What Chaim Bloom’s subtle change in messaging says about Red Sox efforts with Xander Bogaerts
Chaim Bloom’s subtle change in messaging hints Red Sox preparing to lose Xander Bogaerts
It seems the Boston Red Sox are already beginning to walk back their months of effusive Xander Bogaerts talk and trying to prime fans for accepting a departure they made inevitable.
Addressing media members at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, Bloom was both careful and careless with his words, or maybe he just wanted to seem careless. At this point, who knows?
At their end-of-season press conference, Bloom said Bogaerts was “the top priority.”
Now he’s “a top priority.” Yes, there’s a difference.
In the past, Bloom said the Sox want Trevor Story to continue playing second base, and the infielder has made it clear that he’d prefer to stay at second because he wants Bogaerts to stay in Boston.
Now, the Sox would like everyone to know that they have not one, but two in-house candidates for shortstop. Story or Kiké Hernández, take your pick!
These subtle and not-so-subtle changes in messaging hint that the Sox are going to try to convince the public that losing Bogaerts was unavoidable. Don’t buy it.
Bloom also said that while Story and Hernández are in-house options, the Sox hope it doesn’t come to that.
Yikes.
Nothing says “Your employer believes in you” like a public declaration that they hope you don’t have to take on different duties.
It was already bad enough that the Sox spent months lavishing Bogaerts with praise in the press, making it sound like he’d be back in no time. He was Option A, the top priority. Bloom said, “we want him back.” They’re Buttercup and fans are The Foundations, built up just to be let down again.
Fast-forward to Fenway Park on Opening Day 2023…
‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Opening Day at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Now introducing, the starting shortstop, though we hoped it wouldn’t come to this, Option B!’
