[h=1]Expect a monster year from Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers[/h]
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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Alex Cora's arms were folded as he watched a fielding drill in Boston Red Sox camp the other day, and while he mostly wore a smile, his body language and occasionally pointed tone underscored his insistence for proper execution. The Red Sox manager wants the players to have fun and, at the same time, take their work seriously.
A throw went awry, and Cora's voice carried over the infield, flat and direct. "Do it again."
Then a ball rolled toward third base, and Rafael Devers, Boston's 22-year-old third baseman, rushed in, his feet chopping at the grass as he shortened his stride. He barehanded the ball and whipped it to first base, perfectly. Somebody called out Carita! -- Baby Face, Devers' nickname among his teammates -- and others echoed the word. Devers, grinning, returned to his position, and Cora's expression split into a smile.
Devers has been something of a project since Cora became manager of the Red Sox. The Boston roster is filled mostly with players who have already been stars -- Dustin Pedroia, David Price, Chris Sale, J.D. Martinez and others. But Devers is at the dawn of his career, or maybe a little beyond that, after his poised emergence in the playoffs and World Series last fall. His swing is dangerous and his confidence is enormous, and early in his career, he seemingly only lacks consistent habits, which Cora has aimed to reinforce.
In December, Cora held a clinic for young players in his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico. Devers was a guest instructor, alongside other former major leaguers, like Houston Astros coach Alex Cintron.
"Baseball's been kind of down since the hurricane [Maria]," Devers explained. "Kids haven't been going to the baseball field as much, and he asked if I could come and see what I could do to help bring kids out and get them inspired to play the game again."
As the event began on a warm morning, Cora lifted a microphone and spoke to the large gathering of kids, introducing each of the volunteers one by one. He saved Devers for last, praising the third baseman who wasn't that much older than some of the kids who sat and listened in awe.
This was his way of thanking Devers for making the journey, but also for Cora to track and reinforce the progress that Devers had made over the course of the year in his preparation and conditioning. At various stages in his time in pro ball, Devers has probably been a little heavier than the Red Sox would have preferred, but at the event in Caguas, Cora could see that Devers had lost weight; he was thriving in his offseason program.
"He looks great," Cora said. "He's in a good place."
Early last season, Cora dangled little incentives to Devers when he hit the ball the other way -- a promise to pick up a dinner check, for example. Devers had some good moments, but at 21, he slogged along at times, battling hamstring problems and finishing the regular season with a .240 average.
But after getting a start and a couple of hits in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Yankees, Devers played in four of five games in the AL Championship Series, going 5-for-12 at the plate. After the Dodgers outlasted the Red Sox in 18 innings in Game 3 of the World Series, Devers entered Game 4 in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter, giving the Red Sox the lead with a single through the middle. Cora talked afterward about how comfortable Devers looked, how at ease he was in what might have been perceived as a high-pressure situation.
"I was just confident in that moment," Devers said last week, through an interpreter. "I just felt that I was at 100 percent. My main goal is to help the team in any way I can, and early in the year, I was banged up. Alex gave me some time to recover from that, and I think that helped a lot going into the playoffs.
"Honestly, those moments in the playoffs excite me. My mentality was I was just going to do what I could with whatever opportunity they gave me, and the team we had last year made me even more confident."
After the Red Sox won the World Series, Devers took home a baseball signed by all of the players -- a rare souvenir for him, because, as he explained, he's not really one to covet stuff. In Devers' 15th game in the big leagues, in 2017, he faced Aroldis Chapman in Yankee Stadium and drove a 103 mph fastball into the visitors bullpen in Yankee Stadium -- to date, the fastest recorded pitch hit for a home run.
A Red Sox teammate tracked down the ball, and after the game, he handed it to Devers, understanding this was a memento that Devers might treasure. His first home run in Yankee Stadium, to tie a game in the ninth inning, a momentous shot off of one of MLB's best closers.
Devers accepted the ball and, as far as he can remember, he put it into the locker in front of him, or maybe in a travel bag. He hasn't seen it since then, has no idea where it might be, and isn't worried about it. If Devers' talent manifests in the way his manager believes it can, Devers will muster a lot more hits, and more home runs, in the years ahead.
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Alex Cora's arms were folded as he watched a fielding drill in Boston Red Sox camp the other day, and while he mostly wore a smile, his body language and occasionally pointed tone underscored his insistence for proper execution. The Red Sox manager wants the players to have fun and, at the same time, take their work seriously.
A throw went awry, and Cora's voice carried over the infield, flat and direct. "Do it again."
Then a ball rolled toward third base, and Rafael Devers, Boston's 22-year-old third baseman, rushed in, his feet chopping at the grass as he shortened his stride. He barehanded the ball and whipped it to first base, perfectly. Somebody called out Carita! -- Baby Face, Devers' nickname among his teammates -- and others echoed the word. Devers, grinning, returned to his position, and Cora's expression split into a smile.
Devers has been something of a project since Cora became manager of the Red Sox. The Boston roster is filled mostly with players who have already been stars -- Dustin Pedroia, David Price, Chris Sale, J.D. Martinez and others. But Devers is at the dawn of his career, or maybe a little beyond that, after his poised emergence in the playoffs and World Series last fall. His swing is dangerous and his confidence is enormous, and early in his career, he seemingly only lacks consistent habits, which Cora has aimed to reinforce.
In December, Cora held a clinic for young players in his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico. Devers was a guest instructor, alongside other former major leaguers, like Houston Astros coach Alex Cintron.
"Baseball's been kind of down since the hurricane [Maria]," Devers explained. "Kids haven't been going to the baseball field as much, and he asked if I could come and see what I could do to help bring kids out and get them inspired to play the game again."
As the event began on a warm morning, Cora lifted a microphone and spoke to the large gathering of kids, introducing each of the volunteers one by one. He saved Devers for last, praising the third baseman who wasn't that much older than some of the kids who sat and listened in awe.
This was his way of thanking Devers for making the journey, but also for Cora to track and reinforce the progress that Devers had made over the course of the year in his preparation and conditioning. At various stages in his time in pro ball, Devers has probably been a little heavier than the Red Sox would have preferred, but at the event in Caguas, Cora could see that Devers had lost weight; he was thriving in his offseason program.
"He looks great," Cora said. "He's in a good place."
Early last season, Cora dangled little incentives to Devers when he hit the ball the other way -- a promise to pick up a dinner check, for example. Devers had some good moments, but at 21, he slogged along at times, battling hamstring problems and finishing the regular season with a .240 average.
But after getting a start and a couple of hits in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Yankees, Devers played in four of five games in the AL Championship Series, going 5-for-12 at the plate. After the Dodgers outlasted the Red Sox in 18 innings in Game 3 of the World Series, Devers entered Game 4 in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter, giving the Red Sox the lead with a single through the middle. Cora talked afterward about how comfortable Devers looked, how at ease he was in what might have been perceived as a high-pressure situation.
"I was just confident in that moment," Devers said last week, through an interpreter. "I just felt that I was at 100 percent. My main goal is to help the team in any way I can, and early in the year, I was banged up. Alex gave me some time to recover from that, and I think that helped a lot going into the playoffs.
"Honestly, those moments in the playoffs excite me. My mentality was I was just going to do what I could with whatever opportunity they gave me, and the team we had last year made me even more confident."
After the Red Sox won the World Series, Devers took home a baseball signed by all of the players -- a rare souvenir for him, because, as he explained, he's not really one to covet stuff. In Devers' 15th game in the big leagues, in 2017, he faced Aroldis Chapman in Yankee Stadium and drove a 103 mph fastball into the visitors bullpen in Yankee Stadium -- to date, the fastest recorded pitch hit for a home run.
A Red Sox teammate tracked down the ball, and after the game, he handed it to Devers, understanding this was a memento that Devers might treasure. His first home run in Yankee Stadium, to tie a game in the ninth inning, a momentous shot off of one of MLB's best closers.
Devers accepted the ball and, as far as he can remember, he put it into the locker in front of him, or maybe in a travel bag. He hasn't seen it since then, has no idea where it might be, and isn't worried about it. If Devers' talent manifests in the way his manager believes it can, Devers will muster a lot more hits, and more home runs, in the years ahead.
