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We likely know everything we need to about Bo Bichette.
The Blue Jays got better when he was called up. We were 22-24 in games he started (we were 44-67 before he came up, it makes one want to look up the Reds numbers after Freddy Galvis joined the team. I’ll save you the time, the Reds were 19-25 after Freddy joined the team, 56-61 before that). Not that Bo was the sole reason for the improvement, our pitching was better over the last couple of months.
His bat was terrific for his first 30 MLB games, hitting .338/.371/.632. Not near as good in his last 16, hitting .254/.333/.444. Maybe a bit of fatigue at the end of a long season, or maybe pitchers making adjustments. Or just small sample size stuff.
On defense? Well, I’m doubting we’ll see a bunch of Gold Gloves coming to him, but everyone says Bo works hard on his defense. I think, he should be able to be, at least, an average shortstop. I don’t see any reason to move him off short in any hurry.
There was a quote from Bo from the Kaitlyn McGrath’s Athletic on the ‘Winter Fest’:
“There’s definitely things that I want to accomplish,” he said. “I’d love to be the MVP of the league. I’d love to make an All-Star game. I’d love all that stuff, but for me it’s more about having goals that I can control and those goals are just making sure every day I’m getting better, becoming a better teammate, becoming a better player on the field, playing hard every day, working hard every day to put myself in a position to succeed. So that’s what I’m trying to focus on.”
The MVP one will be a bit of a long shot for the next few years, as Mike Trout is just 28 and seems well on his way to having the AL MVP award named after him.
All-Star shortstop? The AL had Carlos Correa (3.2 fWAR), Jorge Polanco (4.0 fWAR) and Gleyber Torrez (3.6 fWAR) make the All-Star team last year. I could see Bo comfortably fit in that group as soon as this year.
The real question is can he fit in with Marcus Semien (7.6 fWAR), Xander Bogaerts (6.8 fWAR) (of course Semien might price himself out of Oakland in a year or two).
Poll
Will Bo Bichette in an All-Star in the next 2 seasons?
Poll
Will Bo be the Blue Jays MVP this year?
I thought Bo was miscast as a leadoff hitter. I think he’d be better in a RBI spot.
Poll
Where would you bat Bo?
This poll is closed
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22%
First
(146 votes) -
58%
Second
(380 votes) -
13%
Third
(87 votes) -
1%
Fourth
(11 votes) -
3%
Fifth
(24 votes)