SAN FRANCISCO — Kristian Campbell was optioned back to Worcester a few days ago as the Red Sox try to get him back on track both at the plate and in the field.
Campbell appeared in a game as the DH with the Worcester Red Sox, but with the team set to begin a six-game road series to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Campbell will be kept in Worcester for a few days to work on things in a non-game setting.
“We talked about it (Saturday), me and (Craig Breslow),” said Alex Cora. “It’s kind of like, just letting him know, this is what we’re trying to accomplish. Like I said Friday, it’s not about hitting .500 in Triple A; it’s about ‘This is what you need to do.’
“We’ll talk about being aggressive early in counts, recognizing the fastballs, the different types of them. We all know what he struggled with, so it’s kind of like a re-set and walking through what we want. But he needs to play. At the end of the day, you gain experience playing nine innings and going through every situations.”
Campbell unexpectedly made the team out of spring training and had a strong start, being honored as the American League Rookie of the Month for March/April. But from the beginning of May through mid-June, Campbell slumped badly at the plate and also had -14 defensive runs saved at second base.
Cora said while the WooSox are on the road, Campbell will spend some time with some minor league instructors and coordinators. Included in that group are field coordinator Andrew Wright, minor league hitting coordinator John Soteropulos and director of hitting development Jason Ochart.
Tentative plans are for Campbell to rejoin the WooSox on the road, perhaps on Thursday or Friday.