Boston Red Sox: 5 Reasons Will Middlebrooks Won't Have a Second-Half Drop-off

Will Middlebrooks, simply put, has been the biggest surprise for the Boston Red Sox this year.

Many in the Red Sox front office actually aren’t surprised at all, but few expected Middlebrooks to be this good.

But what goes up must come down, right? Maybe. But there are five solid reasons to believe that Middlebrooks won’t succumb to a second-half slump.

1. His performance thus far

Middlebrooks, in Tom Brady fashion, finally got his opportunity in the bigs when Kevin Youkilis hit the disabled list. He came in and excelled to the point at which he claimed third base as his own and caused Youkilis to be traded in the process.

With the competition for spots in the Red Sox organization and the pressure cooker that is the Boston spotlight, very few rookies come up and immediately have an impact for an extended period of time. We saw it with Josh Reddick last season, and he’s on track for a 40-home run campaign this season in Oakland.

Not only has Middlebrooks’ performance been better than Reddick’s 2011 season, but the sample size has been more than sufficient to rule out any flukiness. In 48 games this season, Middlebrooks has 51 hits, 11 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBI and a .298 batting average. That’s seizing your opportunities.

2. Scouting report

Middlebrooks’ performance isn’t too much of a surprise to many.

He was rated Boston's No. 1 prospect entering 2012. He’s 6’4" and 225 pounds, with a scouting report claiming home run power to every field. As a former pitcher, he’s got a gun of an arm, with the ability to throw over 90 mph, and he’s light on his feet defensively.

In other words, the scouts see this guy as a stud in the making.

3. He’s developed in the minors

After being drafted by the Red Sox at 19 years old in 2007, Middlebrooks was admittedly way behind his teammates with regards to his development as a baseball player. He was an All-State football player and didn’t really turn his attention fully to baseball at any point in high school.

Middlebrooks has already bounced around the Minors, further developing his skills for over four years. In 2011, he split time between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, putting together a .285 average, 23 home runs and 94 RBI in 116 games. Middlebrooks racked up a .333 average, nine home runs and 27 RBI in 24 games at Pawtucket this year prior to his call-up. He’s clearly ready for this next step, and he’s still only 23 years old.

4. Bragging rights

Middlebrooks was something of a jock in high school, with football being his other game of choice. He’s been friends with former Arkansas quarterback and current Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallet since he was a child, and he’s currently dating a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. You'd better believe that Middlebrooks and Mallet are rooting for each other as they make their way up through Boston’s sporting ranks.

As of now Middlebrooks has the bragging rights, something I’m sure he’s enjoyed chiding Mallet about.

5. Fearless

Will Middlebrooks seems completely unfazed by the hype in Boston. Youth often creates an "ignorance is bliss" situation, and it appears to be working. Middlebrooks seems too excited and focused on the opportunity in front of him to be bogged down mentally.

Much as golfers tend to putt better as they’re coming up in golf’s ranks, Middlebrooks isn’t overthinking his game as a rookie, instead relying on his natural abilities and allowing himself to continue developing his eye at the plate.

All in all, I tend to be very reserved when it comes to getting excited about Red Sox prospects; I’m far more inclined to jump on the bandwagon of an experienced free agent signing. That said, I’ve seen enough of Middlebrooks to feel more than comfortable with him owning third base at Fenway Park. He’ll be a centerpiece of the Sox's offensive attack for a long time to come—a key piece to the new generation of Red Sox that is just starting to bloom.

Geoff Roberts is the Founder & Managing Editor of howiGit.com, a Boston sports blog.