Mookie Betts by no means needed to undergo it. Xander Bogaerts went by it briefly. Countless others couldn’t survive it.
Arriving at Fenway Park as a highly-touted prospect within the Red Sox system comes with strain and expectations, and for the numerous rookies who endure any prolonged failure on the massive league degree, the scrutiny from the followers, media and others round city will be overwhelming.
Bobby Dalbec felt that first-hand final 12 months, when the rookie first baseman led the Grapefruit League in dwelling runs throughout spring coaching, however spent the primary 4 months of the common season rating as one of many worst offensive gamers within the massive leagues.
He bounced again with an excellent August and saved his season, however appears like he realized an necessary lesson alongside the best way.
“Last year it bugged me,” he mentioned of the scrutiny he confronted. “This year it doesn’t really matter.”
Today, Dalbec will enter Fenway for the primary time in a model new season. The 26-year-old is taking a brand new psychological strategy.
“It’s the same game, but a little bit more slowed down, hopefully,” he mentioned. “It feels good. I really feel prepared. I really feel prepared yearly however this 12 months it feels a bit bit slower.
“I wouldn’t say the pressure is lifted, but I don’t really try to put pressure on myself. A lot of negative things are said about me all the time. I just try to forget about that and go play my game.”
Dalbec entered the 2021 season with sky-high expectations. He made his massive league debut throughout the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 and exploded with eight homers and 16 RBI in simply 23 video games. And he entered spring coaching already anointed the group’s beginning first baseman.
Hitting a league-high seven homers in spring coaching solely fueled the expectations for the 6-foot-4, 227-pound slugger, which made it all of the extra stunning when Dalbec spent the primary 4 months of the season struggling to make contact.
Before he started a sizzling streak on Aug. 11, Dalbec’s identify could possibly be discovered on the backside of most statistical classes.
Of these with 300 plate appearances on the time, Dalbec ranked useless final with simply 2.64 plate appearances per strikeout. He ranked 176th out of 180 gamers with a .264 on-base share. And he ranked 162nd with a .218 common.
“He had a tough first half,” teammate Kiké Hernandez recalled. “Being a rookie and being in a big market like Boston, everything that comes in being in a big market, all the expectations and stuff.”
Dalbec remembers the sensation.
“It’s mostly only negative about me,” he mentioned. “That’s all I’m accustomed to. That’s why I don’t read stuff anymore.”
But one thing clicked for Dalbec in mid-August, when he discovered his stroke and completed his last 16 video games of the month with seven homers and 20 RBI, incomes him American League Rookie of the Month honors.
“You can say a lot about the way he handled things,” Hernandez mentioned. “It was tough for him, it was frustrating. But he was always positive, always looking forward. If it wasn’t for his mentality and willingness to succeed, I don’t think he would’ve had the second half that he did. That speaks worlds of Bobby. I think the sky is the limit for him.”
Hernandez isn’t alone in that thought. The free-agent market was filled with proficient first basemen, notably left-handed first basemen who might’ve slotted properly into the Sox’ lineup and changed Kyle Schwarber, who signed with the Phillies.
But the Sox stood nonetheless and introduced in solely a single first baseman, Travis Shaw, on a minor league deal. Dalbec was getting a second likelihood because the on a regular basis starter.
“If he can hit 25, 28 home runs, we’ll take it,” supervisor Alex Cora mentioned. “If we get the guy that hit in August and September, we’ll take that, too.”
Despite a gradual begin, he nonetheless completed with 25 homers and a 111 OPS-plus final 12 months.
“That’s way above average,” Cora mentioned. “He learned a lot last year through the process and it wasn’t easy. There were certain matchups that didn’t help him in certain stretches, but there were other matchups that he took advantage of.”
Dalbec clearly loved hitting towards lefties, hitting .278 with an .877 OPS towards them, although he hit simply .212 with a .730 OPS towards righties.
“It seems like in the offseason he made a conscious effort of making contact with two strikes, which is great,” Cora mentioned. “That means he understands there are certain situations that you put the ball in play with men at third and less than two outs and good things happen.”
Dalbec is off to an OK begin, having gone 4-for-19 with one homer and eight strikeouts to date, although his dwelling run was decisive for the Sox of their 4-3 win over the Yankees final Sunday.
“There are a lot of expectations,” Hernandez mentioned. “You’ve bought a man that’s extraordinarily proficient. Incredible uncooked energy. Great athlete. He can play first base, third base. I’m fairly certain he might play second base or the outfield in case you wanted him to.
“I think Bobby could be somewhat similar to what Raffy (Devers) does from the left side. That’s how confident I am in Bobby’s talent. I think he can be Raffy from the right side.”
That’s an enormous ask, however Dalbec has his personal goal.
“I don’t really make number goals,” Dalbec mentioned. “I just want to be the best version of myself. If I can be locked in, stick to my routine and my approach for 500 out of 600 at-bats, or whatever that number is going to be, that’ll be good for me. Just trying to keep it simple.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com