Doing his level best

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The 2005 amateur draft proved to be a memorable one for the Red Sox.It produced a star on the rise in outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury along with blossoming righthander Clay Buchholz, who is expected to claim a spot in the rotation this season. Infielder Jed Lowrie also was taken that year, along with reliever Craig Hansen, one of the players traded to Pittsburgh to obtain Jason Bay.Michael Bowden, the team’s fifth pick that year, can’t help but wonder when his turn is coming or whether it already did and he let it slip from his grasp.A 23-year-old righthander from Illinois, Bowden is in the somewhat uncomfortable position of having already shown he can pitch well at the highest levels of the minor leagues while not yet proving worthy of a spot on the major league roster.“I see those guys I got drafted with and I definitely think I can make an impact like they did and it will be sooner rather than later,’’ Bowden said yesterday. “But I wonder when that time is. You just want that opportunity again to show what you can do.’’Bowden was ranked among the top 100 prospects in the game by Baseball America in 2007 and again in 2008 and 2009. He fell out of the rankings this season, replaced by a new generation of prospects including Casey Kelly, who during spring training has the locker directly across from Bowden.There is little left for Bowden to prove in the minors. He has a 3.19 ERA over 166 innings with Triple A Pawtucket, allowing 146 hits. But in nine games for the Red Sox, Bowden has allowed a staggering 19 runs on 30 hits over 21 innings.It’s a sample size too small to draw any conclusions from. But for Bowden, it’s tough to forget last Aug. 21 when he allowed seven runs in two innings against the Yankees.After Brad Penny was pulled in the fifth inning of what would prove to be his final appearance for the Sox, Bowden entered a 6-1 game with two runners on and allowed a home run by Hideki Matsui.Three more runs scored that inning, helping send the Sox to a 20-11 loss at Fenway Park.“You mean when I got crushed?’’ Bowden said with a rueful laugh when asked about that day.What went unreported was that Bowden was pitching in relief for the third time in his life and entered the game in the middle of an inning for the first time.“I was getting loose and sitting down, getting loose and sitting down, and I felt I had to keep throwing to stay ready,’’ he said. “I was throwing and throwing and throwing. When I went out there, I was completely exhausted. I couldn’t do much. I was hoping they would hit it at somebody and make an out.’’Bowden has come to realize that that game was an important one in his development.“It was a great experience,’’ he said. “Just going through that, I learned a lot. When I got called back up, just being able to talk to the guys in the bullpen, I learned a routine and actually pitched pretty well out of the bullpen.’’Manager Terry Francona was quick to assure Bowden that the team would not hold that game against him.“Tough night for everybody,’’ Francona said. “That wasn’t his fault.’’Bowden has been called up to the majors four times in the last two seasons. On three of those occasions, his tenure lasted one day.“Those are pretty tough on you,’’ he said. “You find out late at night, you have to get up early, you go right from the airport to the ballpark on two hours of sleep. It’s tough, but it’s one of those things when you’re in the big leagues and it doesn’t matter if you slept at all.“The good thing is the organization is honest with you. They let you know you’re there to pitch that day and then you’re going back unless somebody gets injured.’’So what will it take for Bowden to get back to the majors? Dusty Brown, who caught Bowden at Pawtucket last season, said the talent is there. Bowden throws a four-seam fastball that in baseball terms is “heavy’’ because it sinks as it approaches the plate. He also has an effective slider and changeup.“He’s right there on the edge,’’ said Brown. “They probably know he can help them win. He just needs to be ready to go when they need him. He’s a battler. For him it’s just becoming more and more consistent.’’The Sox invited Bowden to spend a day in Boston in January so he could watch videotape of his delivery with pitching coach John Farrell and work on his mechanics. It was a sign the team still considers him a prospect.“He’s 23 and was drafted out of high school,’’ said general manager Theo Epstein. “It’s ridiculous when people say he has peaked.“I think he could factor into our bullpen mix at some point this year. But there are only so many pitchers in the organization you can point to and say they have the attributes of someone who can throw 200 innings in the big leagues.’’When the Sox signed John Lackey in December, Bowden knew it was likely he would be headed back to Pawtucket. He also took it as a signal to embrace the idea of pitching out of the bullpen. Perhaps that is how he will join his draft class.“I’m just going to let it happen, whatever that is,’’ he said. “I’m definitely not opposed to going to the bullpen. I didn’t think I would enjoy it last year but I did.“My goal is just to be in the big leagues. I look around this room and I feel like I should stay here. It’s so close that it feels like a step away. Now I have to take it.’’Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com.