FORT MYERS, Florida. A group of Red Sox players approached longtime Colorado Rockies player Trevor Storey when he was considering signing with Boston.
Not even Xander Bogarts, the man he may soon replace.
“Gods has been amazing throughout this entire process of my coming here,” Storey said Wednesday after the Red Sox officially announced he would be joining the team to play second base – for now.
“He turned to me. We talked a little on the phone. He didn’t have to do that,” Storey said. “I think it just shows his character and what kind of guy he is. He wants to win. He wanted me to come here and it made me feel comfortable after the jump.”
Boston made its biggest break of the offseason this weekend when they agreed to a six-year, $140 million contract with Storey. The Red Sox were an unlikely candidate for a two-time All-Star considering they already have a four-time All-Star shortstop.
But Storey agreed to move to second base, providing stability at a position that Boston has lacked since Dustin Pedroia was injured in 2017. And if the Bogarts decide to waive their contract at the end of the season, Storey will give the Red Sox a long-term shortstop decision.
“Everyone here already knows how much Xander Bogaerts cares about winning, cares about this organization. And he showed it again in terms of that process,” Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer, said at a press conference at the team’s spring training center. . “You could feel it. He recognizes talent. You could feel how much he wanted to add to this group and how much he wants another ring.”
History batted .251 with 24 homers and 75 RBIs last season for the Rockies and is a .272 life hitter with 158 homers and 450 RBIs. In five major league seasons, he never played in any defensive position other than shortstop.
But Storey, 29, said he played second base a lot in the minor leagues and has some experience playing that side of the infield per shift. Due to the shortened spring training due to the lockout, he will have limited time to work on it.
“Playing second is something I’m comfortable with,” he said.
Another adjustment: moving from thin air in Denver to Fenway Park. History batted .303 with 95 homers and 279 RBIs at Coors Field and .241 with 63 homers and 171 RBIs on the road.
“There is a sort of stigma around Coors Field that the ball is flying, which is definitely happening,” Storey said. “I think baseball is baseball and it’s played the same way in all parks.”
Bloom said the team scrutinized Coors Field’s effect analytics and left convinced that Storey’s production would come to Boston with it.
“It’s always a hot topic when a really good Rocky Mountain player changes teams,” Bloom said. “There are a lot of good examples of guys who are leaving Coors and doing very, very well.”
Although Storey played four games at Fenway Park, batting .222 with one homer and four RBIs, he was eager to practice at the team’s spring training stadium and his replica of Fenway’s Green Monster.
His conclusion: “Usually when I hit the ball off the wall, I’m going to be second no matter what. From what I’ve heard, I may have to back off a bit.”