First baseman Carlos Delgado has only been to the postseason once in his 17 seasons in the majors, but he has his sights set on a second trip this season with the Red Sox.
After 12 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and a brief one-year stay in Florida, Delgado helped the Mets make it to the NLCS in 2006. In the only postseason the 38-year-old has ever played in, Delgado hit .351 with 4 home runs, 11 RBIs and a .442 on base percentage in 10 games.
But that 2006 run wasn’t enough to satisfy the two-time All-Star’s playoff hunger. So when the Red Sox offered him a minor league contract after he worked out with the team at Yankee Stadium this week, he jumped at the opportunity to play for a contender.
"That’s the only [reason] you should play — to win," Delgado told WEEI. "Not everybody can win, but I’ll die trying."
Delgado also wasn’t shy in his praise of the Red Sox organization. While discussing the 12 years that he spent in the AL East, Delgado recalled that the Sox were always "cocky, very passionate, very driven to win." The veteran is impressed by the team’s ability to consistently put a winning product on the field.
According to WEEI, Delgado worked out with the Red Sox organization for the first time on Sunday, taking groundballs alongside Lars Anderson in Pawtucket. Delgado said that he felt healthy and ready to contribute, although he will likely spend a couple weeks in Triple-A before joining the major league club.
Delgado reportedly said that he hasn’t spoken with any Red Sox players, but he made it perfectly clear that he intends to make an impact with the team and that he will do whatever it takes to fit in.
"I’m like a chameleon. I’ll blend," Delgado told WEEI. "I’m probably not the rah-rah-rah kind of guy, but I’ve been around long enough and I’m confident enough that I can fit into any clubhouse."
The Red Sox might not get the same Carlos Delgado that has smashed 473 career home runs and used to give pitchers nightmares. But it looks as though they will get the same Carlos Delgado that has worn his heart on his sleeve since entering the league in 1993.
