Xander Bogaerts Is Literally The Best Shortstop In Baseball
It genuinely blows my mind that virtually no media outlet shows Xander Bogaerts the love he deserves. Maybe it’s a classic case of ‘Boston Hate Syndrome’ but this guy is on fire and has been for years. He passes the eye test for the old heads that love traditional baseball, and he hits every mark on the sheet for the sabermetrics nerds. So why isn’t he regarded as the best shortstop in baseball? I honestly can’t wrap my head around it.
Bogaerts is batting .354 through 147 at-bats and 39 games played. That’s stupid. I can’t remember the last time I saw a shortstop batting that well this far into a season. He’s got nine home runs, 26 RBIs, 13 walks, and 52 hits. He does it all. He hits, hits for power, steals bases, and stays patient at the plate. What more do you want? Just look at this absolute BEHEMOTH of a home run he blasted earlier today against the Angels.
Show me another shortstop that’s doing that on a consistent basis. Go ahead. And don’t tell me Corey Seager is doing this or Trevor Story (who also gets no credit) or Carlos Correa or even Fernando Tatis Jr. Xander Bogaerts has been doing this for years and he has been the heart and soul of the Red Sox since David Ortiz retired back in 2016. I’m almost positive that Vendetta blogger and Dodgers super-fan, Milo Coulter, will claim Seager is on Bogaerts’s level but don’t listen to him. Instead, listen to Trey Daubert. He has been echoing the same sentiment that Bogaerts is the most disrespected and underrated shortstop in baseball for years now.
People Are Quick To Forget
Not only is Bogaerts a menace at the plate, but he fields just as well as any of the best defensive shortstops, if not better! This dude is ranked seventh overall in the AL for fielding, and that’s just according to fielding percentage. His percentage is .973 which is deceiving because he has more putouts and assists than the top three defensive shortstops. Bogaerts has more putouts and assists than Freddy Galvis (#1), Tim Anderson (#2), and Carlos Correa (#3).
What is there not to like about Xander Bogaerts? He’s durable as all hell and carries the Red Sox with such humility and somehow the spotlights aren’t on him. He leads the Sox in batting average, slugging, OPS, and hits (including doubles). What more does he have to do to get the recognition he deserves? The only reason Bogaerts isn’t leading in every category is because he has to play the most difficult position in baseball. Meanwhile, a while a guy like J.D. Martinez gets to ride the pine for half the game as a designated hitter. Bogaerts for 2021 AL MVP. Come on now, say it with me: XANDER BOGAERTS SHOULD BE THE 2021 AL MVP. Thank you. That is all…for now.
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