Xander Bogaerts Red Sox Pregame 5 Ability to Control Strikeout Rates
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AL Championship Series: Astros vs Red Sox Thursday, October 18, 2018 Xander Bogaerts Red Sox pregame 5 ability to control strikeout rates. In this series THE MODERATOR: Questions for Xander Bogaerts. against Houston you've been scoring a ton of runs, not many homers. How would you describe the Q. You were a young guy in the run in 2013. What offensive approach that you've been able to sort of lessons can you impart to the younger guys implement against a staff that's obviously -- on this team now that -- about finishing off the XANDER BOGAERTS: I think it's been a good one. series, about keeping the intensity high even when It's been a good one. Not a lot of home runs. I think if you have a lead like this? you go big or go home, we would probably go home. XANDER BOGAERTS: Yeah, I think it's always Because these guys are a good pitching staff. important not to get too comfortable. We know we Although we know we have a short porch in left field, have a good lead, 3-1. But they're a good team. Fenway Park also. But I think the big approach, it's not They've won a lot of games in the season. They won it the best one against these guys, just try to single, put all last year. up good at-bats and get walks and hopefully the next guy can do damage, as Jackie has been doing for us So obviously they can win. We've just got to come out big. with the same intention as every game, come out to try to win the game and try to score early. Q. Since you were a young player there have been different versions of you every year it seems. Are Q. Were there guys on that team that you looked to you happy with what you are now, who you are as a as an example? And are you passing along some player? of the same messages to the younger guys on this XANDER BOGAERTS: Yeah, I would definitely say team that you got from those guys? that. I think this playoff I've definitely taken a little bit of XANDER BOGAERTS: I think we've had a lot of a different approach. Also not trying to hit too many experience these last couple of years. We've been to homers. the playoffs, couldn't get out of the first round. And I think it's pretty much the same core that we have, just As I said, I don't think in the playoffs it's ideal to try to a different coaching staff guiding us and giving us that swing for the fence. You're just not going to get results. wisdom. Even if you get one it's going to be one good results in ten at-bats. And I don't think it's beneficial to the team. But so far it's been good. It's been an amazing experience the whole season. I look forward to one So I still have to come out with the same plan today, more win and heading to the World Series, hopefully. same mindset and just try to get on base as much as possible, have a lot of guys on base, a lot of traffic. As Q. Can you talk about the growth of the young Red you've seen, the catchers had passed balls, a few wild Sox players over the last few years? pitches, a few good fair-ball reads, I think those are XANDER BOGAERTS: I think it's been awesome. I going to be huge for us. think a lot of the other guys have matured a lot. I can definitely speak for myself, my first year, I mean I can Q. You brought up Jackie a minute ago. Clearly remember it as if it was yesterday, playing with all those he's had huge swings the last three games. What's veteran guys. that mean -- like you were talking about, you have to be different and not swing for the fences. He's But I think this year we have the same group. This is not had some struggles in the postseason, but probably the third time we're going to the playoffs with what have you seen that's different from him in the the same group. And I think everyone's just used to series? each other and being able to trust each other a lot XANDER BOGAERTS: I think he's just locked in. The more. confidence has always been there, I think from the day the season started, no matter how much he struggled Q. You guys all year long have mixed the ability to or not. His confidence has always been there. And I drive the ball, which Alex has emphasized, and the think it's just good to see the results coming in big Rev #1 by #188 at 2018-10-18 21:16:00 GMT page 1 of 2 situations for us and helping us win games. day giving us daily reminders no matter if we're going up our down, if we're struggling or playing good, just try Q. You've had the opportunity to play against Steve to remind us how good we are and stay even keeled, Pearce when he was in a number of different don't get too high, too low. I think he's done an uniforms. Since he's been on your side, what have extremely great job as a first-year manager. you learned about him? XANDER BOGAERTS: He kills lefties, he really does. Q. What were your perceptions of Eovaldi when he He puts up quality at-bats against left-handed pitchers. was pitching for the Yankees or Tampa Bay? And And since he's been over here he's dominated right- when you traded for him, did you think he could handers also. It's kind of hard to have him out of the make this kind of impact? lineup, especially -- whenever Mitch went down with a XANDER BOGAERTS: I faced him. I remember that hamstring, he filled in nicely, had a couple of big hits for game he pitched against Severino in the playoff round, us. It's just pretty much everyone up and down the the first round. I remember saying, they're kind of like lineup has been contributing and I think that's why the same pitchers -- they're power pitchers, pretty we've been winning. much the same stuff. Not the same pitches but the same stuff. They're both nasty. They both throw hard. Q. The killing left-handers, I would assume, is something you were able to see from the other I guess Eovaldi has a little bit more movement with that side. Is there something you've learned from him cutter and it's a hard cutter. So I think that makes it as far as a teammate? really difficult on the hitters. XANDER BOGAERTS: Great teammate, great guy. I never knew him when he was on the other side, but he Q. What one or two individuals have influenced you came on our side this year and he's been a warrior. the most in your Boston career? That play he made at first base, he could have easily XANDER BOGAERTS: Individuals? I would say have injured himself and we could have been in a bit of Ramón a lot, Ramón Vázquez. He's one of our trouble with Mitch kind of injured. coaches. This year, Tim Hyers also helped me out a lot. He's the new hitting coach. I mean obviously, J.D., But he just tried to catch the ball. And he hauls it coming in, I think he helped change a lot of us with the extremely hard and we're appreciative to have him on mindset, hitting approach, stuff like that. I would say, our side. yeah, those guys this year for sure. Obviously manager, Cora. I mean there's been a lot of guys. Q. The at-bat against Josh James, swung first pitch and hit a single up the middle. How much has Alex THE MODERATOR: Thank you. maybe influenced you to make that a part of your game this year, to be as aggressive as you've been at the plate? XANDER BOGAERTS: Sometimes I want to swing at the first pitch. But it's not always -- it's in my DNA. Sometimes I just don't feel that comfortable. But obviously it's something that he's preached a lot to most of the guys on our team. I think in certain situations it's good to use that plan. Sometimes I'm not that type of guy. I like to work at an at-bat. I feel more comfortable the more pitches I see, stuff like that. But sometimes it works, like yesterday. Q. Alex was in here the other day. He said he had to sit you guys down during spring training and remind you guys that are you're good and you have to play that part. What do you remember about that meeting and how comfortable were you guys in acceptable that? XANDER BOGAERTS: It was me, Jackie and Mookie. I don't recall if there was one more guy. I might be missing someone. But I remember it was us three for sure with him. He does it the whole season -- every Rev #1 by #188 at 2018-10-18 21:16:00 GMT page 2 of 2.