Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley heating up
By Sean Penney
Bradley’s recent hot streak will eventually cool off, but it serves as proof that last August wasn’t a fluke. He is capable of going on a tear at the plate, which even when balanced with his inevitable slumps still leaves us with a hitter worthy of playing at this level. As he continues to mature and build his confidence, the hot streaks will hopefully become more common than the cold spells.
He’s a defensive wizard in the field, an artist with the glove. His defensive skills alone make him a valuable center fielder, but just imagine what he can become if he starts to hit like this on a more regular basis. We’re talking All-Star upside if he can tap into this potential for prolonged periods, while limiting the ice cold slumps.
His rise can be compared to that of Kansas City Royals outfielder, Lorenzo Cain, who was long considered valuable primarily for his defense, until he broke out with a solid season at the plate in 2014 at the age of 28. He followed that up last season with his first All-Star appearance and finished third in MVP voting. Not that Bradley is expected to enter the MVP conversation anytime soon, but he’s younger than Cain was when he had his breakout season, so perhaps he’s heading for brighter days where it’s not only his glove that gets him recognized.
We’ve seen what Bradley looks like at his best. Now it’s simply a matter of how long he can sustain it.