For Travis Shaw, wrestling the Opening Day start at third base away from Pablo Sandoval was the easy part. Keeping the job could prove considerably more challenging.
Just ask Will Middlebrooks.
A quick refresher on recent Boston Red Sox third basemen: Middlebrooks replaced veteran Kevin Youkilis midway through the 2012 season and hit 15 home runs in his first 267 big league at-bats. He batted fifth on Opening Day in 2013 and slugged three homers in the season's sixth game, at Toronto. But injuries and an inability to adapt to changing pitching patterns reduced Middlebrooks to 15 homers and a .