Shaw is not seen as a utility player only and is competing for regular at-bats as the starting third baseman, according to manager John Farrell, the Boston Globe reports. "I don't want to limit him in the sense that is he just a corner utility player. There could be the potential for more here. We're not in a place in spring training where we're going to shut that down. He could be competing for regular at-bats," said the manager.

EDGE Analysis

Farrell indicated that putative starting third baseman Pablo Sandoval is well aware that he needs to prove himself this spring. Shaw has been swinging a hot bat (.419 batting average, 1.132 OPS in 11 games) and Farrell is not in a position to be patient with an under-performing veteran like Sandoval, who has made four errors while showing limited range in 12 spring games. ""We've got 2� weeks to go here. [Shaw] has done a very good job to date. He's played, I think, a solid third base," Farrell said. "I don't want to pin him into a corner. I understand and respect the questions. We want his bat to contribute, more so than maybe a regular utility or backup bench player."