PawSox Opening Day Roster: Pitchers

The Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Red Sox, open their season Thursday against Indianapolis. Here are thumbnail sketches of the 12 pitchers on the PawSox roster. Thumbnails of the 12 position players appear in a separate story.

PITCHERS

Abe Alvarez: Went 5-8 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 games (16 starts) for Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Is 0-1 with an 11.32 ERA in four big league appearances (one start) for the Sox dating back to 2004…Is beginning his fourth season with the PawSox…Selected by the Sox out of Long Beach State in the second round of the 2003 draft.

Bartolo Colon: Went 6-8 with a 6.34 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) for the Angels last year…Won the 2005 American League Cy Young Award, when he went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA for the Angels, but has battled shoulder and back woes the last two seasons…Is 146-95 with a 4.10 ERA with the Indians, Expos, White Sox and Angels in a big league career dating back to 1997…Signed by the Sox as a free agent to a minor league deal in February.

Lee Gronkiewicz: Made his big league debut last year for the Blue Jays and allowed one run in four innings of relief June 19…Went 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 11 saves between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Syracuse in the Blue Jays’ organization…Was signed by the Sox after the season as a minor league free agent.

Devern Hansack: Went 10-7 with a 3.61 ERA in 25 games (23 starts) for Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Also 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA in three games (one start) for the Sox…Is 1-2 with a 3.57 ERA in five games (three starts) for the Sox dating back to 2006…Threw a rain-shortened five-inning no-hitter against the Orioles Oct. 1, 2006…Signed by the Sox as a minor league free agent prior to the 2006 season.

Craig Hansen: Went 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA and three saves for Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Is 2-2 with a 6.59 ERA in 42 relief appearances for the Sox dating back to 2005…Became the first player in Sox history to make his big league debut the same year he was drafted in 2005, when he was selected by the Sox out of St. John’s in the first round.

Lincoln Holdzkom: Went 5-1 with a 2.97 ERA and one save last year between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket…Selected by the Phillies from the Sox in the Rule 5 draft in December, but re-signed with the Sox—and received a spot on the 40-man roster—after clearing waivers in mid-March…Was also selected by the Astros from the Cubs in the 2006 Rule 5 draft and signed with the Sox after the Cubs cut him.

Dan Kolb: Recorded a 9.00 ERA in three innings for the Pirates last year…Went 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA and 12 saves for the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate, Indianapolis…Made the NL All-Star team in 2004, when he recorded a career-high 39 saves for the Brewers…Is 11-23 with a 4.36 ERA and 73 saves for the Rangers, Brewers, Braves and Pirates in a big league career dating back to 1999…Signed by the Sox last winter as a minor league free agent.

Edgar Martinez: Went 2-6 with a 5.16 ERA and one save in 42 relief appearances for Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Converted from a catcher to a pitcher midway through the 2004 season…Ranked 35th in Diehard’s 2008 prospect guide…Signed by the Sox as an undrafted free agent out of Venezuela in 1998.

David Pauley: Went 6-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) for Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Went 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in three starts for the Sox in 2006…Ranked 26th in Diehard’s 2008 prospect guide…Acquired by the Sox in a trade with the Padres following the 2004 season.

Jon Switzer: Went 0-2 with an 8.05 ERA in 21 games for the Rays last year…Recorded an 0.82 ERA and one save in 23 relief appearances for the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, Durham…Is 2-4 with a 6.11 ERA in 68 big league games with the Rays dating back to 2003…Signed by the Sox last winter as a minor league free agent.

Michael Tejera: Went 8-5 with a 3.90 ERA in 27 games (19 starts) for Triple-A Indianapolis in the Pirates’ organization last year…Is 11-13 with a 5.14 ERA and three saves with the Marlins and Rangers in a big league career dating back to 1999…Signed by the Sox last winter as a minor league free agent.

Charlie Zink: Went 11-6 with a 4.63 ERA in 24 games (16 starts) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket last year…Fourth time in five seasons he has won at least 10 games…Is beginning his fourth season with the PawSox…Signed by the Sox as an undrafted free agent out of Savannah College of Art and Design, where he was coached by Luis Tiant, in 2002.