Former Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli has a message for Hanley Ramirez on learning to play first base: “It’s not easy.”
The Red Sox were left with little choice but to find a new home on the field for Hanley Ramirez in the wake of last year’s disastrous attempt to convert him to the outfield. The problem was that with David Ortiz claiming the designated hitter role for one more year, where else could they put him?
Ramirez came into the league as a natural shortstop, but long outgrew the position, which is now locked down by Xander Bogaerts on this team. He was moved to third base later in his career, but Pablo Sandoval is currently clogging up that spot. Not that they would dare test Ramirez at second base, but Dustin Pedroia has it handled. That left first base, where only Travis Shaw‘s limited big league experience stood in his way.
The hope is that playing first base will keep Ramirez healthier (with less walls to run into), which should help return him to being the elite slugger we saw last April. Perhaps more importantly is that first base seems to be the easiest position to hide his defensive ineptitude.
Not so fast, warns former Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli, who was a catcher for most of his career before switching to first base full time when he arrived in Boston back in 2013. Transitioning to first base after spending your entire career at another position is harder than it looks.
"“I think it’s a lot harder than people think, but if you put the work in and are serious about it you can become good at it,” Napoli told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford."
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Ramirez seemed to be putting the work in with outfield coach Arnie Beyeler last February down in Fort Myers as he prepared to tackle his new role in left field, but it never translated once the season began. His chances in game action were limited during Spring Training, leaving him ill-prepared once the games started to count. Ramirez looked lost in the shadow of the Green Monster, taking awkward routes and having difficulty playing the ball off the wall. It only got worse when his commitment to the position change started to dwindle. He wouldn’t hustle to chase down balls in the gap and refused to dive for fear of hurting his shoulder. The stats will tell you that Ramirez was the worst defensive player in the majors last season, but the eye test would tell you that was rather obvious already.
So why should we expect his move to first base to be any different. It’s considered to be an “easier” position, often manned by immobile brutes that got to where they are on the strength of their bat. Sounds perfect for Ramirez, but according to Napoli it’s not that simple.
Luckily his former teammate has some advice for Ramirez.
"“Listen to everything Butterfield says, and have an open mind because you have to learn a new position,” advises Napoli. “It’s not easy. It’s a tough position. People don’t understand. The way we played infield when you’re in shifts can be tough, running to the bases and guys throwing the ball before you can turn your head. It’s just something you have to work at.”"
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Who else just envisioned Ramirez getting clunked in the back of the head by a ball that he failed to turn around in time to catch? Or forgetting to run to cover the base when it’s his responsibility. Those are some of the nightmare scenarios Red Sox fans dread, which don’t even seem unrealistic after witnessing his adventures in the outfield last year.
His past experience as an infielder should help make for a smoother transition than what we saw last year, but there are still some new tricks this old dog will need to learn.
"“The ground balls he should be good at, being a shortstop,” says Napoli. “But the footwork around first base is going to be tough. The shift part of it, being far away from the base. On the corners in the infield you have somewhat more time, not worrying about catching cleanly. But I think the footwork is the toughest. Reading throws before stretching is also going to be tough.”"
A player that is a butcher in the field can be forgiven in this town as long as they hit. How many years did we put up with Manny Ramirez, who was a liability in the field but mashed at an All-Star level every year like clockwork? The Red Sox just need Hanley to be passable at first, as long as that comes in conjunction with finding his swing again.
It’s still conceivable that Ramirez can do that, but it’s going to take some work.