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New Red Sox first baseman received advice from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
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- New Red Sox first baseman received advice from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Willson Contreras made a seamless transition from catcher to first base with the Cardinals last year.
Contreras, who the Red Sox acquired in a trade with St. Louis on Dec. 21 , finished in the 91st percentile in outs above average (6) among MLB first basemen.
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He put in a lot of time with the fielding coordinator and watched video. He said he listened and asked a lot of questions.
He also got the chance to work with Hall of Fame shortstop and Cardinals legend Ozzie Smith.
“He showed up a couple times during my workouts and explained some of the angles, some of the stuff, and I asked him a lot of questions,” Contreras said.
Smith was nicknamed The Wizard of Oz because he played like a wizard at shortstop. He won 13 Gold Gloves.
“You need to listen. If you don’t listen to that guy, you’re playing the wrong sport,” Contreras said.
Smith’s best advice?
“Stay on your feet. Don’t stay flat-footed. Stay ready and ask any question,” Contreras said. “I mean, he won (13) Gold Gloves. Tell me anything that you want me to do, I’ll do it.”
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Contreras said he wasn’t concerned about the position change because the Cubs initially signed him as a third baseman in amateur international free agency in July 2009. So he grew up playing the infield.
“I never had a doubt that I could play first base,” Contreras said.
He said he’s still looking to get better in every area.
“I think from a baseball player perspective, you’re always trying to improve to get better,” he said. “And where I am right now, I’m always looking to get better. I’m not a guy that feels OK with the year I had last year. I know it was good, but always looking for more.”
Manager Alex Cora identified the 33-year-old Contreras as his cleanup hitter during the Fenway Fest event in January.
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“I think the most important thing for me is just having good at-bats,” Contreras said. “Doesn’t matter where I hit in the lineup. I think we have a really good team from one to nine who can back each other up. And hitting the cleanup spot, it’s good. I think it’s fun and I’m looking forward to it.”
Contreras has batted .256 with a .356 on-base percentage, .461 slugging percentage, .817 OPS, 77 home runs, 98 doubles, three triples and 238 RBIs over 457 games the past four seasons.
“I think similar to what Alex Bregman brought last year offensively. Very similar,” Cora said. “This guy’s going to hit the ball hard. It’s a quality at-bat. It’s a righty that we needed and he had a good season last year. Obviously it’s a different scenario, different ballpark. You learn quick to keep hitting the ball in the air to left field.”
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