Courtesy of the Lowell Spinners
The 2017 NY-Penn League season is off and running, and although we are two games deep, here are some early thoughts.
The Spinners return to Lowell as the defending Stedler Division champs. The team set a franchise record with 47 wins in 2016. Lowell was ousted in the first round of the playoffs last September by Hudson Valley.
Eight members of last season’s title team have returned to Lowell this summer to defend the championship, as well as improve their position inside the Boston Red Sox organization.
One of those coming back to the Spinners is infielder Victor Acosta, who is beginning year three with the team. He ranks second in team history in hits with 104. Acosta is only four hits shy of the all-time leader in the category Ronald Bermudez who had 108 hits in the 2008-2009 seasons.
Lowell infielder Yomar Valentin is making his debut with the team this summer. He does have major league bloodlines as his dad Jose Valentin played 16 seasons in the big leagues with some of those years spent in Milwaukee.
The first home run hit came in game two off the bat of Juan Barriento. He also led the team in being hit by a pitch with two.
Another player off to a fast start early on is outfielder Yoan Aybar, who in the just completed series VS Vermont tallIED four hits in seven at-bats.
Speaking of hitting, the Spinners have a newly hired coach in 2017. Nate Spears, who spent time with the Red Sox as an infielder joins the staff. His time with the big league team was short playing only eight games for Boston from 2011-2012.
Stay tuned for more coverage of the Spinners from John Doucette for the 2017 season. NGSC Sports will be there every step of the way as the Spinners make their push in the league for postseason play.
Author Profile

- John is VP of NGSC Sports and head of our New England operations. He covers sports in the America East, Big East, ACC, Hockey East conferences.
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