New Kid On The Block Has The Right Stuff
The latest buzz around Boston in the days after Opening Day has been all about the New Kid on the Block! Sure, that 80’s boy band featuring Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Jordan and Jonathan Knight, aka New Kids on the Block released a new album on April 2nd, and that’s truly exciting for the NKOTB fans, but that’s not what I’m talking about here! I’m talking about the new kid on the Sox, JBJ, aka Jackie Bradley Jr., who made his debut going 0 for 2 in the season opener at Yankee Stadium in Boston’s 8-2 victory. But, judging by the incredible fanfare by the Boston media, you’d think that the kid hit for the cycle and went 5 for 5, before closing out the 9th inning on the mound by striking out the side! Even Tim Rohan of the New York Times called him a “phenom” this week.
So why all the hoopla? Since when does an 0 for 2 start to the season give cause to celebrate, laud and anoint a player as a future super-star or even a savior? Has the last two season of watching high priced players produced dismal results taken its toll on the Boston media? Are they that starved for a hero that they go gaga over a mere 0 for 2 by a rookie?
On the surface, an outsider might look at the Opening Day numbers for Red Sox rookie and conclude they were nothing special. To wit, he was 0 for 2 but he did have an RBI and 2 runs scored while walking 3 times, but again, it’s Opening Day, pitchers tend to not be in top form.
Opening Day Starter CC Sabathia…in either the best or worst shape of his life.
Those stats don’t seem to warrant that kind of excitement. Or does it?
To understand the excitement around JBJ, you first need to realize that he was a 22-year-old kid who was virtually unknown to most Sox fans as spring training opened up. The former first round draft pick out of the University of South Carolina came out of the gate hitting. He consistently sprayed the ball around the park, keeping his average above .400 all spring. No let up! After just a few games it was also apparent that he possessed excellent plate discipline and had tremendous instincts in the outfield. But still, this was spring training. Young players have hit .400 before, only to flounder and falter under the pressure, once the “real” season started. All eyes were on JBJ to see how he handled the big league pressure.
The Sox opened up against their most bitter, storied rival in one of the most intimidating ballparks in all of baseball; The New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium!
And all JBJ did was to play exactly as he had all spring, cool, calm and collected while letting his skills quietly dominate the game. Without a hit no less! One has to simply watch his first at bat to gauge his impact beyond the box score and for the Red Sox team. In his first MLB at bat in the 2nd inning, he fell behind one of the best pitchers in baseball, CC Sabathia, 0-2. But Jackie Bradley Jr didn’t wilt. Instead he worked a 7-pitch walk, laying off some nasty pitches by Sabathia. Later, he kept the inning alive by beating an Eduardo Nunez throw to second on an attempted force out after getting a tremendous jump at the crack of the bat. That opened the door to a 4-run outburst that gave the Sox an early 4-0 lead that they never relinquished. If that wasn’t enough, he thwarted a Yankee rally an inning later by making spectacular run saving catch in deep left field off the bat of Robinson Cano.
So yes, the kid went 0 for 2 on Opening Day, but JBJ, along with pitcher Jon Lester and the Sox bullpen, were the big stories of the 8-2 Red Sox victory. JBJ ignited the 4 run rally with his mature plate discipline and his keen base running, then stuffed a Yankee rally with his speed and glove on defense. Can you say IMPACT? I believe we saw a snapshot of this kid’s ability during the spring and Opening Day was simply a microcosm of what he brings to the table and the kind of multi-dimensional impact he can have on this team for years to come. Yes, Jackie Bradley Jr is the New Kid on the Block and it’s apparent that he has “The Right Stuff!” He may not be a savior for the Sox just yet, but that day may not be far off.
Above: Jackie Bradley Jr’s Red Sox Debut
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