Would you trade Xander Bogaerts for this guy? (Nope.) How about him? (No way.)
COMMENTARY
In the sunny aftermath of one of the finest games of Xander Bogaerts’s young career, I’ve got a fun thought-exercise for you. And it comes with only a subtle undertone of gloating:
Based on age and ability, with defensive position, salary and contract status lesser but viable considerations, how many other players around baseball would you choose right now, knowing you’ll have him for the next half-decade or so, over the Red Sox’ exceptional 22-year-old shortstop?
Mike Trout and Bryce Harper? Well, sure. Trout is our Willie Mays. Harper is everything Tony Conigliaro was and was going to be, just with a terrible haircut.
Carlos Correa? Adios, X. The Astros’ rookie is two years younger than Bogaerts and is everything A-Rod was when he was a Mariner and likable, way back when.
Giancarlo Stanton and Andrew McCutchen? No and no, based on age and salary rather than their demonstrated awesomeness. They’re two of my favorites from this era. The latter is all that’s great about baseball, but he’s approaching his peak, if he hasn’t already passed it. The former is going to opt out after his age-30 season and at last fulfill his destiny as the next great Red Sox right fielder. (What, you thought I gave up on that? It’s like you don’t even know me anymore.)
Manny Machado? Hmmm. He is a beast. I suspect the Orioles wouldn’t swap their guy for yours. But yours is still playing shortstop. I’ll stick with the status quo.
Kris Bryant? I’d lean toward “yes’’ because of that Mike Schmidt 80-grade power, though the Cubs’ rookie is actually 10 months older than Bogaerts.
Joc Pederson? Not a chance. He’s well-rounded but with too many holes in his game, if that makes sense. What a gloriously weird stat line: 20 homers, 39 RBIs, 100 strikeouts, .230 batting average.
Mookie Betts? You can’t trade players on the same team for each other, silly, though I’m pretty sure Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has tried that more than once. ESPN baseball analyst Keith Law had Betts fifth and Bogaerts eighth on his list of the best players under 25 in April. Flip ‘em, I say.
Jose Iglesias? Get out of here. Now you’re just trolling the troll.
The point of our little game should be obvious: Xander Bogaerts – he of the .388 batting average with runners in scoring position, .336 average at Fenway, and .341/.364/.467 slash line in 33 games since June 1 – is becoming everything he was supposed to be. It’s all happening, and it’s happening in a hurry.
Oh, and defensively, he is staying at shortstop. He belongs at shortstop. Hell, he’s thriving at shortstop. No, he’s not Iglesias, but he is playing the position better than we ever imagined he might. That’s talent, sure. He has talent abundance.
It’s also work ethic, and that’s what separates the might-bes and could-have-beens from the players who fulfill and even exceed their early promise. Bogaerts’s work ethic – and his mental makeup – is as extraordinary as his ability, and it’s why management’s faith in him was actually emboldened during his struggles last summer. Even when he was failing on the field, he never failed to put in the work.
He is not a finished product – hell, he’s five years younger than Brock Holt and almost six years younger than Pawtucket resident Rusney Castillo. There’s still time and room to grow, and he will. The power is the next, and last, tool to develop. David Ortiz, his teammate and most vocal advocate, hit 10 homers at age 24 for the 2000 Minnesota Twins. Bogaerts had 11 last year, and I bet you he surpasses that number this year, even with his tater total currently stalled at 3.
Those of you who were down on him after last season … well, no mea culpa is necessary. Surely you know by now that “the Red Sox overrate their young players’’ is an (often deliberately) ignorant and context-free hot take. I trust you were overtaken by your shame and embarrassment right around the time that you realized Bogaerts and Mookie Betts really are pretty good at playing baseball.
Bogaerts, whose three-run single against the Marlins on Tuesday night may wind up as a pivotal moment in the Red Sox’ suddenly interesting season, has become the hitter you want at the plate in big moments. I cannot wait to see him play meaningful games – or should I say, more meaningful games, since he is the only player on our aforementioned Would Ya Trade Him For This Guy list to have earned (and that is the absolute correct verb given his performance in October 2013) his own World Series ring.
While even a grump like me is happy that Holt was chosen for the American League All-Star team, Bogaerts would have been a worthy selection – probably the most-worthy selection. It does not look like the Final Vote will go his way. He’s dead-last among the candidates.
No matter. He’ll be on his way to many All-Star games in the future. What’s more important, and worthy of celebration, is that he’s on his way to superstardom right now.
Notable Red Sox rookie performances:
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