Prospect could force Sandoval out of Red Sox lineup

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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Heading into Tuesday's game, Travis Shaw spotted an eye-catching slash line: .522/.560/.870. He leads the Red Sox in runs scored, hits, total bases, homers and RBI.

And sure, it's just spring training. And sure, the Red Sox have expensive, veteran starters at both first and third base -- Shaw's primary positions.

But there's a growing sense Shaw's terrific spring isn't happening in a vacuum. As camp began, the conventional wisdom was that Shaw could hit .922 and it wouldn't matter. The Sox were committed to -- saddled with? -- Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval and no amount of Grapefruit League heroics from Shaw was going to change that fact.

After all, the Red Sox aren't about to pay Sandoval $17 million this season and Ramirez $22 million, and sit them in favor of a player with less than half a season of major league service time, right?

Right?

"Travis Shaw is swinging the bat well,'' said John Farrell. "There's no denying it. He's letting that do the talking. That contribution gets you more at-bats, gets you more playing time and we're working through ways to get him more accustomed to multiple positions.''

That's a theme that Farrell has repeated often. Given a chance to put Shaw's performance in perspective with comments like, "We already have a starting first baseman and third baseman,'' he instead has praised Shaw and noted that players -- not contacts or salaries -- determine the lineup. He's repeatedly noted that competition is a good thing.

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