While most people are dreaming of an off chance that Dontrelle Willis could recreate himself in a Boston Red Sox uniform, there is recent precedent that might point towards not rushing Julio Lugo out of town quite so quickly.
Tell me if this story sounds even remotely familiar?
An under-performing veteran coming off an injury plagued season, having never fulfilled his promise present at his debut as a member of the Boston Red Sox, has found his position usurped by a rookie down the stretch before entering Spring Training in the unfamiliar position of a high priced back up. Common logic from fans and the greater baseball community already has that player traded to fill other holes and to allow the rookie to take the mantle of their position without impediment.
For some reason or another, whether it be a soft trade market for his services or a sudden need to have insurance against handing a rookie a full time job without a parachute, the veteran finds himself having to suck up his pride and play a role he never saw filling a bullet point in his resume; back up/utility player.
Fast forward into the following season and that same player finds himself getting regular playing time due to a variety of injuries, eventually playing his way into a staring role through the post-season as the rookie who replaced him the season prior struggled.
Keep moving the time line forward, and the Red Sox do eventually trade that veteran to fill a hole the year following getting slightly more value in return and a season’s worth of performance out of a role many viewed as a trivial roster spot.
Of course, if you weren’t paying attention to this post’s headline or recent Red Sox history, you might still have some question as to whom this parable applies. For most of you however, the story of Coco Crisp’s 2007/08 season is readily apparent.
How transferable is that story to situation that now presents itself regarding the services of Julio Lugo in 2009?
Clearly the comparison of Coco Crisp to Julio Lugo can’t be taken at face value. If anything, Coco’s defense had value regardless of his “role” on the roster that Lugo can’t even hope to match. In fact, that very topic is one of Julio’s many detractions.
Much of this conversation also lies entwined with the future of free agent, and resident utility infielder/back up, Alex Cora. For some, Alex Cora represents a clear waste of a roster space. To others, he’s the perfect fit for the role he has admirably filled for three and a half seasons in Boston. If Alex Cora is in the Red Sox plans to continue the back up middle infielder position while being called as the primary back up to Jed Lowrie at the SS position, then Lugo has no role and is clearly expendable.
But if this is the end of Cora’s line in Boston, the need for a back up shortstop better than Gil Velazquez is something that will need to be addressed this off season. Looking at the list of free agents that fit the bill, pickings are slim (Alex Cintron, David Eckstein, Cesar Izturis, Omar Vizquel).
Enter Julio Lugo.
Take the $9 million dollars that he will be paid this year off the table. That money is sunk whether he plays in a Red Sox uniform or dons any other colors in 2009. Is Lugo as good or better an option than any other available back up middle infielder?
If you were to find a dance partner willing to exchange their contractual “garbage” for the Red Sox’, would the pile of scraps you received in return fill any more of a hole than a back up shortstop?
Please, don’t view this as any kind of “pro-Lugo” sentiment. Julio Lugo has been, as I originally feared when he came, a major disappointment. But before we go so far as to run him out of town, it makes sense to look at the other options that could fill the role he could be asked to and consider whether any could do it better than Julio?
At the heart, this decision comes down to one thing; what would you rather have, Alex Cora (or another free agent utility infielder) and Dontrelle Willis ($11 million per year) or Julio Lugo ($9 mm)?
