Will Middlebrooks’ career appears stuck in the mud. You’d never know it based on his positive attitude.
Middlebrooks, currently in the midst of his second consecutive down season, believes he’ll be the Red Sox’s starting third baseman on Opening Day 2015. The 26-year-old also is welcoming whatever challenges come his way, as he’s confident he’ll ultimately prevail within Boston’s pressure-packed environment.
“I don’t doubt myself. The struggles I’ve been through, I still don’t doubt myself. I know what I’m capable of,” Middlebrooks told WEEI.com’s Alex Speier earlier this month. “Do these guys have decisions to make? Of course. That’s part of the game — the business side. But I want to be in Boston. I want to play my career in Boston. I love it there. I love the pressure to win, the pressure to do well. I wouldn’t want it any other way. That’s how it should be.”
Middlebrooks entered Thursday hitting .182 with two homers, 19 RBIs and a .510 OPS in 59 major league games. He has struck out 66 times in 221 plate appearances. Improvement seemed inevitable for Middlebrooks, who hit .227 with a .696 OPS and 98 strikeouts in 374 regular-season plate appearances last season. Instead, he has regressed.
“Last year, I said, ‘This is the toughest year I’ve dealt with.’ And then this year, I’m like, ‘Wow, this year is way tougher than last year was,’” Middlebrooks told Speier. “It’s hard to keep your head in the right place of, ‘Today I’m going to come to the field, get my work in.’ You need to prepare just like you are when you’re doing well.”
Injuries again have been an issue. Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington, assistant GM Mike Hazen and manager John Farrell all have pointed to winter ball as being a possibility for Middlebrooks, but the former fifth-round pick is torn on the subject because he also wants to use the offseason as an opportunity to get fully healthy. While additional at-bats could help his swing, they also might prevent him from overcoming any lingering ailments.
Of course, the primary objective — the only objective — in Middlebrooks’ mind is to hit the ground running next season.
“I’ve just got to do my part, keep getting better, whether that’s taking care of my body, my swing, playing defense, baserunning, every aspect of the game to be a professional baseball player and to be a Boston Red Sox,” Middlebrooks said. “I want to continue to better myself every day and become the player I know I can be.”
Middlebrooks hasn’t lived up to his potential since his breakout 2012 campaign. Perhaps 2015 will be the year it all comes together.
