Trevor Story ‘comfy’ with transfer to 2B, praises Boston Crimson Sox teammate Xander Bogaerts

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A bunch of Crimson Sox gamers reached out to recruit longtime Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story when he was contemplating whether or not to signal with Boston.

Even Xander Bogaerts, the person he would possibly quickly exchange.

“Bogie’s been superb all through this means of me coming right here,” Story stated Wednesday after the Crimson Sox made it official that he would be a part of the group to play second base – for now.

“He reached out to me. We talked on the cellphone for just a little bit. He did not have to try this,” Story stated. “I believe it simply type of exhibits his character and speaks to the type of man that he’s. He desires to win. He needed me to return right here and that made me really feel comfy off the soar.”

Boston made its greatest splash of the offseason this weekend when it agreed to phrases with Story on a six-year deal for a reported $140 million. The Crimson Sox have been an unlikely suitor for the two-time All-Star, contemplating that they have already got a four-time All-Star at shortstop.

However Story agreed to maneuver to second base, offering stability at a place the place Boston has lacked it since Dustin Pedroia was injured in 2017. And if Bogaerts chooses to choose out of his contract on the finish of the season, Story offers the Crimson Sox a long-term resolution at shortstop.

“All people right here already is aware of how a lot Xander Bogaerts cares about profitable, cares about this group. And he confirmed it once more by way of this course of,” Crimson Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom stated at a information convention on the group’s spring coaching facility. “You would really feel it. He acknowledges expertise. You would really feel how a lot he needed so as to add to this group and the way a lot he desires one other ring.”

Story batted .251 with 24 homers and 75 RBI for the Rockies final season and is a lifetime .272 hitter with 158 homers and 450 RBI. In 5 main league seasons, he has by no means performed any defensive place apart from shortstop.

However Story, 29, stated he performed loads of second base within the minor leagues and has some expertise on that aspect of the infield taking part in within the shift. Due to the lockout-shortened spring coaching, he may have restricted time to work on it.

“Enjoying second is one thing I am comfy with,” he stated.

One other adjustment: shifting from the skinny air in Denver to Fenway Park. Story has batted .303 with 95 homers and 279 RBI at Coors Discipline and .241 with 63 homers and 171 RBI on the street.

“There’s type of that stigma round Coors Discipline, that the ball flies, which it definitely does,” Story stated. “I believe baseball’s baseball and it is performed the identical in each park.”

Bloom stated the group pored over the analytics on the Coors Discipline impact and got here away satisfied that Story’s manufacturing would include him to Boston.

“It is all the time a sizzling subject any time a very good participant from the Rockies modifications groups,” Bloom stated. “There’s quite a lot of good examples of men who depart Coors and do very, very nicely.”

Though Story has performed 4 video games at Fenway Park, batting .222 with one homer and 4 RBI, he was wanting to take batting follow on the group’s spring coaching ballpark and its reproduction of Fenway’s Inexperienced Monster.

His takeaway: “Normally once I hit a ball off the wall, I’ll second it doesn’t matter what. From what I hear, I would have to stroll that again just a little bit.”