(He's studly already, I can just feel it)
Even in the far east, I can't get enough of Jose Iglesias. I'm not sure I've ever had a man crush on someone who I've never see play, but Jose is different. I've made every attempt to calm my optimism about the 20 year old Cuban, but I can't. He's here, he's working hard, and I'm damn excited about it.
In fact, as soon as I return, I plan on buying one of his jersey t shirts (ITM note: if he goes bust as a result, it's not my fault).
Apparently, Lou Merloni shares this kind of excitement....and Framingham Lou is never wrong about baseball. Here is a snippet from Lou's article on WEEI.com
"...before I even got to see Iglesias on the field, I must say, I was very impressed. From day one, Jose walked around the clubhouse shaking hands, signing autographs and taking pictures with would-be fans trying to get a glimpse at the future. With a very impressive grasp on the English language, Iglesias handled himself like a seasoned veteran.
Every morning I was greeted with a smile and a handshake. This young man gets it. But how good is he? I spent the first few days watching him hit in the cage. He looks like he has a good approach at the plate, staying inside the baseball, driving the ball up the middle and the other way. His stroke was short and compact and his hands looked quick. If I had to compare him to someone, I think that Orlando Cabrera would be a good comparison — a player without much power but a good major league hitter.
I had to wait a few days to see him take ground balls, which was killing me because that’s what I was really looking forward to. Let’s just say that it was worth the wait. There’s a certain level of cockiness and confidence that all great infielders possess in order to play the position at such a high level. At the young age of 20, Iglesias already has that trait. There was never a doubt with any ground ball hit his way. Like every great shortstop, it seemed like the ball never hit his mitt. It was catch and release. Smooth. He turned double plays flawlessly. He charged the ball. He ranged to his left and his right."
As much fun as he was having taking ground balls, I must say, it was even more fun to watch. The Red Sox have found their shortstop of the future, and after watching Jose Iglesias take ground balls for a week, I would say that it’s in very good hands."
Jose Iglesias is clearly a man after my own heart. If that article doesn't get you excited then you're simply not human, and certainly not from Boston. Couple Lou Merloni's review of the short stop of Boston's future with Joe Murph's recent email to me that all of a sudden he "needs to go to Spring Training"...and you've got me searching travel sites like crazy for deals to fly down to Spring Training in March.
NEVER AGAIN
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