BOSTON -- Xander Bogaerts had never made secret his desire to be a member of the Boston Red Sox for life, a goal he'd publicly stated dating back to his time at Triple-A Pawtucket.
But now, with the three-time All-Star shortstop planning to opt out of his contract at the end of the season, and with a natural replacement for him just two lockers down in the Fenway Park clubhouse, his future in Boston is uncertain.
And he can't simply shut out all the noise.
"You try not to let it affect you," Bogaerts told ESPN, "but you're human, man.