Boston Red Sox: A possible unlikely hero in Brock Holt
The 2018 ALDS between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees takes center stage on Friday night, with plenty of star power to go around.
Fourteen years ago, a bunch of idiots led the Boston Red Sox back from a 3-0 series deficit. Four games later, the Red Sox were victorious against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
The 2018 Boston Red Sox have a few eccentric personalities of their own. And there is one player who might have fit right in with the 2004 team.
That man is Brock Holt and he’s Boston’s very own “Brockstar”.
Holt, the hug-giving, bromance-inducing utility player might end up being an unlikely hero in the 2018 ALDS. If anything, he’s a player who drives the mood of the Red Sox and his importance is often understated.
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It’s also entirely possible he’s the team’s real MVP.
Holt might never match the zaniness of that 2004 squad, but his passion for the game is on the same level. At the same time, he’s carving out his own spot among the century-plus of Red Sox history.
A history of concussions and a bout with vertigo nearly derailed Holt’s career. However, he showed just what he was made of and has made 2018 the finest season of his career.
Holt is a modern-day Jose Oquendo. Or the American League version of Ben Zobrist. No matter how you spin it, Holt is important to the Red Sox and could be an unlikely hero in the postseason.
From unlikely all-star to franchise constant
Holt arrived in Boston in 2013 and, though he wasn’t on the playoff roster that season, is one of only a few players left from that squad. (Xander Bogaerts and Brandon Workman are two others).
He has been a virtual joy since his arrival, making the all-star team in 2015 and willing to play multiple positions. (Could he play catcher in pinch? Let’s hope the Red Sox never have to get that far down the roster. But I bet he could.)
In 2018, Holt played in 109 games, the most since he played in 129 in 2015. He hit 7 home runs and batted .277. His 46 RBI and .362 OBP were both career-highs.
Holt played six different positions in 2018, with his most appearances coming at second base.
Stats wise, his value isn’t that of Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, and a host of other players on the team. It’s the leadership, the mental approach, and, importantly, keeping the team loose in which Holt thrives.
He’s taken on the role of senior leader, especially since the All-Star break. Holt has come up with key hits in close ballgames and has a penchant for creating dugout celebrations that make grown men blush. (Not to mention giving plenty of fodder to the GIF community.)
Given his infectious energy, Holt should get the start in Game 1 of the ALDS. There’s no better time, considering Chris Sale will be on the mound. It’s better to capitalize with him in the lineup than trying to play catch up and inserting him after a possible Game 1 loss.
Any time these two teams get together in the playoffs, unlikely heroes rise. This year in the ALDS, that honor could belong to Holt.
Next. Boston Red Sox: 5 greatest World Series teams of all time. dark
Is he leading a new version of the idiots of 2004? No. Call it more like a bunch of Brockstars, version 1.0.