When Julio Lugo went down, it was almost as if an audible sigh of relief was heard across New England. No one, well most people at least, wouldn’t wish an injury on someone. But this was one that people weren’t broken-hearted over.
Add to that the .310 average and .816 OPS of Jed Lowrie in his first stint with the team in April/May and you get a good old fashioned “quarterback controversy”.
So when we posed the question, “How should the Red Sox address the shortstop vacancy created by Julio Lugo’s injury?,” should it really be any surprise that you responded loud and in mass that not only should Lowrie get a serious look at short, but that Lugo’s job shouldn’t necessarily waiting for him when he returns.
- Lowrie gets the bulk of playing time and a chance to “Wally Pipp” Lugo
70% of all votes - Lowrie and Cora mix-and-match until Lugo comes back
22% of all votes - The Sox strike a deal to bring in a shortstop out of the organization to start
4% of all votes - The Sox bring in a veteran shortstop (Omar Vizquel?) to split playing time with Cora until Lugo’s return
4% of all votes
It looks like Terry Francona may have voted with the 42 of you who chose option number two above, and unless Lowrie improves on his one for nine start to his second stint with team this season that plan may stick regardless of Cora’s offensive deficiencies.
On to the next poll, from Fire Brand reader Sean.
Which, if any, current Red Sox
player should have their number retired by the team?
Vote away in the poll to the right and feel free to leave your comments/thoughts in the thread for this post below. We’ll highlight selected answers in an upcoming episode of the Fireside Chats Podcast.
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I think they have to be HOF, but I think that should be changed. Nobody has meant more to the Red Sox for over a decade than Tim Wakefield. He’s given up playoff starts for the betterment of the team. He was left off the playoff roster because he wasn’t ready.
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Sean O, if Wakefield deserves to have his number retired for NOT starting game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, and NOT pitching at all in the 2007 WS, then can I have my number retired too? I have the same qualifications!
The Sox have pretty strict guidelines regarding the retirement of a player(s) number but IMO, Tim Wakefield is the top choice in that group to get his number retired.
Manny needs a few more years to qualify doesn’t he?
Does anybody know the guidelines? I know we’re not the Yankees and we don’t slap someones number up on the wall whenever they get a curtain call…
I just think there comes a point where you have to reward someone willing to do anything to win. If Wakefield doesn’t suck up those innings in Game 3 of the ALCS, we’re toast for the rest of the series. Other pitchers wouldn’t have put the team ahead of their own ego, which Wakefield has done countless times.
There comes a time when the competitive desire to win has to meet reality. Wakefield doesn’t bitch and moan about any decision we’ve made, but clearly does what will help us win. He’s been a starter, a reliever, and a constant on the team for practically as long as I’ve been following.
Selflessness and performance should be rewarded.
I agree with Sean O…Wakefield has been the ultimate Red Sox for more than a decade.
David Ortiz has arguably been the face of the Red Sox and the face of Major League Baseball since arriving in Boston. He’s arguably the most important player to ever wear a Sox uniform (he was the most indispensable player on both World Series teams) Wakefield definitely deserves mention as does Manny Ramirez (HOFer and let’s not forget that Ted Williams was also an enigma), but I’m just surprised that there isn’t more support for Papi.
Wake is my first choice, Papi if he can stick around a little longer without serious regression.
Sean O, that’s a really good explanation of why Wakefield has been important to the team, but I don’t think that just being a generally good guy with his ego in check is sufficient qualification for having his number retired.
You write: “Selflessness and performance should be rewarded.” In that 2004 ALCS Game 3 appearance, Wakefield went 3.1 IP with 5 ER. His ERA in that series against the Yankees: 8.59. His cumulative postseason performance with the Sox: 3-6, 7.54 ERA.
The selflessness is there. Where’s the performance?
I’d say 14 years of above average pitching is more than enough to qualify.
Considering he had no right to be in ALCS game 3, and was throwing to Varitek, and Sox pitchers couldn’t get anyone out, I’d say he did pretty well. This wasn’t even a Pedro ‘99 situation, where we knew there was a possibility from the start that he could be brought in.
I simply think he deserves it. Sometimes, very rarely, we can’t quantify the effect of someone with statistics. Wakefield and his many roles with the team should be recognized.
I believe a qualification for getting a # retired is having been on the team for a decade. Wake is the only one qualified in this regard.
Post season credentials notwithstanding, his contributions to getting us to the post season, including two WS, over his decade have been substantial. Add to that his contributions to bringing along young talent (most recently Charlie Zinc), being a steadying force in the Pen and ego filled clubhouse, the consistent selflessness Sean points out, and his being a true role model from his phenomenal charity work in Florida to fishing on NESN, and we have, IMO, ample reason to retire his number as an exemplary player and as a unique individual who brings pride to the Red Sox uniform.
On the other side of the spectrum is one of the best hitters who ever played in Red Sox uniform, Manny. He needs a contract extension to play 10 years at Fenway by, I think, 2011. I well remember Ted William’s last season and last-at-bat home run. Manny could repeat that feat if Scott Boras is willing to engineer a contract which will take into account for the probability there will be less of Manny being Manny over the next 3-4 years.
Ortiz, if he hits 10 years, is a no-brainer. It would be good if Tek’s # is on the wall if he takes over when Tito retires.
Sean O, you can write “I
Just so I can be on record as trashing St. Tim _and_ defending Julio Lugo on the same thread, here’s this:
2008 Red Sox overall: 57-43, .570
with Lugo in the starting lineup: 49-30, .620
without Lugo: 8-13, .381
Good grief. Lowrie really needs to step up. A win in the second half would be nice, too.
Here’s my take:
I like the stringent guidelines for getting your number retired. The current “rule” is 10 years a Sox, Hall of Famer, retired with the Sox. The reason why I put that in quotations is because they retired Carlton Fisk’s number.
I also think that Pedro Martinez shouldn’t be penalized for spending “only” seven years with the Red Sox. That’s ludicrous. He needs to get his number retired.
I also think that Johnny Pesky, Hall of Fame or no Hall of Fame, needs to get his number retired. So my new rule:
Must be a Hall of Famer, must have spent at least 10 years with the Red Sox unless player has won two or more Cy Young/MVP awards in his tenure with the Red Sox lasting no less than five seasons, does NOT have to retire a Red Sox, and then it’s still up to the Red Sox to decide if they want to retire the number.
Then, after establishing that, I retire Pedro Martinez, Wade Boggs, and an honorary statue/monument/plaque for service to the organization in Johnny Pesky.
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Hey, I love Timmy. He’s the man. But … sorry.
Oh, to follow up, I’m going to select David Ortiz because I assume he will spend 10 years with the Red Sox and will put up numbers worthy of inclusion. If we don’t deal in assumptions, I would have selected none.
Wade Boggs? Number retired? really? I’m not buying it, that clown has slapped the Red Sox and the city of Boston in the face too many times. Leaving for New York, trying to get into the Hall of Fame as a Devil Ray, wearing a Yankee cap at the All-Star Game. Sure Wade is in the hall of fame with Boston, but as far as I’m concerned the self-confessed sex addict doesn’t deserve the honor of having his number retired at Fenway.
NO BOGGS.
Also, tessie, thank you for momentarily taking “most hated” poster away from me. Opposing timmy, supporting Lugo, what next, retire Jeter’s number?
Keep it up, I need this.
SIGN BONDS!!!
(That was for you, Sean O.)
“wearing a Yankee cap at the All-Star Game”
Really? Dude played for the Yankees, won a ring with them and was invited to go to Yankee Stadium’s final All-Star game. Why WOULDN’T he wear the cap?
Yeah – of course Boggs wore a Yankee cap – he wanted to survive the evening without reminding his hosts that he played for not one but TWO teams that are now ahead of the Yankees in the AL East…
Julio Lugo’s number. Oh wait. I meant Julio Lugo, not his number. Strike that.
What about Tito? Two World Series as a manager? Could he, if the next few years stay strong, see his number on the wall?
“Really? Dude played for the Yankees, won a ring with them and was invited to go to Yankee Stadium
I for one am going to vote for Julio Lugo as many times as I can.