BoSox players laud Boles
Departing manager was good influence
Eventually, they all came and played for Kevin Boles before continuing onward and upward. The developmental sandpaper that Boles used to smooth out the edges of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts, and a host of additional Red Sox contributors on the current roster, proved to be spot-on.
As minor-league field manager, there’s no denying Boles represented an important voice within the farm system’s hierarchy. Of the 36 players available these days to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, an impressive total of 29 at some point in the last five seasons played for the Pawtucket Red Sox under Boles.
Beyond baseball, Boles enjoyed fostering a clubhouse environment that stressed the importance of putting in the necessary work but also featured a lighter side.
Case in point, ping-pong was a source of heated competition among the PawSox players during the past several years. There were times when Boles would walk by the table, stop the ongoing game in its tracks, ask for the paddle, and proceed to put his best swing forward. After a few minutes, Boles would return the paddle to the player.
Last month before a night game at McCoy Stadium, Boles popped out of the manager’s office upon hearing a particular musical selection that happened to be blaring from the weight room. Boles correctly identified the artist – it was hip-hop performer 50 Cent – but had trouble naming the tune. Someone in the weight room filled in the blanks, Boles smiled, and soon everyone resumed what they were doing.
The interactions may have been brief, yet they epitomized a PawSox atmosphere that under Boles did not feature a deep chasm with him on one side and the players on the other.
After a recent Red Sox game at Fenway Park, several of Boles’ former charges were approached and asked to articulate about what it was like to play for the man affectionately known as “Bolesy.”
It didn’t come as a shock to hear responses that were overwhelmingly positive about a baseball lifer who has elected to move in a different direction after managing the Pawtucket Red Sox during the past five seasons.
Here in their own words are some of the reasons why Boles left an indelible mark with the players he came in contact with and mentored for a period of time while they wore a PawSox uniform.
“Great clubhouse manager … he always wanted the music going when we won. It was a lot of fun playing for him. We’re all going to miss him.”
— Sam Travis
“I wasn’t there for very long, but he HELPED ME WITH OFF-THE-FIELD MATTERS AS far as adjusting to this life … the spotlight.”
— Mookie Betts
“Since coming to Pawtucket, Bolesy has been a part of my family.
Red Sox pitcher William Cuevas
“With Bolesy, you were always comfortable in the clubhouse. Get everything done but also have fun. That’s what he wanted.”
— William Cuevas
Outfielder Mookie Betts (played for Boles in Pawtucket in 2014)
“I wasn’t there for very long, but he helped me with off-the-field matters as far as adjusting to this life … the spotlight, how things change as far as the demand for tickets, and who to give them to. Little things like making sure you take care of your family and being a great teammate. He told me that it’s okay to put up boundaries with certain people. Sometimes that means your family members.”
Outfielder Jack Bradley Jr. (played for Boles in Portland in 2012 and in Pawtucket in 2014-15 and 2017)
“He made sure we were prepared. Every single day, the emphasis was that it was all about the process and making sure we were learning every step of the way, both from success and failure. It was all about staying the course.”
First baseman/outfielder Sam Travis (played for Boles in Pawtucket from 2016-18)
“He did a lot for me and always kept in contact after I got hurt [Travis tore the ACL in his left knee in 2016]. Whatever it was, he always asked how I was feeling. He’s a player’s coach for sure. He was always on your side and had your back. Keep grinding and never get down were two things he always spoke to me about. It’s a game predicated on failure but that’s why it’s important to keep your head up.
“Great clubhouse manager … he always wanted the music going when we won. It was a lot of fun playing for him. We’re all going to miss him.”
Pitcher Robby Scott (played for Boles in Pawtucket from 2015-18)
“You’re always going to have a special relationship with the manager who tells you that you’re going to the big leagues for the first time. We’ve always had a special bond just because of the path I had to take … the ups and downs dating back to 2015 when I went back and forth between Double-A and Triple-A.
“He was an awesome man who liked to have fun and keep the locker room loose. By the same token, he knew when it was time to turn on the switch and get after it. We’re going to put our work in but we’re going to have fun while doing it. He wanted smiles. He’s definitely a guy who’ll be missed. It’s tough to replace someone like that.”
Pitcher Bobby Poyner (played for Boles in Pawtucket in 2018)
“Awesome manager, really smart. From top to bottom, from how the clubhouse felt, to travel, I can’t say enough about Bolesy. He would talk you through the process and help you make the adjustment (of going back and forth between the majors and Triple-A) as smooth as possible, dealing with the ups and downs.”
Pitcher William Cuevas (played for Boles in Pawtucket in 2015-16 and 2018)
“Since coming to Pawtucket, Bolesy has been a part of my family. Anything that I needed, he was there.”
Cuevas shared the particulars surrounding Boles and how he had a little fun at the righthander’s expense when the Red Sox called him up during the first month of the 2016 season.
“We were in Rochester and he knocked on my door around midnight. Initially, he made me think I had done something wrong. I didn’t even pitch that night. He was acting kind of weird. I didn’t understand why he was asking questions about things that went on during that night’s game. He gave me three chances to answer about something that happened. He looked mad and that made me nervous.
“After not answering on the third try, he told me to go into my room and pick up all my stuff. I thought they were releasing me, but I asked him if he was going to at least tell me what was going on. He finally told me that I was going to Boston. That was a pretty special moment.
“I think I almost hit my head on the roof. I jumped so high. I hugged him and picked him up.
“With Bolesy, you were always comfortable in the clubhouse. Get everything done but also have fun. That’s what he wanted.”