By Josh Maurer & Will Flemming

Watch Will Middlebrooks play for a night and it’s easy to walk away talking about what he does with a bat. Unfortunately, his eye-popping power can take attention away from what he can also do with his glove.

A third baseman with all the tools necessary to develop into a Gold Glove winner, Middlebrooks was once a shortstop before sliding over to third. “I take tons of pride in my defensive play,” Middlebrooks said. “When I moved from shortstop to third base after my first year of pro ball, I swore I wanted to be one of the best third basemen in the game, and that’s something I work on day-in and day-out.”

After shredding International League pitching in April, Middlebrooks made his Major League debut on May 2, 2012 against Oakland. (Kelly O’Connor)

One of the men Middlebrooks credits for developing his defensive abilities is former Angels’ shortstop, Gary DiSarcina. “It all started with Gary,” Middlebrooks said back in April.

After growing up in Billerica, Ma., DiSarcina played 12 seasons (1989–2000) with the Angels and was a 1995 All-Star. He was a standout at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (where he is now in the school’s Hall of Fame) and actually played his final professional game right here at McCoy Stadium as a member of the PawSox in 2002.

In addition to his playing and front office career, DiScarcina also worked for NESN as a Red Sox pre- and post-game analyst. (Los Angeles Times)

DiSarcina managed the short-season Lowell Spinners from 2007–09 and was then promoted as the Red Sox Minor League infield coordinator. Now working for the team he spent nearly all of his pro career with, DiSarcina has been promoted from being the Angels’ Minor League field coordinator to special assistant to General Manager Jerry Dipoto.

DiSarcina has risen quickly and has proven to be someone to keep an eye on — when you’re not watching Middlebrooks at third base.

-AG

@aaronmgoldsmith

agoldsmith@pawsox.com