Farrell on super-utility man Brock Holt: 'It's like you've got two or three players with Brock'
Brock Holt might be the best thing that happened to the Boston Red Sox this season.
When Hanley Ramirez suffered an injury, Holt went to left field. When Pablo Sandoval rolled his ankle, Holt played third base. With Dustin Pedroia on the shelf, Holt's been occupying second base.
But most importantly, with the Red Sox sitting six games back of first place and wearing the collar in the AL East, Holt shows up and does what he's asked to do.
To put his season in a nutshell, Holt played four different positions through the first five games of the regular season, which is what makes his All-Star selection so unique.
If you ask Holt, he'll say he's just providing his club with what it needs, when it needs it. But to manager John Farrell, Holt's first trip to the mid-summer classic comes down to the fact that there's no one in the AL who's more dependable than his super-utility player.
"He's kind of the safety valve," Farrell said to NESN's Zack Cox. "Even inside of a given game, when we've gone with a three-man bench, it's like you've got two or three players with Brock.
"Like I said, you can't place a value or a price tag on that. A very good player."
Speaking of price tags, Holt isn't exactly rich by MLB standards. The 27-year-old is making $531,000 this season, meaning 22 players on the roster make more than he does.
Nevertheless, his .295 average and .383 OBP made him the first All-Star in history to play seven different positions before the break.
"Brock Holt's story is certainly an interesting one," Farrell said, "and everything he's gotten along the way, he's earned. We all see the way he plays - hard-nosed, hustling type of player - but the thing that stands out to me is his attitude that he's embraced the versatility and the utility role."
It's unclear what position Holt will play in the All-Star Game, but if there's one thing for certain, it's not pitcher or catcher - the two positions he's yet to play this season.
Then again, his season has been all about firsts, so who knows what AL manager Ned Yost has in store for him.