Alex Bregman was a two-time All-American shortstop in school, who contributed to 2 World Sequence earlier than additionally successful a Gold Glove as a 3rd baseman. Now, as a member of the Crimson Sox, he’s anticipated to play second base.
Whereas it won’t make a ton of sense on the floor, it has the potential to shore up one in every of Boston’s largest weaknesses. Bregman, who turns 31 in a month, remains to be an amazing athlete who will make Boston higher on each side of the ball. And whereas he received the Gold Glove in 2024 for what he did at third base, the presence of Rafael Devers means he’ll possible transfer throughout the diamond to second base — the place he has 32 profession innings — and attempt to assist the Crimson Sox return to the playoffs for the primary time in 2021.
Former main league utilityman and NESN analyst Lou Merloni had greater than 100 video games at third base, shortstop and second base every, making him uniquely certified to evaluate Bregman’s state of affairs.
He thinks Bregman’s talent set will make the transition a relative non-factor.
“I nonetheless assume he’s an elite defender, even at second base,” Merloni informed NESN.com from Fort Myers, Fla. on Thursday afternoon. “There will likely be some issues he’ll should work on. The double performs are the very first thing that come to thoughts. Beginning double performs, ending double performs, are some issues he’ll get the work in at spring coaching with sufficient time to get used to it.”
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Bregman’s previous is an indicator of how he might adapt. At LSU, he was the most effective shortstop within the nation. He performed the place all the best way up by the minors, and the one purpose he turned a 3rd baseman on the large league degree was that Houston had Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve at shortstop and second base, respectively.
It labored out nicely. Solely six third basemen have produced extra defensive runs saved than Bregman since 2017.
At second, Bregman must get comfy with seeing the ball off the bat from a unique angle on the opposite facet of the diamond. He’ll should work on going to his left and his proper. At third base, the foul line offers a little bit of a boundary on balls to the infielder’s proper. The hope is Bregman can transfer to his proper on balls up the center simply in addition to he might to his left, the place he specialised as a 3rd baseman in his profession.
“Third (base) is simply, when you form of see the ball off the bat, I believe when you get used to that, and also you’re there for a very long time — I believe it’s tough to slip over there and play it now and again,” Merloni mentioned. ” … I believe second base has extra of a shortstop really feel, the diamond feels extra open to you, and you’ve got an opportunity to learn balls a bit extra and take your time (whereas) at shortstop it’s important to get it out fast and might’t be capable of bobble the ball.”
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(Bregman) not simply provides a veteran management presence who’s received championships, however he additionally creates a ton of depth in your group and covers numerous floor in case you want it.
If there are balls Bregman can get to, he ought to flip them into outs. His arm power, in comparison with different third basemen, was common at finest in 2024. Transferring to second deemphasizes that, in fact, and it would make his high-level abilities — his capability to get to balls and discipline them cleanly — play up.
“(The arm) nonetheless performs,” Merloni mentioned. “Double performs, balls up the center, going to his proper — the surehandedness he performs third base with improves at second. Third base generally is de facto all about step one and that leap and never placing your self in a susceptible place on a floor ball. Now, he’s received a bit extra time to learn it. He’s nonetheless surehanded, that arm (that was good) from throughout the diamond, comes into play up the center turning double performs, that’s arm power.”
Merloni added: “It’s totally different once you’re speaking about subpar infielders shifting round, perhaps there may be one place he’s higher at than one other. While you’re speaking a few participant the defensive degree of Bregman, he goes from third to second, I count on him to be within the Gold Glove dialogue at second base if that’s the place he’s at.”
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Clearly, the Crimson Sox agree with that evaluation. They wouldn’t make the deal in any other case. Boston supervisor Alex Cora informed NESN in January that he has been saying since his personal days in Houston that Bregman might play second base on the highest degree.
“I all the time envisioned him as a Gold Glove second baseman,” he informed Merloni and Tom Caron at Fenway Fest, recalling a 2017 dialog with Bregman. “His measurement, the best way he strikes, it felt form of such as you’ll be a second baseman, however he’s performed third base at a excessive degree.”
The 2024 Crimson Six completed the season sixth in baseball in defensive runs saved, however a significant chunk of that (45 of 49 DRS) got here from the outfield, primarily middle fielder Cedanne Rafaela and Gold Glove proper fielder Wilyer Abreu. Now, with Trevor Story wholesome and Bregman to his left, there’s purpose to imagine crew protection will likely be a significant power for the membership in 2025 — on the grass and the grime.
“It’s one thing that’s desperately wanted,” Merloni mentioned. “If Story can keep wholesome with presently the best way the outfield is about up, there’s an excellent probability you would have Bregman, Story, Durran, Rafaela, and Abreu as Gold Glove finalists for a crew that desperately wanted to enhance its protection during the last two years.”
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For all the newest on one other busy day at Crimson Sox spring coaching, together with an interview with Garrett Crochet, try “Crimson Sox From Fort Myers” at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
