Travis Shaw Excited For First Career Opening Day
BOSTON (CBS) -- Travis Shaw put together a solid résumé this spring, and earned himself the starting third base job on the 2016 Boston Red Sox.
That's pretty impressive for a 25-year-old with just eight Major League games at the hot corner entering this spring, but the slugger was determined to do whatever he could to win a starting job with the team.
"I had a mission and a goal of what I wanted to accomplish, and I kind of accomplished all those goals. Going into the offseason I knew what I needed to do and work on and I had success this spring," Shaw told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.
After showing off some good leather at third and batting .338 with two homers and 11 RBIs in 23 spring contests, Boston manager John Farrell decided to go with the youngster over their $95 million man in Pablo Sandoval. So when the Red Sox take the field for their first meaningful game in 2016, it'll be a dream come true for Shaw.
"It's something you dream about your whole life growing up, to experience an Opening Day. To be in the starting lineup, you can't ask for anything better," said Shaw, an Ohio native who will have over a dozen family members in the stands on Monday. "It will mean a lot. This is a storied franchise and coming off back-to-back last place finishes, I know everyone in here is excited to get going."
After hitting 13 homers in just 65 games for Boston in 2015, Shaw earned himself the nickname "The Mayor Of Ding Dong City." His swing looks tailor-made for Fenway Park, with a .313 batting average and eight of his blasts coming in Boston. Boston fans have embraced their new third baseman, even with just a small sampling, and he hopes to continue to live up to that moniker in 2016.
"I appreciate the support and to have the backing in Boston this early in my career, it's pretty special," he said.
