Xander Bogaerts on moving to 2nd, faith in Ha-Seong Kim & moving on after disappointing Padres 2023

Xander Bogaerts on moving from SS to 2nd base, why he’s at peace with the move, Ha-Seong Kim and moving past a disappointing 2023 season.

Switch uh I mean I sign here as a short stop you know but to me I just live and die baseball you know and I felt like we had this conversation early in the morning and I was like listen man if this is the way that you guys view the team is

Better I respect him especially defensively I I actually admire him a lot so it maybe it can hurt but I mean I’m I’m just doing it in the best interest of the team and in the end I feel like I’m at peace with with moving off you know

Cuz I felt like if I if I literally didn’t really want to I would have just let them know and that would have been a I wouldn’t say a problem but it might have been tough situation but I think I’m I’m really at piece

Of going to have to move off you know so I think I think that deep down in my heart like I was actually cool with it you know I did didn’t expect maybe to be cool with it but what what more can I accomplish in

This game you know I I I came here the only reason I came here was to win a World Series so if this is the way that that we’re going to get one so be it you know I want to I want a I was just

Thinking I want one at third base I want one at Short Stop and it would be very nice to win one at second base so I’m looking at the positive and and actually if if we’re going to have this conversation in like two years hey let’s move you from here from the position

Again what not like let’s just get out of the way now you know if this is a really good time for that our team is it’s going to be much better this way let’s let’s just do it you know what are your expectations for second base and

For all all the all that’ll entail in terms of making move and position I feel like it’s going to be a little hard for me cuz I’m very used to seeing a guy come in front of me on the double play pivots I feel that’s the only hard

Part uh I’m used to seeing the guy but now the guy is coming like from my side so I don’t really see him I feel like that’s going to be the the hard part but I mean look at the bright side it’s not a lot of second baseman that can hit

Fort in the big league so I mean I’m I’m looking at it that way one spot was okay but two spots um not okay M yeah no I’m I’m good there now I’m good I’m at peace I am at peace I I didn’t expect probably to move off this early

You know but as I said I’ve done enough in this game and and and I just want to continue winning and I mean if you know me you just know I’m all about that and if they feel like this is the time that that’s that’s going to make the team

Much better and and and get us to the playoffs the the way that we want to get to that we didn’t achieve last year then then let’s do it you know you kind of knew that at some point they would be talking to you about it was Mike in

Aruba the first time that someone did talk to you about it no okay and so what has the process been like for you in terms of how did we get to today yeah we got to today fast ass let me tell you that uh yeah it they just approach about it

And it’s not like I was like hey take ground balls a second be prepared for any of that that’s probably the only part that that maybe would have been a little could have been a little different but I mean I don’t know how much interest they really had on like

Moving me off what not but once they came with that option today it’s like as I said man I could have really be like you know what I I don’t want to move off yet but deep down I really feel like you know what it it might be time

And especially the respect I have for Kimmy defensively uh as a player so put makes us better I mean work out there today ah that was just a little show and go just just a little bouncing around uh the Double Play feeds is going to be

A little tough and as I said I think most of the tough plays will be around the double plays you know and the feeding and and the receiving of the ball with me not being able to see the guy uh those might be the the tough

Parts of learning that you were so adant you were so adant that you were shortstop how did Mike present it to you and how long in the conversation did it take before you said okay I’ll do it I think like 15 seconds maybe 15 seconds that was maybe a little shorter

You know yeah so Xander you and Mike obviously talked about it and Shel and Aruba but when was it really solidified that that would be the plan at least spring training to work that today today today yeah you feel it’s more important what you do

At the plate anyway you know what I ever since I went the miners my uncle he learned me and my brother how to play baseball and he always said my calling card is is what’s going to get me to the big leagues and what’s going to keep me

In the big leagues and we is hitting so for all that I love my defense you know I really do love it sometimes it doesn’t love me I always said that throughout my career uh this is what got me here and this is what’s going to stick me in the

Big league so that’s something that I I I I keep through my chest every day and I talk to my brother about this also like if if if you’re going to move me like in 2 years we’re going to have this conversation in one or two years like

Just let let’s just bang it out now you know and in two three years I might be one of the best second basem in the game you know that’s that’s always the way that I view myself I just want to be the best in regardless what position uh

Obviously short start would be nice but I feel like second base is the same there have been some guys on this team that have mve positions in the last couple years and that have had a lot of success at their new positions T and Wright bronin worth Kim does that give

You confidence in moving to a new I feel like they they might be playing a tricky situation with me cuz if I if I win a go glove a second I might retire you know so I might I might I might call it quiz if I actually end up doing that you know

That that to me would be on a personal level extremely uh grateful for that but as I said I came here I I I’ve already won World Series so I wanted to come here and win one here and that’s the main goal and and and hopefully that happen sooner uh

Rather than later so that’s that’s the main goal and if this is the way that they view it as the best way possible then I’m I’m in last conversation with you in San Diego you said it was going to be a long offseason of reflection how

Much did this team not being in the postseason how much did that grind on you uh during these last few months I know some people don’t watch the games afterwards I watch all of them you know I I enjoy watching baseball so we know last year we we kind of ended

Extremely strong but it was just a little too late and this is a new year fresh a lot of fresh faces a lot of fresh faces and uh looking forward to to working with this group this year and and and and getting ready to go think sh

So far just getting to know him on more I mean he came to Aruba you know so we hang out a little bit it was nice it was nice so uh obviously there something nice for a manager to do to go out of his way and do something like that cuz

It’s he was not obligated to do anything like that you know he said you you went to a local restaurant in Aruba I gave him some local food I gave him some local food uh the old kunuku house I gave him some local food and probably so he don’t have

To talk about the position change you know what is a rib food I would say like I mean a lot of seafood probably you know cuz we’re around the water uh goat I mean yeah I mean a lot of like homegrown grown food no no so you don’t

Get a lot in Coronado oh that’s a little tough the closest might be Mexican maybe you know around around there but not like a Ruba yeah