:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/9112791/162802346.0.jpg)
Shane Victorino could be very good. While he almost seems to come with the reputation of a player past his prime, one does not have to look further back than 2011 to see Victorino at his best.
Even at his worst, though, Victorino has value. The thing is that said value is expressed more on the basepaths and in the field than at the plate. Of course, Red Sox fans have had some bad experiences with that sort of player in the past, but with Victorino coming in rather cheaper, he doesn't exactly have to blow us away to be worth the time.
Still, nobody will be rejecting another 2011 performance from Victorino. Or even something in the vein of 2008 and 2009. The question is whether Victorino will be able to provide it. While Victorino is traditionally a .280/.350/.420 type of player, that hasn't been the case in two of the last three years, and the way he ended the season with the Dodgers makes it that much harder to believe 2013 will be any different.
What say you, then, Red Sox fans? Will Shane Victorino enjoy a repeat of 2011, simply find his old norm, or continue a decline into irrelevance?
Just a word on procedure: please do include a username so that I can credit you with your entry when we look back at these come the offseason. Also, please format your batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging categories as a decimal: .### . It saves me some hassle.