Kyle Brasseur, ESPN 10y

Bogaerts sits out season finale

BOSTON -- The fans were lined up well before gates opened, the pregame ceremony has been planned for days and chants began the first moment he walked onto the field for batting practice.

Yes, it’s Derek Jeter’s last day in the major leagues at Fenway Park on Sunday. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a game to be played.

“I don’t think it’ll be very difficult at all. When the first pitch is thrown, we’re all competitors,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “The ceremony will be what it is, but after that it’s the final game that we’re hopeful to win like we have every other 161 times we’ve taken the field.”

To do so, the Red Sox will be without their shortstop as Xander Bogaerts is out of the starting lineup after straining his hamstring rounding the bases in Saturday’s game. Growing up a Jeter fan -- Bogaerts wears the No. 2 in his honor -- Farrell noted that injury necessitated the decision for him to sit.

“Was out with him this morning after he went through some treatment and running. Just felt like he’s in a place where he’s probably pushing it too much to be on the field today,” Farrell said. “He’s hurting. His idol is playing his last game and for Xander to not be on the field, there’s a physical reason he’s not.”

With that, Bogaerts’s rookie season ends with a .240/.297/.362 line, 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. He had his fair share of ups and downs but overall Farrell saw his “challenging” year as a success.

“The fact that he’s finished on an upswing [.313 average in September] is extremely encouraging,” Farrell said. “I think he’s learned a lot about himself and that to me is the most important thing. He’s a talented kid. He came into this year with so many expectations placed on him by himself and by others. But when you take a step back, we’ve got a 21-year-old shortstop who’s played 140-plus games, who’s going to hit .240 with 12 home runs. It’s a pretty good start to what should be a long career.”

Given the team’s last-place position in the standings, Farrell also had a long look at many other young players the past two months. Although he expressed disappointment in the fact that his team’s season ends here with no postseason, Farrell spoke optimistically about what he’s seen and what it means moving forward.

“It’s been a very productive two months,” Farrell said. “The addition of Rusney, the continued play and offensive performance of Mookie. We’ve been able to get further information, and I’m not saying final decisions on young pitchers, but they’ve gotten valuable opportunity and gained some experience. Everybody that we have in uniform right now has given us some information as we plan starting the second week of the offseason.”

Win or lose, that offseason begins Sunday afternoon.

* Asked about Allen Craig, Farrell came to the defense of the team’s trade acquisition at the deadline. Craig has endured a tumultuous two months with the Red Sox, requiring a stint on the disabled list and hitting .122 (11-for-90) in 28 games with Boston -- numbers far below his .282 career batting average.

Having spent all of that career before Boston in St. Louis, Farrell explained how that change contributed to Craig’s struggles.

“I don’t ever underestimate the unsettling feeling a player goes through when they change organizations the first time, regardless of their age and regardless of how many years they’ve played in the big leagues,” Farrell said. “He walks by the mirror and he sees Red Sox rather than Cardinals -- that in and of itself is different.

“I’m not saying that that’s the sole reason for Allen’s current performance but it is unsettling. We’ve got a guy with a very strong track record. It’s going to be helpful for him to go through a full and aggressive offseason, which he was unable to do because of the foot injury last winter. We know that there’s a proven and productive player in there.”

*Finally, as the Red Sox get ready to bid Jeter adieu, Farrell spoke of what he expects it will be like when the Sox say goodbye to their beloved designated hitter, David Ortiz.

“Personally, I’m not looking forward to that day because what he means to us,” Farrell said. “He’s embedded in Boston sports history. When that time comes, I’m sure that the recognition that he gets is deserved and whatever the Red Sox plan for that remains to be seen. But I’m sure it will be done in a first-class manner. As we said before, the game moves on. At some point in the future that time will come for David.”

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