Mike Napoli has enjoyed a successful, healthy season with the Boston Red Sox and he hopes it leads to a longer relationship.
Napoli reached an incentive in his contract on Thursday that guaranteed him $8 million in bonuses for being on the active roster for 165 days of the 2013 season.
"It just basically says I stayed healthy they whole year. I was able to stay on the field. Training staff helped me do that, took care of me. Everyday I've been in there. A lot goes to them, too," said Napoli. "But it's nice."
Napoli originally agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with the Red Sox this past offseason, but a hip condition that popped up during his physical forced him to renegotiate. He ended up with a one-year, $5 million deal with the $8 million in incentives.
"I was in kind of a tough situation, too, because what if I got hit in the hand — nothing to do with my hip? That was kind of the uncomfortable feeling at times. But I feel like if you play hard, go the way you're supposed to and not worry about, 'I can't do this; I can't do that,' if you just play the game hard then things will work out," he said.
Napoli is hitting .258/.351/.478 with 21 home runs and 87 RBIs and the Red Sox are cruising towards the American League East title.
"I love it here. It's just something special, and a lot of these guys are going to be back here next year. I'm pretty sure some of these guys who are free agents, they're probably going to try to lock up, too," he said. "This is an ideal spot. I've never had anything like this. I had it really good in Texas. But this is unbelievable."