BOSTON — Pedro Ciriaco recognizes the opportunity ahead.
After a career year where he hit .293 with two home runs
and 19 RBIs, Ciriaco has established himself as a suitable utility man. When
Mike Aviles, Dustin Pedroia and Will Middlebrooks battled injuries, Ciriaco held down the fort
at shortstop, second and third base.
At 27, he's regarded as the ideal utility man. When the
Red Sox traded away Nick Punto in the blockbuster trade to the Dodgers, it was
also a vote of confidence that Ciriaco could fill the vacancy.
But Ciriaco plans to improve his stock even more. This
offseason, he'll shift his focus to the outfield for his winter ball team in
the Dominican Republic — Toros del Este.
"I plan to work more in the outfield to gain more
experience there," Ciriaco told NESN.com in Spanish. "I think it'll
be great for my career if I can play both infield and outfield because that way
I'll have more chances to keep getting on the field."
The Red Sox attempted to ease him into the outfield,
starting him in center field on Sept. 22 against the Rays. After Ciriaco
misplayed two balls in Tropicana Field, the team pulled the plug on the
experiment.
In order to maintain his momentum from his landmark
season, Ciriaco is dedicated to becoming more versatile.
"It was an amazing experience that I've never
imagined," Ciriaco said of his career year. "I'm really optimistic
about the opportunity I have here and feel fortunate to be apart of this
organization."
A skill set in the outfield will certainly help his
cause.
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