now and trying to get on base as much as possible, trying to get good pitches to swing at,” he said through interpreter Mickey Jiang. “I have to be more aggressive, trying to hit a ball instead of just taking it if it’s right down the middle.” The Red Sox signed Lin as an international free agent out of Taiwan in 2007, one of the elite talents in his signing class, mostly on the strength of the strong relationship they’d built with him. He hit 12 doubles and four home runs in his first 250 plate appearances, split between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the short-season New York-Penn League. A year later, after almost a full season at Single-A Greenville, Lin played for Taiwan in the Olympics. A year after that, he played for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic. He played a full season at each level of the minor leagues from Single-A onward, often one of the youngest players on his respective rosters. Other than Iglesias and top prospect Anthony Rizzo, since traded to San Diego in the Adrian Gonzalez trade, Lin was the youngest everyday player on the Portland roster last season. With Ryan Kalish, Daniel Nava and Josh Reddick entrenched in the PawSox outfield to start the season, Lin started the season right back with the Sea Dogs. Injuries to Kalish and Juan Carlos Linares opened a spot for Lin to move up last week. Unless his power develops, it’s tough to envision Lin as more than a bottom-of-the-order hitter or a fourth outfielder. But with the promotion to the top step of the minor-league ladder, he’s in position to help the Red Sox should they need help at some point in the future. [email protected] http://www.projo.com/pawsox/content/ macpherson_pawsox_lin_05-28-11_95OBFPT_v2.2bf674f.html http://is.gd/NYylJl --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ※ 编辑: mohicans 来自: 110.185.56.76 (05/28 11:13) ※ mohicans:转录至看板 CHLin 05/28 11:14