Last winter, Red Sox fans were adamant that a major trade for an impact shortstop was going to occur. Following an unceremonious sweep from the 2009 ALDS, Red Sox fans were looking for a jolt of energy to help ease the pain of a stinging end to the season. Perhaps there would be a glorious return of Hanley Ramirez to Fenway? Everyone was looking for the splash that landed Ramirez, or at least something along the lines of JJ Hardy or Stephen Drew.
At worst, fans were hoping that the Red Sox would re-sign Alex Gonzalez, the light-hitting, no on-base skill, defensive whiz.
When rumors began to surface that the Red Sox were interested in signing Marco Scutaro, it invoked resistance and extreme skepticism from fans in Boston. Scutaro was looked at as a journeyman coming off a career-year in Toronto. All of the speculation at the time had fans sweeping the Scutaro rumors to the side. Nobody wanted to see that signing go down anyhow. If the Red Sox were not going to obtain one of the bigger names available, they would at least retain the services of A. Gonzalez, right?
Nope. It ended up being Scutaro to Boston on a modest two-year deal. The acquisition was met with a collective “meh” from the fan base. Reactions were sudden and sharp: Scutaro was not that good and Theo Epstein was “overpaying for a career year.” What was wrong with this GM? Theo is slipping!
Flash-forward to August of 2010 and without the 34-year old Venezuelan shortstop, the 2010 Boston Red Sox (held together by putty and glue) could easily be sitting in a sewer drain somewhere. Scutaro was not ever meant to be the leadoff hitter, but he was thrust into that role while all the “good” Red Sox players were getting themselves hurt. He was not meant to be counted on to set the table. He was not meant to be in the limelight and have the rest of the Red Sox offense sitting on his shoulders. He was not meant for any that.
He was not meant to be mostly everything he has been. Scutaro was supposed to be the two-year bridge that quietly and safely led Red Sox Nation to their newly minted prospect, Jose Iglesias. His job was to come to Boston, be average, not make any noise or trouble and fill the void that has been a revolving door at shortstop. Give us a .260 average from the 9-hole and get on base at a 35 percent clip. Don’t play bad defense and try to do something productive against the Yankees once in awhile. Let us enjoy Kevin Youkilis, Victor Martinez and Jacoby Ellsbury while you quietly fill a gap. Also, don’t aggravate everyone like Edgar Renteria.
That was the plan (at least in many Sox fans minds) and looking back now, if Scutaro had bombed under the bright lights of Boston, this team might have been buried a long time ago. Who would have played shortstop all that time? Bill Hall? Who would have hit leadoff if Scutaro was wasting ABs and stalling the offense? I’m not sure you want to see Dustin Pedroia leading off every night and no one else on the team is suited for that job.
He’s not all that flashy and doesn’t have any power or speed, but he does leads the American League in plate appearances. For a team loaded with guys who can’t stay on the field, just showing up to work is half the battle. Basically, Scutaro is on pace to repeat his 2009 season and no one really ever mentions his impact or the stability he has provided in a ridiculously tumultuous season.
For all the strange injuries that have bitten the 2010 Boston Red Sox, Scutaro has stayed healthy and maintained most of the gains he made in Toronto. Contact rate is very good at 88 percent; he is down a bit on BB percent but it is still solid enough at 8 percent and he is ranked third in all of baseball with 2,007 total pitches seen. He’s working counts, grinding out ABs and did an admirable job filling the void left by the injury of Ellsbury. Scutaro will probably finish the season near a .280 AVG mark and close to 100 runs scored. Certainly, he is not the same threat as Ellsbury, but he was providing positive value in the leadoff role, completely unheralded. Again, I have to wonder without him, what happens?
The Red Sox added a handful of pieces to the puzzle this offseason with mixed results. Mike Cameron has not been much of an impact, the Jeremy Hermida experiment went by the wayside and John Lackey has been the definition of lackluster. Thankfully Adrian Beltre and Scutaro worked out.
Scutaro is a quiet player without much fanfare, but without him this may have been a bridge year before the All-Star Break. Efforts like this should be rewarded.
Here’s to hoping that the Sox are making some noise in October. If they get there, it will be in large part to the most unassuming players around. I’d say this deal worked out better than a trade for Hardy or Stephen Drew. It’s definitely better than giving up the farm for Hanley.
A tip of the cap to you, Marco –even if it goes unnoticed.