Everything seemed to be ‘honey on flakes’ after the long-awaited arrival of Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox, and yet even in the best families there are misunderstandings, and of course differences of opinion at the arrival of new elements, as is the case of the third baseman who landed at Fenway Park with great fanfare.
Sooner rather than later, problems in the Boston ninth began to arise when third baseman Rafael Devers was unhappy with the mere possibility that the newcomer would oust him from his position, something that from the team’s management was not clearly known after the announcement of Bregman’s arrival from free agency and several years with theHouston Astros.
Devers and his flat-out refusal
Devers went viral a few days ago when he responded with a simple “No” and a sly smile to questions about whether he would be willing to be a designated hitterso that Bregman could settle into his base. He later stated through a translator: “Third base is my position. It’s what I play. I don’t know what their plans are. We had a conversation. I made it clear what my wishes were. What happens from now on, I don’t know.”
While it is true that the Dominican had a lower performance than Bregman in his position during the last season, it is also true that Devers is considered the best in his position in the majors, and has become a kind of emblem for Boston, just as David Ortiz was. And it is precisely ‘Big Papi’ who settled the matter with his perspective on things: “You’re not talking about another player, you’re talking about Rafael Devers, the best player on the team. Bregman might have better defensive numbers, but you’re not talking about a ‘Mickey Mouse’ type player, you’re talking about Rafael Devers,” he said.
Bregman cuts to the chase
According to reports from Mass Live Red Sox reporter Chris Cotillo, Bregman is turning the situation around and prefers not to get into trouble, at least for the moment: “I think everybody in here believes in their abilities, but if everybody puts everything they’ve got into the game, we’ve got a really good chance to be a winning team. I can only speak for myself, but I’ll play wherever it helps the team win.”
And the fact is that Bregman has not wanted to make this a circus, and with his attitude and words he has shown not only class, but also leadership and a sense of belonging and teamwork. And that at this stage in Boston is just the first of the many actions that are expected from him.
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