For those of you who missed it (read: nobody) Alfredo Aceves signed a deal with the Red Sox yesterday. Released by the Yankees earlier in the offseason, Aceves' 2010 season was plagued by multiple back injuries.

He made three starts and four total appearances with the Thunder last season, and pitched in three more games (two starts) with Scranton before eventually being shut down for good when he just wouldn't heal.

He was 3-0 with an ERA of an even 3.00 over 12 games with the big club.

Aceves, one of the Yankees' first success stories in their recent dip into the Mexican talent pool, made his initial impact with the Thunder in 2008. He threw the team's only complete-game shutout that year, and its most recent before Hector Noesi turned the trick this season.

His most memorable moment that season, however, was proposing to his then-girlfriend in the stands before a game. Of course, my back was turned at the moment, so I missed it. I'm told it was quite touching.

In any case, here's hoping for the best of luck for Aceves in Boston.

The Thunder topped Harrisburg tonight, 4-1, and there were two obvious shining stars: Dan Brewer and D.J. Mitchell. Brewer's three-run shot gave Trenton the edge it needed, and Mitchell continued his excellent work since the All-Star break.

Brewer credited a lot of his recent success -- he's now 16 of his last 34 (.471/.537/1.184) with 10 RBIs in his last 10 games --to a change hitting coach Frank Menechino made in his stance.

“Ever since the break, Frank and I have kind of evaluated my first half and where my swing was at, We made an adjustment with my stance, and it’s really helping me out, it’s helping me stay shorter."

"My approach mentally, especially, has been a big key. I’ve hit open my entire life, to be honest, and I closed it off and shortened my stride. It felt like I was facing right field (at first). But now, it feels pretty comfortable to me. It’s really helping me stay inside the ball and let my hands work a lot more.”

After Alfredo Aceves, in Trenton for the first of (as he tells it) at least two rehab starts, left, Mitchell entered. The Clemson alum tossed six innings of stellar baseball, and allowed just one unearned run in the process. He got 10 groundouts, six strikeouts, one pickoff and a flyout during his appearance. In summation, that's a 10:1 groundout-to-airout ratio, and it's pretty damn sick.

Here's Mitchell talking about his night:



As referred to earlier, Alfredo Aceves made a rehab appearance. Here's video footage to prove it.





Also, former Yankees hero Orlando Hernandez is now a reliever with Harrisburg. Here's video footage of him facing Brewer and Austin Romine.

According to George King of the New York Post, Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte will make a rehab start in Trenton on Tuesday, if everything goes well in today's throwing session in Tampa.

That would make two rehab appearances in a four-day span for the Thunder. Alfredo Aceves, who pitched for the Thunder in 2008, is slated to start against the Senators on Friday. Pettitte has been on the disabled list since July 20 with a left groin strain.

Pettitte was 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA before the injury.

It was announced today that Alfredo Aceves, out since May 12 with a bulging disk in his back, will make a rehab appearance in Trenton on Friday against Harrisburg. Before the injury, Aceves, 27, was 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 appearances.

Aceves, who was signed in February 2008 in the same deal that brought Manny Banuelos into the organization, went 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA over seven starts -- including a complete-game shutout -- later that year. He debuted with the Yankees on August 31, 2008.

Add Aceves to Jason Jones and Orlando Hernandez, both of whom are on the Senators' roster, and you've got the recipe for a very interesting weekend set at Waterfront Park.