Staten Island, New York - It's Matt Gedman's sophomore season in the New York Penn League.
While he played 23 games for the NYPL Lowell Spinners, hitting .169 with a home run and three walks in 23 games, this is the Red Sox 2011 45th rounder's first full-season experience in this Class-A level of pro ball. He's fitting in just fine so far. The third baseman is hitting .255 with 18 RBI and 10 walks. Not a bad report card.
Gedman, son of former Red Sox catcher Rich, actually hurt his back recently, but he's managed to bounce back after a great start to the season.
"I've been a little slumpy lately, trying to do too much, but I'm just trying to slow things down right now and do my best."
In an August 5th game in which the Spinners took on the Staten Island Yankees, Gedman found his way throughout the game.
"I didn't really feel good my first few at-bats," he admitted. But by the middle to late innings, his confidence grew and he began to produce results, hitting a home run off Deitrich Enns.
Keeping it simple might seem, well, simplistic, but that's all there is to it for him.
"Staying with the ball and trying to give myself a chance to hit every time I'm up there."
HHOTF NOTE: Most impressive by the Red Sox prospect on August 5th was his ability to make adjustments with each at-bat. He just seemed to get better as the game went on. He stayed away from Cabriel Encinas consistently pitching low in the zone, putting the Yankees pitcher to work early and often, despite not producing any results. It was when the bullpen came in that Gedman really turned it on. In the 7th he used his raw power to homer and put his developing patience to use drawing a walk in the 9th. With 10 walks already this season, compared to 15 all of 2011, he's clearly learning to wait for his pitch.
Defensively he also showed off his skill-set with a fantastic play at third to get the final out late in the game.
