The Red Sox All-Star: Who will it be?
By Rick McNair
Jun 21, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) drives in three runs with a double against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
The two areas that stand out with Bogaerts are his defensive improvement and his RISP.
Bogaerts did the investment in the off season and spring training to develop and refine his defensive skills. Bogaerts’ footwork, range, arm accuracy and ability to not get Pedroia murdered on the DP have placed him in the third slot defensively at short. Bogaerts WAR is in second place among AL shortstops at 1.8.
RISP in 2014 was .153. That is pathetic. For 2015 it is .370. Right across the board Bogaerts has been as consistent offensively and he has been defensively. In April it was a .274 average and in May a .275. June is .329 and what stood out was a bases loaded double against the Royals to put a game out of reach.
Bogaerts power numbers are not there. So what? Three home runs? His slugging is first among AL shortstops. ISO at .113 is fourth and RBI total (30) is first and BABIP is second at .330. At 22-years-old Bogaerts has arrived and he will only get better. An All-Star? Would not surprise me.