Page 40 - Min Vos 15 Aug'15

Aruban Xander Bogaerts not
concerned by power outage
RED Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has three home
runs this season. Among AL players with at least 350
at-bats, only seven have fewer.
Xander Bogaerts is hitting .314, good for sixth best
in the American League. His on-base percentage, a
healthy .341, is among the top 30 in the league.
The 22-year-old Red Sox shortstop has developed a
more refined approach at the plate than he had last
season, hitting the ball to all fields and cutting down and strength to hit with more authority.
on his strikeouts. His 25 doubles are second on the
team as are his 54 RBIs.
Both offensively and defensively, Bogaerts is unques-
tionably one of the most improved players in the
league.
But Bogaerts also has a .409 slugging percentage, just
a touch above the league average, and only three home
runs. Among AL players with at
10 LOCAL
least 350 at-bats, only seven have fewer.
Bogaerts has not hit a home run since June 15, a stretch
of 204 at-bats. He hit 12 last seasons.
“I’m not worried about power,” Bogaerts said. “I’m
not really swinging for power. Maybe once a game,
depending on the situation, I’ll take a shot at it. I know
it’s there. I have not worried about that at all. It will
come together.”
At 6 feet, 1 inch and 210 pounds, Bogaerts has the size
“Maybe it will be next season. It’s going to happen,”
he said.
Hitting coach Chili Davis is of the opinion that Bogaerts
will grow into his power and become more of a home
run hitter in time. Former Yankees shortstop Derek
Jeter hit 10 in each of his first two seasons in the majors Detroit last Friday. It left a deep bruise and Hanigan
then 19 in his age-24 season in 1998.
“Once I started getting a lot of hits the opposite way, I
got away from it,” Bogaerts said. “I was driving in runs
doing that and when I came up in those situations; I
was able to do that.
“I’m not worried about it, like I said. I won’t want to go
up there trying to pull everything.”
Bogaerts said one of his goals before the season ends
is to mix in more stolen bases. He is 7 of 8 so far and
believes he is capable of being more of a threat on the
bases.
“I can do more with that,” he said. “Maybe be a little
more aggressive.”
Bogaerts is on a pace to play about 100 innings more
than he did last season and is making sure to take care
of his body.
“You have to be careful not to do too much before
games and wear yourself out. You lower down the stuff
you do. I know my body and I’m tired right now but
the day off [Thursday] will help,” he said.
“I want to be out there. I’m sure here or there I’ll get
some days off.”
Coming back
Catcher Ryan Hanigan has missed four straight games,
the result of being hit by a pitch in the left elbow in
had trouble extending his arm.
He could have played on Wednesday but was given
an extra day.
“I’ll be ready now,” he said. “It was bothering me for a
few days but I’m over it.”
With the Red Sox out of contention, the 34-year-old
Hanigan has had his playing time cut down as the Red
Sox take a closer look at rookie Blake Swihart. Hanigan
has started only six of the last 17 games.
In all, Hanigan has played only 38 games this season.
A broken finger kept him out from May 2 to July 2.
“It hasn’t been an easy season,” said Hanigan, an
Andover native who had visions of helping the Red
Sox contend for the postseason. “I understand what
they’re doing, working with Blake. I’m ready when
they need me.”
Decision due
The Red Sox start a three-game
series against the Seattle Mari-
ners on Friday. The status of left
fielder Hanley Ramirez should
be clearer by then. He had missed
four games with a bruised left
foot and was to be further examined
by team doctors. Ramirez has so far
avoided the disabled list but has been
held out of 17 games with assorted inju-
ries since the start of the season. As he closes in on 500
home runs, David Ortiz is four shy of 200 home runs
at Fenway Park. Ted Williams (248), Carl Yastrzem-
ski (237), Jim Rice (208), and Dwight Evans (199) are
the career home run leaders at Fenway.
Saturday, August 15 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER