Sox Discuss with Will Middlebrooks is a recurring content material sequence on NESN.com. Middlebrooks, a former Pink Sox participant and present NESN analyst, provides his perception and opinion on pertinent Pink Sox storylines all through the season. You may learn the most recent tales from the sequence right here.
Boston Pink Sox shortstop Trevor Story might have packed up store and put his deal with subsequent season. However Story did the precise reverse.
As an alternative of giving in to what many believed was a season-ending shoulder harm, which he sustained simply eight video games into the marketing campaign diving for a grounder, Story fought again following surgical procedure.
He caught with the grind and monotony of any rehab course of till he acquired again on the sector and began video games for the Pink Sox in early September. Surprisingly, Story got here again to play in 16 video games and bat a decent .268 with two residence runs, six RBIs and 5 stolen bases heading into Boston’s closing sequence of the season towards the Tampa Bay Rays.
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Returning to the lineup wasn’t solely useful to the oft-injured Story. It additionally signaled to his Pink Sox teammates, particularly the younger core, that he’s a participant value following with the mentality he took to get again from harm even when Boston’s playoff odds had been slim.
“Trevor holds an important piece so far as management goes on this clubhouse,” former Pink Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks informed NESN.com. “I believe him working towards what he preaches of placing within the work and a few day-after-day to get higher, and in his case, that was in his rehab. He is taken guys like Jarren Duran underneath his wing. He is taken Ceddanne Rafaela, (Wilyer) Abreu (underneath his wing). There’s so many younger guys on this crew that wanted steering and nonetheless want steering.”
Middlebrooks at all times noticed the management high quality in Story. The 2013 Pink Sox World Sequence champion has recognized Story since Story was 19 years outdated as they skilled within the offseason along with different huge leaguers, like Torii Hunter, within the Dallas space.
Middlebrooks described Story as a “very reserved, mature, gradual coronary heart beat-type man.” With that kind of demeanor, Story can deal with the rollercoaster journey that comes with an extended baseball season. It is solely pure for there to be ups and downs by way of 162 video games, however discovering a strategy to stay regular by way of all of it is the important thing.
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It is one thing Story can impart, together with different wisdoms, on his youthful teammates, which the Pink Sox relied on closely this season. It looks like Story has the ears of these youthful gamers, too, particularly Duran. And it would not appear to be a coincidence that with Duran getting recommendation from Story, the All-Star outfielder had one of the best season of his profession this 12 months.
“His mindset has come from Trevor Story and he’ll let you know that,” Middlebrooks stated.
Each baseball season brings classes. The Pink Sox realized loads of them out on the diamond this season.
However there was additionally a priceless one taught to them contained in the partitions of their very own clubhouse by Story. His dedication to get again from harm should not be taken with no consideration. It ought to be copied and used to get the Pink Sox and their younger core to take their step.
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“I simply suppose he understands how necessary his position is to those guys,” Middlebrooks stated. “It was essential to him to verify, whereas everybody informed him there was no probability of enjoying this 12 months, that he acquired again. Even when it for one sport simply to show, ‘Hey what? It doesn’t matter what individuals let you know, you place the work in, you place your head down, you place your blinders on, you go to work and you can also make it occur.’ And I believe that is going to go a great distance with these younger guys.”
