Since Nomar Garciaparra left town in 2004 as the main piece in the trade that propelled the Red Sox to the World Series, the Red Sox have gone through a revolving door at shortstop. Orlando Cabrera performed admirably at the position during the 2004 stretch run, and will forever remain a hero to many Sox fans. Edgar Renteria was a disaster at the position. His failure to field his position significantly overshadowed his average performance at the plate during 2005. His signing was deemed a failure by Theo Epstein and the Red Sox ate a large amount of his salary for him to return to the National League in 2006 with the Atlanta Braves. Alex Gonzalez's one year stay with the Sox left many fans thinking of him as the second coming of Luis Aparicio. His slick fielding greatly overshadowed his shabby hitting, and his departure after the 2006 season left many wondering what the Red Sox were going to do to fill the void.
Theo Epstein's answer to the problem was Julio Lugo, and it may prove to the general manager's greatest mistake in his tenure with the Boston Red Sox. In 2006, Lugo was a 30 year old shortstop who split the season with Tampa Bay and Los Angeles. He hit .278 that year with 12 home runs (all in Tampa Bay), 37 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. He finished the year with LA and hit only .219 for them. He also committed 16 errors at shortstop. This was actually an improvement on years past as from 2003-2005 he had error totals per year of 20, 25, and 24 respectively. While offensively he proved relatively adequate at the plate, albeit inconsistent, his fielding (especially throwing) was generally viewed as well below average for a major league shortstop. This historical performance impressed the Red Sox brass enough to prompt them to offer Lugo a 4 year contract totalling $36 million. Reportedly, there was very little interest from other teams in Lugo's services. Essentially, it seems that the Red Sox decided to invest approximately $9 million per year in a 30 year old shortstop with average offensive output and below average defensive skills who was not highly coveted by any other major league team. This is baffling to put it mildly.
Lugo's performance in 2007 lived up to most expectations and was probably hidden by the Red Sox' 2nd World Series Championship in 4 years. Lugo hit .237 with 8 home runs and 73 RBIs. He also stole 33 bases. His 19 errors kept pace with his career average for a season. While his batting average was low, even for is standards, his knack for driving in runs was relatively astounding given his place in the lineup (8th or 9th) and his lack of regular base hits. Overall, he was a minor liability for a team that had very few weaknesses all season long. His errors rarely led to runs and his timely hitting made up for his lack of batting average and on base percentage (.294).
2008 has been another story for Mr. Lugo. his offensive production (especially run production) has slipped from 2007. However, his most glaring issue has come at the shortstop position. Through 7/22/08, Lugo has committed 16 errors at shortstop, almost eclipsing his total of 19 from 2007. Many of these errors have been on throws, and he would probably have a few more if it wasn't for the slick fielding of Kevin Youkilis over at first base. On July 11th, Lugo tore his left quadriceps running down the first base line, putting him on the disabled list for approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Called up from Pawtucket was Jed Lowrie, a 24 year old shortstop who was taken in the first round of the 2005 amateur draft. A nagging question remains for Red Sox fans - will Julio Lugo still be the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox when he returns from the disabled list in approximately one month?
The answer probably lies with the performance of the young Lowrie during the next month. Lowrie is not a spectacular player (although that was what was said about Dustin Pedroia when he was called up). He has a good batting eye, moderate power, and average defensive skills at shortstop. What separates him from other players is his intelligence. He's a very smart, mature player who gives the appearance that he's played in the big leagues for years. That demeanor coupled with moderate production at the plate and steady fielding could be the undoing of Julio Lugo's career in Boston.
It remains to be seen whether or not Jed Lowrie is the long term answer at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. With the recent signing of Casey Kelly, a first round draft pick who the Red Sox plan on grooming at shortstop (he supposedly has major league stuff as a pitcher), along with minor league players Oscar Tejeda (a slick fielder for the Greenville Drive) and Yamaico Navarro (more offensive player than Tejeda but an above average fielder at Lancaster), the shortstop position in Boston seems to be set up for internal occupation for many years to come. That is good news for Red Sox fans who are tired of the expensive carousel of overrated free agents who have occupied the position over the last few years.
The issue of Julio Lugo's contract remains a sticking point for management. If Jed Lowrie performs at or above expectations, it would only seem fair to the team and the player to continue utilizing him as the starting shortstop even when Lugo comes off the disabled list. However, having Lugo as a $9 million bench player doesn't seem like a viable option for the Sox, especially since Alex Cora is much more valuable in that role given his versatility to play numerous positions. Could the Red Sox pay another shortstop (see Edgar Renteria) millions of dollars to play elsewhere for another team in order to field the best nine players everyday? It could happen.
Theo, you created this mess by seeing something in a player that wasn't there. It's your job to fix it so that the 2008 Red Sox have the best chance to win another World Series. If Jed Lowrie is the answer, he needs to play consistently for the remainder of the year. The Nation has been trusting you since you pulled off the trade that catapulted the Red Sox to the first World Series win since 1918. That was a gutsy move. You might have another gutsy move to make in about a month. Here's hoping you make the right one.
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