If you are going to miss the team bus, it better be for something huge. Craig Breslow, the Boston Red Sox boss and now accidental hitchhiker, found himself stranded in a Texas hotel lobby this week. Wondering why?
Well, he was too busy trying to lock down Boston Red Sox’s next big thing, Kristian Campbell.
The team was in deep negotiations with their 22-year-old outfielder, and things were going well. So good that time disappeared. And so did the bus! Yes, while everyone else went to the stadium, Breslow was busy in conversations with Dany Horwitz, trying to bring the crème de la crème to the team. The stakes were high because an eight-year deal of $60 million for a player who played five games in the big leagues is a huge deal.
Breslow, talking about the situation, said, “This process can be contentious; it can be confrontational. There was none of that. Danny (Horwitz) and I were negotiating down to the last moments, and we spent two and a half hours in the hotel lobby in Texas staring at each other and waiting for the other to blink. I realized that I missed the team bus, so Danny was kind enough to drive me over to the field. What could have otherwise been an awkward moment was, in fact, endearing.” Sure, it was endearing, but equal parts hilarious.
But what’s not laughable is the deal. Right now, the Boston Red Sox might be celebrating this extension. Because Campbell has been electric right from the get-go. He batted .423 with two home runs and five RBIs in his first eight games. Once you look at this stat line, it does seem like Boston just had their private Black Friday sale and clinched the best player they could for $60 million.
Campbell just rocked in three minor leagues last year. He batted .330 with 20 home runs and earned Minor League Player of the Year. So he has shown plenty of potential and deserves every bit of the attention now. And how does Campbell feel about this extension with the Boston Red Sox? He is thrilled!
Kristian Campbell’s humility shines through talking about his extension
Kristian Campbell was all smiles, standing between his parents, ready to pose for the camera. And he was wearing a crisp sports jacket. And right when the camera flashed, his mom, Tonyo, did what moms do best—help her son look the best. She adjusted his jacket, and it was enough to scream—this is family history in the making.
The 22-year-old just wrapped up his news conference after signing a huge eight-year deal with Boston Red Sox. And for a person who wasn’t even on fans’ radar a year ago, this sure is a huge leap. And Campbell is humbly soaking up all the good times. Campbell said, “It was a life-changing opportunity for me and my family. It was something I couldn’t pass up.” His deal is also the second straight day money move for the team after Garrett Crochet.
CEO of Boston Red Sox, Sam Kennedy, was super warm to the rookie’s parents. He gave them the sweetest message, saying, “The word to describe your son around camp, from where I sit anyway, is humility. That’s probably life’s greatest achievement, so congratulations.” Well, Campbell, who is the youngest Red Sox opening-day starter at second base ever since Reggie Smith, sure screams humility. He thanked the team for everything, “They made the process really easy for me. They developed me from Day 1. As soon as I got drafted, it made me who I am today.”
And apparently, his work ethic is as good too. Craig Breslow said, “What he was is a good player who made himself a great player because of his work ethic.” And for any team, this is a great quality to have. And the investment seems to have gone to the right place with the Red Sox. So, right now seems to be the best time to be a Red Sox fan.
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