Things Could Get Ugly With Shane Victorino
The Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, and while Shane Victorino might be second among them in payroll, it’s debatable where he should rank on the depth chart.
After signing Hanley Ramirez to play left field this winter, hauling in international free agent outfielder Rusney Castillo last summer, and migrating, then, top prospect Mookie Betts to the outfield last season, it appeared that Victorino would be the odd man out in 2015. And that’s not even counting other competing outfielders like Allen Craig, Brock Holt, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Daniel Nava. That being said, Victorino welcomes the idea of being on the outside looking in.
“Count me out. Please. Call me the underdog. I’m all for it. I’ve never been more focused and more determined. This offseason wasn’t the same for me.”
If he would have stopped there, I would simply be saying that a motivated Victorino in a crowded outfield is a great problem to have. Unfortunately, he kept talking, and that led down a path that could potentially be foreshadowing some turmoil between Victorino and the Red Sox.
“I have no intentions of being a bench player. I’ve been around this game long enough. I don’t have to sit here and focus on things like, ‘Do I have to prove myself?’ I have to prove that I’m healthy. I don’t have to prove anything else in regard to the game of baseball. I’m preparing myself to be an everyday player whether it be here or somewhere else.”
So, this isn’t exactly LeBron James saying that he would come off the bench and do whatever it takes for his team to win. Victorino’s comments were addressed by Red Sox manager John Farrell today, to which he said, “If Shane Victorino’s healthy, he’s our right fielder. You don’t lose your job to injury.”
Personally, I’ve been advocating for Victorino to start the year in right field with Betts in Pawtucket, anyway. Historically, Red Sox rookies have fallen flat on their face when they’ve started the season at the major league level. The best performances that they’ve gotten from rookies in recent years have been when they’ve gotten in a groove at the Triple-A level before getting called up. We don’t need another Bradley Jr. situation on our hands. (Note: Betts isn’t a rookie. Once you exceed 130 at-bats at the major league level in a previous season, you’re not a rookie. Betts had 189 at-bats last year, but close enough for the point to remain the same.)
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But to Victorino’s comments, you don’t have anything to prove in the game of baseball? Really? If Shane Victorino retired today, he’d just ride off into the sunset and into the Hall of Fame in five years? I don’t think so.
One of the biggest reasons why the Red Sox were so successful in 2013 was because they had a group of guys in which a majority of them had something to prove. A lot of them had either come off injury-shortened seasons, had disappointing years performance-wise or had minimal interest in free agency. All of those factors were a catalyst for their success that year.
And another thing; how can you consider yourself an underdog, and then go on to say you have nothing to prove? A 34-year-old, who is set to be paid $13 million in 2015, coming off a season in which he had an injury that required back surgery, limiting him to just 30 games, who is also in a contract year — it sounds like you have something to prove. That’s not even mentioning that he only played in 53 games in 2012 due to injury.
It goes beyond just proving that he can stay healthy. Victorino has to prove that he can still perform at a level that justifies putting his name in the lineup every day over the aforementioned names competing for a spot in that same outfield.
Put it this way; Betts isn’t staying in Pawtucket for the entire 2015 season. That much, we know. And when Betts gets called up, Victorino’s stance that he wants to “be an everyday player whether it be here or somewhere else” likely means that the Red Sox will need to find a new home for the two-time World Series champion upon Betts’ arrival. And no, they won’t call up a 22-year-old, only to have him sit on the bench and hinder his development.
Who knows; maybe Victorino has a change of heart and wants to play the role of mentor to Betts, for what should be a playoff-contending team. But if not, Victorino’s contract is up at the end of the year, and Betts figures to be a fixture at the top of Boston’s lineup for years to come. We all know who’s winning that battle.