Shawn's Status Report: The Infield

December 26, 2007 at 1:32 PM

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The defensive play from the corner infield positions was remarkable last season. Hopefully, this year Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis can continue that stellar defense.

Electrified by their second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Boston had a strong defensive right side of the infield. The weakest link was their shortstop in Julio Lugo.

Mike Lowell (3B)

He may have had a down year as far as errors are concerned compared to his 2006 campaign where Lowell only had 6 errors on the season. Last year Lowell ended up with 15 but boy can he flash the glove and save and take away some hits from opposing batters.

Grade A

Lowell gets an A for one simple reason and that was his ability to carry this team on offense when no one else would. .324 batting average, 21 homeruns, and 120 RBI's speaks for itself. Yes, a down year in the field, but those numbers could be a lot better next year which is something I feel will happen and his offensive numbers will stay the same.

Lowell was a catalyst for this team when the Red Sox needed it most and that is why he gets an A.

Julio Lugo (SS)

OOOOO he is worth a pretty penny and he certainly is Theo's boy, but I do not see much improvement from Lugo going into this year than last year.

Grade C+

Yes, maybe harsh but here me out. 19 errors at the shortstop position where he really has no range to begin with anyway. Well I may be spoiled with Alex Gonzales but man-o-man there were points in games sometimes last year where you would say Gonzo would have had that!

Hitting: pathetic. Come on you hit at the bottom of the order you have speed and you hit .237. If Lugo does step it up this year it will certainly drive this offense more from the bottom of the order but he has to start hitting early or fans are going to jump all over him. I do not expect many RBI's from a guy hitting down in the order but at least get on.

The one plus side of Lugo that I personally loved was the stolen bases. 33 stolen bases while only being caught 6 times. That is something that I want to see from a guy like Lugo. When you get on make the opposition pay by getting extra bases.

Gotta work on the leather bro.

Dustin Pedroia (2B)

Grade A+

Yeah, call me nuts and call me crazy. Pedroia played out of this world. And he deserves that A+

Hitting .317 with 8 homers and 50 RBI's and stellar defense at second base where we have really never had a good defensive second baseman for a long time unless you would like to consider Mark Loretta at the position Pedroia was steady with the glove at second and provided some pop for the offense at well.

I see his RBI total going up next year but his average may slip a little down to .307ish if you will. It is hard to bounce back from what an incredible year he had last year. Although Pedroia has some spark in him and could do it again.

If he starts off with a better April than last year (.182 avg) than Pedroia could lift his batting average above my bench mark. Again, last year was an incredible season for the rookie second baseman.

Can he do it again?

Kevin Youkilis (1B)

Defensively he was quite simply a human vacuum, a machine if you will. Offensively Youk was as good as advertised.

Grade A

Youk hit anywhere in the order that the Sox needed him. Played record setting defense at first base. There is not much more to ask from Youk than what he did last year. A .288 avg last year is the only thing that I as a Red Sox fan could gripe about. I like to see a lot of hitters hit over .300 but Youk's on base percentage of .390 makes me not care so much about the .288 BA.

So, the Sox need more leather and offense from Lugo and cut down the errors at third base a little and the infield will again be the vanilla to the pitching staff's chocolate again next season.

Clearly pitching and defense wins championships.

(Note: The Catchers will be discussed in a separate piece).

Categories: Dustin Pedroia, Julio Lugo, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell, Shawn Medeiros

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Discussion

15 Comments on "Shawn's Status Report: The Infield"

Posted by Daniel Rathman, December 26, 2007 3:57 PM

My grades...

Lowell: A

Lugo: D (he was downright awful...though his range is actually not as bad as you said)

Pedroia: A (some rookie mistakes take away the plus)

Youk: B+ (a little too inconsistent at the plate for my tastes)

If we don't get Johan, we should get Lowrie up to play SS next year and just eat Lugo's deal. I'm going to keep saying it until it happens...

Posted by Ethan Michaels, December 26, 2007 8:27 PM

If Lugo doesn't improve, he could always be a bench player. That would make the most sense financially, as Cora's contract ends after next year, and it would save the Red Sox from having to spend money on a backup infielder.

Lugo would probably make a better backup than Cora anyways. He can play a little outfield and he's a better option as a pinch runner (33-6 on the base paths last year).

He's expensive for a bench player, but it's better than just eating his contract. And if he hits like he did in 2007, his trade value likely wouldn't be much.

Posted by Joe, December 26, 2007 9:25 PM

Sweet mother of mercy, I LIKE Lugo and can't justify anything above an F. A C+? I could've used you grading my chemistry exams in highschool!

Posted by Ethan Michaels, December 26, 2007 11:22 PM

Yeah, I think your grading system is WAY to generous.

Posted by Dan Order, December 27, 2007 12:01 AM

There are some things about Lugo last year that justify a C+ grade. After the all-star break he hit .280, he finished the season with 73 rbi's and 33 stolen bases certainly is a solid statistic. Obviously his morbid first half left a bad taste in our mouths that carried over through the end of the season. But, if he continues where he left off and replicates the numbers he has put up throughout his career, then I have no problem sticking with him.

Posted by Shawn Medeiros, December 27, 2007 12:05 AM

Dan - That is why I gave him a C+. His second half wasnt completely morbid and I love his stolen base factor.

I hope he plays better this year, but I still do not think he has that much range at ss.

Posted by Joe, December 27, 2007 8:22 AM

I'm with ya' that Lugo played well in the second half and I'm optimistic for 2008 with him. When you look at the complete body of work for 2007 he was dreadful. I mean, an OPS+ of 65 is Neifi Perez territory.

Posted by Jonathan Rens, December 27, 2007 8:45 AM

As a guy who plays second base I LOVE Dustin's footwork at the bag on the double play. Someone got a hold of him last winter and really straightened his feet out, Watch them, and then his body positioning with the runner coming down on him, its one of the things that makes baseball beautiful because if you remember Sept. 06 and his footwork - ugh - I never thought he was going to cut it. I fear, because he is such a dead fast ball hitter that he may see a sophmore batting average dip. I would question the brains of any pitcher that throws him a heater. But if Tito bats him second with Jacoby running ahead of him and Papi looming, boy he will get that fastball and could totally clean up.

I think we all as Red Sox fans need to cut these new free agents some kind of first year break. Its hard changing leagues, teammates, cities, etc. Julio came around nicely after the ASB though he will not be the leadoff guy Theo wants him to be. I couldn't put my finger on a stat to back it up, but if he came up with runners on base I am going to say he was money. He's not a 9 million dollar SS, but like JD Drew, he is a Theo stat boy. Personally I've always wished Edgar R would have gotten one more year...but maybe in Detroit we will see if he's ever able to get used to the AL.

Posted by Gerry, December 27, 2007 11:07 AM

Julio Lugo truly had an off year, both in the field and at bat, but came around with the season. I can see giving him a shot at re-establishing himself and ease Lowrie in for the future (Julio is a 32 year old shortstop). At the point, he would indeed be an excellent backup and base stealing threat.

However, we are planning to trade Lowrie, and young folks like A. Diaz are years away. If Julio doesn't get back to form and Lowrie is gone, then SS is, again, in 2008, our weakest link, with no way to fix it.

Our infield is superior at 1st, 2nd, 3rd plus C; but inferior to average at SS, which is unacceptable on a team intending to keep winning WS.

This may sound like a broken record, but why not make an all out effort to bring back Hanley Ramirez, instead of betting the farm for Johan. Our 6-man 100W starting rotation doesn't need fixing, but our weakest link does. Hanley would create the most dynamic infield in MLB.

Regarding the Captain. Every time is see that "supplant" Veritek in the poll, and the responses to it, I can't help think how much he will help our young and aging pitchers shine on the mound. He is elite behind the plate, and keeps getting better. His bat, even at 2007 numbers, remains one of the best among MLB catchers. We do need a young backup future star to spell him and to learn his rare skills, hopefully into the next decade. I do not understand wanting to "supplant" one of the best in the game, any more than wanting fellow greats Manny (also 35) or Papi (32), or Lowell (33) or Wake/Schil/Timlin (41) to leave this team before their time. These guys will know when they are done.

#10

Posted by Daniel Rathman, December 27, 2007 11:53 AM

Joe, #6:

At least Lugo did it without stimulants. :-)

#11

Posted by Dave B., December 27, 2007 1:31 PM

Lugo had a WARP of .5, there is no positive about him.

#12

Posted by geofragawam, December 27, 2007 3:34 PM

Re: Lugo. Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who remembers his error in the seventh inning of the seventh game against cleveland. Lofton hit a little pop up over shortstop, which Lugo dropped for an error. At that time the score was 3-2. Lofton was subsequently held up at third by Joel Skinner with what would have been the tying run.

Additionally: in the post-season, Lugo went to his right, made a good pick-up and then through the ball into the dirt at third. Only Lowell's great hands prevented that from being an error. Then, against the Rockies, Ortiz made a fine play to save him once against.

Lugo is terrible at the plate, tries to pull everything and his play in the field can only be called "chokable." Lowrie is badly needed as an insurance policy.

#13

Posted by Daniel Rathman, December 27, 2007 4:59 PM

Jonathan:

Lugo with runners on last year:

.253/.300/.384...that's not quite money, though it is better than his .226/.290/.326 with nobody on.

the one that really bugs is me is his road line: .190/.241/.306. Doug Mirabelli could beat that!

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6451/situational;_ylt=Au_9Z5xJdk2YAw93KZYH3uaFCLcF

#14

Posted by dave, December 29, 2007 11:23 AM

Every time Pedroia (A+ 50) hit an RBI, Lugo (C+ 73) hit 1.5 RBI's. The grades seem to be more of a populaity contest.

#15

Posted by Schulz, December 29, 2007 5:39 PM

RBIs are not the only factor- especially since Pedroia had fewer opportunities while leading off, or comming up to bat after Lugo who batted ninth.

I could see a platoon situation in late 2008 and throughout 2009 with Lowrie and Lugo, I couldn't find the right stats for their careers, but last year Lowrie hit lefty pitchers better, and Lugo was better vs. righties.

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