WORCESTER — Just a few hours earlier than the Boston Red Sox took the sphere in Florida, the group’s Triple-A supervisor was unaware that the big-league lineup had been modified to incorporate somebody with whom he’d spent the previous few weeks working.
The Red Sox needed to scrap their unique lineup for his or her third recreation towards the Tampa Bay Rays, pulling Masataka Yoshida as a result of proper hamstring tightness. Doing so necessitated a posh recreation of musical chairs: Raimel Tapia from middle to left subject, Kiké Hernández from shortstop to middle, Bobby Dalbec into the lineup.
And beginning at brief.
Yes, the identical Bobby Dalbec who’s made three appearances (one begin) at shortstop in 275 profession regular-season video games on the big-league degree.
Chad Tracy, who’s in his second season managing the Worcester Red Sox, higher often known as the WooSox, is bullish in regards to the growth.
“I’m excited to see that,” the WooSox skipper mentioned on Wednesday night. “His last one in Buffalo at short actually looked pretty good. He got five or six chances, a couple backhands, and he looked pretty good, so fingers crossed.”
The normal consensus is {that a} shortstop can simply shift to every other place. Not a lot the opposite approach round, particularly when the opponent is the undefeated Rays.
“It’s not easy,” Tracy mentioned. “I always had the feeling it was a little bit easier to go from the infield to the outfield, just because if there’s a middle infielder, then they’re usually pretty athletic, otherwise, they wouldn’t be playing the middle. And then you’re just taking a guy that’s used to being really close to the ball and moving them further away. The other way around, if you have an athlete, maybe a center-fielder, and you’re going to try to move him in the infield, all of a sudden, it’s an eye-opener … you’re really, really close to the action, and you have to, you know, your moves and your footwork has to happen a lot faster.”
Perhaps, he was additionally (inadvertently) lending perception into why Hernández has struggled to transition from his longtime super-utility function (heavy on centerfield time over his first two seasons in Boston) to the on a regular basis shortstop gig the Red Sox by no means anticipated to provide him. He entered Wednesday evening’s recreation with 5 errors and minus-2 Defensive Runs Saved, to not point out 0 for his final 27 on the plate.
Meanwhile, Dalbec got here up by means of the Red Sox system as a 3rd baseman. Blocked by Rafael Devers, he moved to first, and made his main league debut on the finish of August 2020. He’s spent the majority of his big-league enjoying time at that place, however between his personal struggles final season and Triston Casas cracking the majors in September and taking up because the on a regular basis first baseman, Dalbec confirmed as much as spring coaching displaced for the second time.
Despite not having a transparent touchdown spot for him, the Red Sox weren’t able to slam the door on the previous high prospect, who hasn’t reached arbitration eligibility but. They spent spring coaching testing/coaching him all around the infield. He competed with Yu Chang for the infield bench spot on the roster, however ended up in Worcester.
“There was some miscommunication” when Dalbec started enjoying brief for the WooSox, his supervisor mentioned. “But he got five or six chances, and it took him in different directions, like he had to slide to the middle and make a throw from there. He had to go to his backhand side a couple times and regather his feet, and push, and throw across, and he showed a very strong arm.”
“He just played that day like, he looked like a guy that, it’s like, he’s got all the tools, and all the plays that come at short,” Tracy mentioned. “He kind of checked every box of different types of plays and looked good doing it, so I hope he has a good one.”
Tracy additionally couldn’t imagine how briskly Dalbec is. For one factor, he’s 6-foot-4. And normally, velocity isn’t a make-or-break software for first base (there’s a purpose David Ortiz slotted in there when the Red Sox went to National League ballparks), although that wasn’t Dalbec’s unique place.
“Bobby’s faster than I thought,” Tracy mentioned with a smile. “I’m coaching third in Buffalo, and somebody hit one down the line, and he scored from first. He was going by me, I was like, ‘dang!’ He’s a big dude that can really move.”
Maybe he may help the Red Sox get shifting once more.
Source: www.bostonherald.com