Red Sox: Travis Shaw aims to make former team regret trading him
By Sean Penney
With the Red Sox heading to Milwaukee for a three-game series against the Brewers, we’re left to wonder if they would have been better off holding on to Shaw. Speaking with WEEI’s Rob Bradford on the Bradfo Sho this week, it’s clear Shaw is thinking the same thing.
"“Yeah, I think that happens with everybody,” said Shaw when asked about proving the Red Sox wrong. “You want to win the trade. Everybody is a competitor. I’m a competitor. Obviously going into this year there’s some determination to kind of prove that I’m an everyday player again because I lost that spot at the end of last year. Along with proving I’m an everyday player again. When the trade happens, that’s something I take personally, not personally, but I really wanted to establish as an everyday third baseman again and obviously just win the trade.”"
Shaw is certainly winning the trade so far, although it’s fair to question how long that will last. He started out strong last year after wrestling the starting third base role away from Sandoval in spring training, hitting .292 with 7 home runs and 35 RBI through the first two months. Shaw’s production fell off a cliff starting in June and he was relegated to part-time duty in the second half of the season. He hit .194 with a .619 OPS after the break, a second-half fade that may have doomed his future in Boston.
The Red Sox have received dismal production at third base this season, which is no different from last year when they finished last in the league in OPS at the position with Shaw on board.