Josh Reddick, 21, was named a California League Post-Season All Star after hitting .343/.375/.593 in 312 at-bats, 17 home runs and stealing nine bases (caught once) for Lancaster. He had a cup of coffee with Greenville, hitting .340/.397/.491 in 53 at-bats to start the year. Rocketing up the prospect lists, he is in Portland now andhitting .238/.314/.486 in 105 at-bats with six home runs. Read on to see his thoughts on a few things, including his low average at Portland…
You’ve burst onto the scene of top Red Sox prospects after being drafted in the 17th round in 2006. What do you attribute your success to?
Basically just hard work and commitment to the game. If you don’t enjoy the game of baseball then you are not gonna have very much success. So love for the game plays a very big part. Mainly going out there everyday and working hard to keep yourself motivated.
Lancaster is considered a hitter’s paradise, and you certainly seem to have liked it, looking at your statistics for the team. However, being in a hitter’s paradise may end up being a curse as bad habits could develop. How was Lancaster integral to your development as a hitter? Were there bad habits you slipped into or did Lancaster boost your confidence?
Personally, I don’t believe I got into any bad habits. Carlos Febles [Evan: Yes, the former Royals second baseman who retired in 2003 at age 27],my hitting coach, told me practically everyday not to change my swing and just try to hit a line drive up the middle and everything just worked in my favor as a result to my success. You just have to keep the same swing every day; that way you don’t develop a lift to your swing.
The Red Sox have been asking you to work on being more patient at the plate, but you seem to be having a hard time adjusting to this process. How are you feeling your way through this?
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