With the Boston Red Sox currently in the cellar of the American League East it was time for a change. Just prior to Major League Baseball’s trade deadline last Thursday, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington played the role of “Trader Joe” as he was fast and furious as far as sending veteran players to Logan Airport catch flights to other MLB cities. For Cherington, the 2015 MLB season is starting a bit early as he intends to use the last two months of the regular season evaluating talent to see who he will keep on the Red Sox roster for next season. One player that will take a long, hard look from Cherington is going to be Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Xander Bogaerts
The Red Sox signed Bogaerts in 2009 as a 16-year old out of his native Aruba. Bogaerts quickly worked his way up in the Red Sox minor league system before he made the big club late last season. Bogaerts only appeared in 18 regular season games last year for the Red Sox, but he was put on Boston’s postseason roster. In the postseason Bogaerts batted .296 with an on-base percentage of .412 as he helped the Red Sox win the World Series.
Bogaerts began this season as the Red Sox starting shortstop and for the month of April he batted .276 with a .382 on-base percentage. But things changed on May 20th when the Red Sox re-signed shortstop Stephen Drew. Drew was the Red Sox starting shortstop last year but he became a free agent after the World Series. The Red Sox offered Drew arbitration on a one-year deal for $14 million. Drew was seeking a long-term deal which he never received. Drew was on the market until the Red Sox signed him to a one-year deal and they agreed to pay him $10 million for the remainder of the season.
Drew’s return to the Red Sox meant that Bogaerts would be moving to third base. Prior to Drew’s return to the Red Sox, Bogaerts was batting .270 with a .372 on-base percentage. With Drew on the roster Bogaerts’ batting average slipped to .244 and his on-base percentage to .313.
In 39 games with the Red Sox this season Drew was batting .176 and a .255 on-base percentage which led to Cherington trading him to the New York Yankees just prior to the trade deadline. Now Cherington is hopeful that Bogaerts will improve his game now that he is returning to being the Red Sox everyday shortstop.
With the Red Sox currently 49-62 and 13.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, this is a team that is now playing with house money for the remainder of the season and Bogaerts appears to be their shortstop of the future. Bogaerts should once again regain his confidence as he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder in regards to playing time. Bogaerts has the potential to be a good player while he has veterans players on the Red Sox such as second baseman Dustin Pedroia and designated hitter David Ortiz than can school the youngster on what it takes to be a pro and also how to deal with the expectations in a city such as Boston. Bogaerts is just 21-years of age, but Cherington needs to know that he can trust the youngster from Aruba to be his everyday shortstop in Boston or whether or not that he’ll need to bring in a veteran infielder next season to platoon with Bogaerts while also pushing him for playing time.
Ben Cherington
Last season Cherington was able to push all the right buttons in just his second season as Red Sox general manager. Things have not been as smooth this season for Cherington, but this should not be a long rebuilding process in Boston and Bogaerts will be a part of it.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Leave A Comment