SCOTTSDALE, Arizona \u2014 The vibes of Rafael Devers\u2019 last spring as a Boston Red Sox and first spring as a San Francisco Giant could not be more different.<\/p>\n
A year ago, Devers was at the center of an uncomfortable saga in Boston. Devers said he wouldn\u2019t move off third base to accommodate free-agent Alex Bregman, eventually relented, then declined to move to first base when an injury-induced opening emerged. His time as a Red Sox ended with a blockbuster trade to the Giants that, in time, is looking more like a salary dump on Boston\u2019s end.<\/p>\n
Fast forward to now, and Devers appears light. He\u2019s happy. He\u2019s relaxed. He\u2019s hitting batting practice bombs that are leaving dents on the top of Scottsdale Stadium\u2019s Charro Lodge.<\/p>\n
The Giants got a three-and-a-half-month sample of Devers\u2019 lineup-altering power, as well as a peek at his defensive abilities at first base. Soon, they\u2019ll get a full year \u2014 and many more \u2014 of the Rafael Devers experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing in, I already knew what he could do for our lineup and what type of year he could put together. \u2026 I don\u2019t put as much weight on exactly what the statistics say, but he\u2019s a presence in the lineup that can affect how the other team has to gameplan,\u201d said manager Tony Vitello. \u201cBut also, I\u2019ve had to be in the dugout when you\u2019re gameplanning against a guy like that. You know it makes the other guys in the lineup better, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Devers is about eight months removed from being traded, but he couldn\u2019t escape his first scrum of camp without fielding a couple of questions about Boston. Not without good reason, since Red Sox chairman Tom Werner recently told The Boston Globe that Devers\u2019 unwillingness to play first base was \u201cextremely discouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a discouraging episode,\u201d Werner said. \u201cJust pick up a glove.\u201d<\/p>\n
Devers took the high road when asked about the comments, saying he would like to focus on his new team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s in the past,\u201d Devers said through team interpreter Erwin Higueros. \u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about it. It\u2019s over. I don\u2019t have any opinions on what he said. So, let\u2019s concentrate here and just leave the past in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Giants sent four players to the Red Sox in exchange for Devers: Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs III and Jose Bello. Currently, the 20-year-old Bello is the only one left in Boston\u2019s organization after the Red Sox traded Harrison, Hicks and Tibbs.<\/p>\n
As for Bregman, the signing that alienated Devers? He opted out after the first year of his three-year, $120 million contract with Boston and signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. Devers, for his part, wasn\u2019t keeping tabs on his old team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have social media. I don\u2019t go onto the internet,\u201d Devers said. \u201cMy main concern, my main goal is to give my 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Devers\u2019 goals for his first season are a little more concrete than the abstract concept of doing his best. For one, Devers wants to hit 30 homers, something he\u2019s already done four times in his career.<\/p>\n
With respect to Matt Chapman, Heliot Ramos and Willy Adames, who broke the Giants\u2019 30-homer drought<\/a>, Devers is the most legitimate middle-of-the-order bat that the Giants have had in decades. Even Buster Posey, a future Hall of Famer before becoming this team\u2019s president of baseball operations, didn\u2019t have this caliber of pop.<\/p>\n And while Devers has already established himself with his bat, he wants to do the same with his glove.<\/p>\n There were some understandable growing pains when Devers picked up first base upon joining the Giants after a career at third base. He looked more and more comfortable as he piled up the reps, making some nifty picks by season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n Devers spent the offseason working on his defense and has been one of many infielders in camp working with Ron Washington<\/a>, whose passion for teaching infield defense hasn\u2019t waned after undergoing a quadruple bypass heart surgery last year. After declining to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, Devers will get plenty of opportunities to work with \u201cWash.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s working his butt off,\u201d Washington said of Devers, who was worth +2 defensive runs saved. \u201cHe\u2019s been making the adjustments you have to make.\u201d<\/p>\n While Devers doesn\u2019t consider himself a leader, Vitello noted that the three-time All-Star spoke up during the first team meeting before the first day of full-squad workouts. Vitello also praised Devers\u2019 baseball IQ and his ability to \u201cthink his way through a game.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s pretty passionate about how well the team does, not just himself,\u201d Vitello said. \u201cHe takes ownership of that craft.\u201d<\/p>\n