Who Is Your Starting Shortstop?

[NES 247]

Defensivly, Lugo has more range and is going to get to a lot more balls than Lowrie, but on routine plays Lowrie is less of a risk. Lugo is gonna have his 20+ errors a year and up until this point in a Sox uni, he isn't gonna make up for it with the bat. How many runs would Lugo save b/c of his range? According to Lugo's UZR, in 07 he saved 6 runs with his range, but cost 3.2 runs with errors/failure to turn double plays. In 08 he saved 5.2 runs with his range, but cost 6.6 runs with errors/failure to turn double plays. So in 07 it did, but 08 it didn't. Would it make up for the fact he would bobble the routine plays or throw balls away? Probably not. Lugo has never been known for good defense, Lowrie's arm is questionable and his range is iffy for a SS, but he's the safer option out there. He won't make a lot of the flashy plays, but he'll make the routine ones. He is a slightly below average defense SS. I'm not impressed with him that much either with the bat, he's not gonna hit for a lot of power and his batting average is nothing out of the ordinary. Lugo is probably the better offensive option, so I really think both guys will be platooning for much of the beginning of the year until one guy pulls way ahead of the other in terms of production and performance

[Bleeding Green]

I don't think Lugo has much more range at all. Lowrie looks good to me at short and he's a superior offensive player. He has power; he played with a fractured wrist he got in May and it really started bothering him towards the end of the season. It's healed and I expect him to put up a .420-.440 SLG, which is something Lugo just flatout isn't capable of.

Lowrie is probably better (and definitely better in the longterm), but he's also capable at third, and Mike Lowell is probably going to either suck or miss most of the season so Lowrie will be over at third and Lugo will be at short. Lowrie can also back up at second and apparently (according to Francona) he's capable at first.

Jed Lowrie is going to be a top-5 or so SS by 2010 I think. Not that there are a lot of good shortstops in baseball at the moment, but still.

[NES 247]

I don't understand how the kid will be top 5 by 2010. I'm up in air about all this offensive hype the kid is getting, I'd like to see a bigger portion of him before I really make judgement. His arm is not too strong though for SS, in fact he was moved to 2nd base in minors because of it. Right now in all honesty, its probably Lugo's job to lose. The Sox see Lowrie as a better utility player b/c like you said he can play at least 3rd, SS, and 2nd. I predict though Lowrie will be at least platooning my mid May.

[Bleeding Green]

He just put up a .739 OPS as a rookie with a wonky wrist. Julio Lugo hasn't put up a .739 OPS since 2006. Now Julio Lugo is 33 and you think he's going to outperform Lowrie? Why?

And they never moved him to second in the minors. Sure, he played 2 games there last year in AAA. I would hardly call this moving him there. He seems to have OK range and good hands.

Lowrie is going to get significantly more atbats than Lugo. He'll play SS when everyone is healthy in the infield. And he'll move to other positions in the infield when guys need rest. Which will probably be often because Mike Lowell is going to drag ass this year. So in the end I guess Lugo will probably play more at SS, just like Crisp played more CF than Jacoby last year.

[Chach]

Lowrie played 2nd in college because there was a better defensive player ahead of him on the depth charts at shortstop. He has played 2nd a bit in the minors and majors in a utility fashion but that was to get him more acclimated to playing that role in the big leagues.

I think it's a stretch to say his range is similar to Lugo's. Lugo is definitely quicker and has a bit more range but he also is less reliable so what good is that range if you can't make plays on balls you can get to? Lowrie's arm is fringy but that hasn't stopped Jeter from becoming a Gold Glover (giggles to myself) so I don't see any issues with Lowrie's defense. I could forsee him taking over a super sub role where he gets 500 PA over the season if a better defensive player comes into play down the road but otherwise I second BG's statement.

Lugo's knee surgery and Pedroia's ab issue kind of solidifies Lowrie as the starting shortstop for now. Lugo should be ready a few weeks into the season so I can see a 60-40 split of time where Lowrie plays 3rd and second so that Lugo can get some face time but I'm hoping for a 60-40 split for Lowrie as well as covering those other positions so he's in the line-up 5-6 days a week. Without Manny and an older Ortiz, I want an offensive threat at every position and having Varitek behind the plate is already one black hole, I don't want a second at short. mahalo
~Chach~