DH Island

BY KEVIN KERNAN

When a selfish player who thinks he has been wronged shows his selfishness to the entire team, that can be a good thing.

Let me explain.

The team and the world realize at that point it is no longer about feelings, it is about production, plain and simple, and everyone is the better for it. After all, that is how the Nerds look at the game, every single day on every single level.

It is about production.

They may give the media the song and dance about being a family, but that is not the case at all. After all, it is never the plan that is at fault, it is always about execution as they like to say, and if the player, especially pitchers are injured in constantly searching for top velocity, so be it.

Bring on Tommy John surgery and see you in a year or so and put the next velocity chaser on the mound.

All that is what makes the Rafael Devers situation with the Red Sox fascinating.

In some ways, this reminds me of Reggie Jackson back in 1977 when a brash (is there any other Reggie?) was quoted in Sport magazine by writer Robert Ward, “It all flows from me. I’m the straw that stirs the drink. Munson thinks he can be the straw that stirs the drink, but he can only stir it bad.’’

Reggie denied ever saying it exactly that way about Yankee captain Thurman Munson, but Ward has always insisted he got the quote right. On the field, Reggie certainly got the last word when he hit three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers, seeing only three pitches, putting three exclamation points on the season, and carrying the Yankees to a World Series title for the first time since 1962.

Reggie stirred the drink. He let his big bat do the talking.

Devers is not Reggie Jackson, let’s make that clear, but he created Reggie-like turmoil in Red Sox Nation with his refusal to move to first base this past week after Triston Casas suffered an ugly season-ending knee injury.

“In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove… I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position,’’ Devers said on Thursday through a translator.

Just to be clear, nothing was lost in translation. Devers had no desire to help his team by moving to first base after he lost his third base position to Alex Bregman, a free agent the Red Sox signed and a player who is a much better third baseman than Devers.

It did not help either in spring training that Devers clearly came into camp overweight.

One lesson here for analytical-based Red Sox boss, former pitcher Craig Breslow, is to never say never. Do not ever close the book on where a player might need to play. It became such a soap opera that Red Sox analytics-based owner John Henry, who ironically let Mookie Betts walk away and sign with the Dodgers, a player who has gladly switched to multiple positions when asked by Dodger manager Dave Roberts, had to fly out to Kansas City and meet with Devers.

That meeting with the owner did not prompt Devers to run and grab a first baseman’s mitt.

Devers is a hitter, not a leader.

Aaron Judge is a leader and a hitter. Francisco Lindor is a leader and a hitter; by the way, Lindor turned it on once he switched to leadoff hitter, something that was suggested here last year by me. Bryce Harper is a leader and a hitter; he went to first base for the Phillies from the outfield when the need arose and he found a home.

“How can Devers be a leader of that Red Sox team,’’ one longtime baseball man told BallNine. “He already has balked at what’s best for the team twice this year so how is he a good bleeping leader?’’

Exactly.

Hall of Famer Jim Kaat, who always tells it like it is, said, “MLB can add a new award for 2025. Sponsored by Kleenex. Cry Baby of the Year. And the winner is Rafael Devers.’’

So true. Self awareness and team awareness is another lost art these days.

“For so many teams there is no awareness of what is really going on and everybody sits around and is afraid to tell the truth,’’ the baseball man said.

Telling the truth sometimes is uncomfortable, but that’s life.

The truth is out now. Devers does not deserve to play third base over Bregman. He opted not to help the team by grabbing a first baseman’s mitt, so he is only there for one reason: to pound the baseball.

What has happened since the blowup is that Devers’ bat has come alive in booming fashion, including hitting a 440-foot home run to dead center on Sunday off Seth Lugo that propelled the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Royals.

In a 10-1 win on Saturday over the Royals, who have trouble scoring runs, Devers collected four hits. Devers is clearly more focused at the plate since his dustup with Breslow and meeting with the owner – it also helps that he shortened his leg kick and is not over-swinging.

And all that is a matter of focus.

Teammates do not have to like each other in this “Be Kind, Hate has no Home Here world,’’ but they must produce for each other.

Teammates do not have to like each other in this “Be Kind, Hate has no Home Here world,’’ but they must produce for each other.

Reggie was not the Belle of the Ball in the Yankees clubhouse, but he sure produced and that is all that matters.

The Red Sox are grown men. They do not have to be best friends and by putting his cards on the table, Devers made it clear that he will only help the team by hitting, not by putting on a first baseman’s mitt. Since those cards have been on the table, Devers is pulling aces from the batter’s box.

Manager Alex Cora knows the deal.

After Saturday’s mashing of the Royals he said of Devers, “He knows how to cancel the noise.’’

Even when he creates the noise along with the Red Sox front office who did not handle this whole situation well from Day One.

“Obviously the last few days have been a lot to all of us,’’ Cora added. “Like (Devers) said, ‘All I know is playing baseball.’ He loves playing the game.’’

He sure loves to hit and after losing his job at third base, Devers pouted. Which happens. You would think that with Casas struggling mightily at the plate and having no real power option behind Casas, Devers might have grabbed a first baseman’s mitt on occasion and worked a little bit at first to be ready for an emergency at that position after all, “he loves playing the game.’’

I’ve only been around the game since 1960 and players who love baseball, at any level, love to be on the field especially in a practice situation where they can improve their skills. Devers opted to sit it out and the Red Sox made excuses for him saying they wanted him to focus on getting his swing right after having shoulder issues.

Devers compounded his pouting by starting the season 0-for-19. The pressure was building. He started to hit and then Casas got hurt and it was back to pouting mode for Devers, essentially saying, “If they don’t want me at third, I’m not going to play first even in an emergency. My glove is going home.’’

Clearly a most selfish move that you can be sure his upset teammates were saying to themselves, if he just wants to be a hitter, he better start hitting.

That is what Devers has done. That 10-year, $313.5 million contract is for hitting. I found it interesting when Devers homered in the sixth inning on Sunday, a two-run blast that broke a 1-1 tie and turned out to be the winning runs, there was the usual put on the Wally the Green Monster mascot head celebration; but soon after, there was not a lot of interaction with Devers. Teammates quickly congratulated him and moved on as if to say, “Dude, that is what you are being paid to do.’’

In fact, shortly after the home run, the cameras caught Devers sitting all alone in the dugout. Usually when a star hits such a monstrous home run, picture Aaron Judge, who gladly went to centerfield when the Yankees needed him to move from right, being surrounded by happy teammates in the dugout after such a blast, smiling and discussing the at-bat.

Devers made the decision to live on his own DH-island and that is just the way it is for him right now. Over the last two games he is 6-for-7 with five RBI. The first five games of the season he collected one RBI.

The Red Sox know they need Rafael Devers’ bat to slay the Yankees. Devers told his teammates he is not putting on a glove so that bat must speak loudly.

That is fine, everybody knows where they stand now.

In a way that can be a liberating situation for a team. It is real. There is no fakery.

Those two wins only put the Red Sox two games above .500 and they know now where they stand with each other. Let Raffy do his hitting thing, the only thing he wants to do now that Bregman is the third baseman.

This is not about building friendships, it is about producing at the plate. Earn your $313.5 million with your bat.

You are getting paid to hit, now go hit.

Cora says Devers is great at canceling the noise.

The noise he created – 24 and one works fine as long as that one does his one job living on his self-created DH Island, and that job is to pound the baseball.

“If you look at the numbers,’’ Cora said Sunday, “he’s probably the best DH in the American League right now.’’