Red Sox: Potential team Most Valuable Players for 2017
By Rick McNair
Two more “Killer B’s.”
Jackie Bradley has a distinct advantage of being a player who can win games with his bat and in the field. JBJ possesses a cannon of an arm and the skills to track down the most evasive of fly balls and line drives. Bradley in pursuit of a pitching error is a comfort as the ball is hauled in. The arm is a terrorizing weapon. First to third is as risky as riding a Harley in a thunderstorm.
Bradley’s issues continue to be with the bat. Frigid or blazing hot is the season for Bradley and historically both are either a painful exhibition in batting futility or watching baseballs get abused with some furious hits. If Bradley puts it all together with the blazing hot for the season he could win the team MVP.
Xander Bogaerts went from being a batting title contender to fighting a battle to hit .300. XB lost that battle, but captured his second straight Silver Slugger Award. What could push Bogaerts into serious contention is power. Bogaerts went from seven home runs in 2015 to 21 in 2016 and just maybe the projections for his power will come true?
Bogaerts plays a key position at short and that certainly garners extra attention, but his glove work is in the average or slightly above average range. For Bogaerts to make a serious run at Betts that home run total may have to take another significant leap.