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The red shirted youngster sporting number 22 in the video above is Jose Iglesias, a Cuban defector signed this fall by the Red Sox organization. He sports a slick glove and a not ready for big league bat. Most observers have concluded that the Red Sox would stash him away at Portland to let him adjust and see how his hitting develops. Those projections likely took into account the Red Sox retaining Alex Gonzalez or trading for J.J. Hardy. As Hardy went to Minnesota for Carlos Gomez and Gonzalez signed with the Blue Jays, those options have quickly left Theo Epstein staring across the table at Marco Scutaro as one of the last shortstops standing.
Shortstop has been a revolving door for the Red Sox since the deal to bring Alex Rodriguez to Beantown fell through. Nomar Garciaparra had been supplanted by the slick glove, no hit Pokey Reese, while he recovered from a mysterious injury in the beginning stages of the 2004 season. When Nomar came back, he didn't hit as well, and slowly descended into the realm of a malingerer. That prompted the deadline day acquisition of Orlando Cabrera (who is available, if anyone's wondering) that same year. Cabrera fit the slick glove mold, but he brought a little most bat to the party as well. Red Sox win the World Series and everyone assumed, Cabrera would be rewarded that offseason
He wasn't, of course, as Theo gave Edgar Renteria (who became known as Edgahhh Rent-a-wreckah) a four year deal. Renteria was sunk by a weak bat adjusting to the American League and an abyssmal year in the field. His 30 errors drew boos from the Fenway crowds who expected another World Series run and who instead got a Wild Card and a quick exit at the hands of eventual series winner, the Chicago White Sox. Renteria was shipped south to Atlanta following the season.
The Red Sox turned to Alex Gonzalez for the first time in 2006, giving him a one year deal and enjoying the benefits of his better than expected bat, and his exceptional work in the field. Gonzalez parlayed his good year in Boston into a three year deal with an option for a fourth season with the Cincinnati Reds and Boston turned to the long coveted Julio Lugo to take over at shortstop. Lugo had been rumored heading to Boston a few times in the preceding years via trade, but finally arrived on the wings of a four year deal
His poor 2007 season earned the scorn of the Red Sox faithful, who expected more from the $36 million man and not even the reflected glory of a World Series win could lessen the hate. Injuries waylaid him in 2008 and allowed Red Sox fans to adore Alex Cora and Jed Lowrie. Injuries to Lugo and Lowrie gave Nick Green a job, and eventually brought back Gonzalez to Boston in a waiver wire deal in 2009.
The players, most loved by the Red Sox fans were the slick fielding players: Pokey Reese, Orlando Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez. The overpaid free agent signings - Edgar Renteria please pick up the white courtesy phone, Julio Lugo please report to the customer care counter - never found any real success in Boston. And that leads me to conclude Theo Epstein will not make the same mistake he made with Renteria and Lugo again. Renteria was entering his age 28 season when he signed with the Sox. Lugo had just finished his age 30 season. Scutaro will be my age (34) next year. Expecting him to duplicate his best ever season at age 34 is undeniably delusional.
The Red Sox last year made the playoffs with a woefully unproductive collection of "talent" at the shortstop position. The slash line at season's end was .234/.297/.358 per Baseball Reference. That putrid production didn't prevent Boston from winning the Wild Card and getting swept by the Angels in the first round. So the need to fill the slot with Marco Scutaro because he's the best free agent on the market at that position is hardly pressing. Boston has made the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons, won two World Series titles in that time and had no stability at the position.
With few free agents of consequence available, the desire to look inward for a solution seems reasonable. Iglesias is likely not ready, but tempering expectations by saying the kid probably won't hit, but boy can he flash the leather, allows him to fill the Pokey Reese/Alex Gonzalez role as an over achiever and fan favorite because he makes plays that dazzle. Boston's starters would benefit from a vacuum cleaner up the middle, hoovering up grounders. The name of the game is run differential, and Theo knows that. The marginal difference between a returning to earth Marco Scutaro and his career slash line of .265/.337/.384 and a rookie season from Iglesias that resembles last year's woeful shortstop production is small. The marginal difference both in dollars and lost chances for Iglesias to supplant him that Scutaro represents is quite large.
It's not worth it. Theo surely recognizes this. So buck the conventional wisdom and chuckle when you hear the rumors that Marco Scutaro has got to be going to Boston.
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