Jackie Bradley Jr. WILL be with the Red Sox opening day


Jackie Bradley Jr. is turning into the next Boston Red Sox phenom, and he's trying his best to stay away from all the hype. The only problem is he's making it difficult for both the Red Sox and Red Sox Nation to to do the same. So far Bradley has been spot on in regards to batting and fielding memorizing the Sox management and fans with his .500 batting average and stellar defensive prowess  So what should the Sox do with the 22-year old rising star? The answer is simple: Play him.

Currently the official Red Sox depth chart reads Jonny Gomes (left field), Jacoby Ellsbury (center field) and Shane Victorino (right field) as the starting outfield, but there's still an opportunity for Bradley to squeeze into a roster spot before the regular season begins. Here's how Bradley can secure a spot on the Red Sox opening day roster.

1. Dominate This Spring
At this moment the reason Bradley has been in many a headlines is because of his impressive performance this spring. Let's be honest if it wasn't for a breakout spring training we wouldn't be having this conversation. If Bradley Jr. hopes to sneak onto the 40-man roster he'll need to continue impressing Red Sox management with his on-the-field play, and off-the-field professionalism.

2. Health Equals Opportunity
It seems obvious but in sports nothing can be a sure thing until it actually happens. In Bradley's case a spot on the Red Sox roster will only come with an impressive and dominating spring training performance moving forward. That's a "duh" statement if you've ever heard one, but the moral of this story is health. If Jackie's looking for his shot with the Sox he'll need to stay healthy through the spring.

3. Rise and Fall
In all fairness to Bradley this has very little to do with his abilities or health. In fact this might fall under the category of "luck." The last obstacle Bradley will encounter in his quest to make the Red Sox opening day roster is the players themselves. Sox manager John Farrell hasn't given any indication that he's willing to trade or designate for assignment any rostered player, yet. If Bradley continues to impress (like has been) it will be difficult for Red Sox management to ignore those who've had sub-par performances this spring.

The Red Sox have a problem, a good problem, but a problem nonetheless. It's clear Bradley has impressed the organization's brass and even their pessimistic fans. Bradley has been diplomatic (watch the video below) in discussing his future with the Red Sox, and how the Sox manage this situation will determine the future of both the team and the 22-year old. Let's hope they proceed with the best interest of the club's future in mind.

(Video courtesy of NESN.com)

Follow Scott Levesque on Twitter at @scottlevesque.