To start the year, Boston Red Sox no. 2 prospect, Kristian Campbell, has more than justified the faith his team has placed in him. About as soon the season began, Red Sox executive, Craig Breslow, made haste to ink Campbell to an eight-year, $60 million extension. Even though he’s just weeks into his career, Campbell has spared no time acclimating to the Majors.
Thus far, Campbell is slashing .302/.392/.508/.900 with three home runs. Off to such a quick start, Campbell is showing the tell-tale signs of a budding superstar. The one trait we are yet to see pay off in a major way is his speed, which he has plenty of. The Red Sox primary second baseman has added only one stolen base to his name.
Chances are, we’ll see a five-tool All Star in Campbell by the end of the season. But as good as Campbell has been, he hasn’t been able to carry the team. The Red Sox as a whole are lagging expectations. And while it is still early in the year, manager Alex Cora is seemingly preventing his team from pulling ahead.
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Alex Cora has sporadically benched Campbell in favor of David Hamilton
Since the start of the season, Cora has occasionally played David Hamilton over Campbell; and not for the purpose of keeping Campbell well-rested. Though Campbell has clearly seen more action, removing him from the lineup more often than not can result in losses. For a strong team with a healthy lead, this is a luxury that is affordable. But for the Red Sox, who are in a tough fight just break above .500, this is a risk they shouldn’t be taking.
To Hamilton’s credit, his solo home run on Wednesday was the winning blow in Boston’s 1-0 victory over the Rays. But his .083 batting average does little to justify a spot on the diamond, especially over Campbell.
This fact comes under more scrutiny given Campbell’s flexibility. Campbell can play second base and shortstop as well as all three outfield positions. When a player is hitting the ball as well as he is, the last place he should be is on the bench. If the Red Sox are going to give Hamilton a shot, which he proved he deserved on Wednesday, Campbell should at least still be on the field.