With Pedroia's Return, Red Sox Face A Scutaro - Lowrie Conundrum

If neither are getting regular starting time, who cares? They’re both cheap and both pretty talented. Jed can play every position in the infield and has a solid bat. I think it would be foolish to trade away a player and then watch 2009 play out again at the SS position. Keep Scoot and let Jed spell him frequently, and give the other guys nights off too. Then in 2012 let Lowrie and Iglesias, if he’s ready, duke it out for the starting role.

We’re going to need a backup infielder anyway, might as well keep them both around since they’re both good and both already ours.

first of all, I think both are great players. Both are versatile and provide very good defense at a variety of positions. Both seem to have what I would call an elite batters eye and the ability to foul off bad pitches that makes players like Youk and Pedroia so successful.

I really like Scoot a lot, but I think I like Lowrie more, just because he has more power potential at the plate and seems to be better at drawing walks.

Either way, this year, I’m not sure it’s a huge conundrum. Scutaro has been struggling because he’s played so much and reportedly has been dealing with some minors injuries. Lowrie is apparently not yet ready to play every day. In my mind, just because of the absurd numbers he’s put up since returning, Lowrie should be playing shortstop when he is able to, with Scutaro backing up other positions and playing shortstop when Lowrie isn’t- which so far looks like it would be about a 50-50 time split.

For the offseason, the question is what would people offer us for each? Either should get quite a solid return. Obviously, because of cost and team control, Lowrie is worth more to us.

Sox officially have to more pieces to maneuver this off season. Neither really has to go, and neither would be a primary piece of a trade. But having two MLB capable 6’s is most definitely a good thing.

Especially considering the risk at 3rd base, catcher, the pen and potentially LF this off season- it’s good to have maneuverability at other positions.

We so quickly label guys.
He’s had 1 injury which was complicated by covering it up, and then trying to take the easy route. And 1 illness.
Yes, it is tough to watch a guy with promise no play- esp. in light of the struggles the team had. A healthy Lowrie against the Rays in 2008? Who knows, the outcome might have been different. Last year? We really could have used stability there and might not have had to settle for the wild card.
I’m just leery of labels. Save ‘em for the guys who earn ’em (Ellsbury hasn’t earned it either). Ben Sheets is injury prone. Becket seems injury prone if you consider how he’s on the DL every year. Nick Johnson- injury prone.

If we re-sign Adrian Beltre, One of Scutaro/Lowrie becomes tradable. If Beltre goes elsewhere, we keep Lowrie for 3B because we’d have to find another quality 3B at value – no easy task.

If the forever-rumored Adrian Gonzales trade happens in the off-season, Lowrie/Scutaro could very well be a piece of the puzzle.

because Scutaro sucks. No brainer. Scutaro will be fine off the bench if Bill Hall is injured.

Assuming some re-signs

C – VMart
1B – Youk
2B – Pedey
SS – Scoot
3B – Beltre
LF – Kalish
CF – Ellsbury
RF- Drew
DH – Ortiz

SP – Lester
SP – Buchholz
SP – Beckett
SP – Lackey
SP – Dice-K

RP – Bard
RP – Papelbon
RP – Wake
RP – Doubront
RP – Bowden
RP – MDC
RP – Coello

OF – Cameron
OF – Nava
IF – Lowrie
C/1B – Salty

Of course this is hypothetical but if we resign our FA this is a pretty deep lineup head to toe. The bullpen will probably look nothing like that and maybe Cameron starts in place of Kalish or maybe Lowrie starts at SS and Scoot is on the bench, either way this is a roster with versatility and skill.

If we can’t trade Scoot (I’d rather keep Lowrie since we don’t know what Iglesias is capable of) for a decent infield utility guy, keep him as the utility guy. Having both is a strength we shouldn’t deal.

I think he has held down the fort at the lead-off spot pretty well while Ellsbury was out. Based on his career track record I think he has given the team all of the production they could reasonably expect. He has made a few more errors than I would like, but I think his range has been solid. Overall the team has gotten infinately more out of the SS position than last year.

I think Lowrie can be an everyday player, a latter day Jody Reed without the porn-stache and hopefully a better agent. It would not shock me if he was packaged in the offseason, or if Scooter is moved to clear a little payroll. At the end of the day whoever is the SS is keeping the seat warm for Iglesias. I’ll take an elite defender who can put up 290/240/430 with 20 net steals.

But you just cannot take out Scutaro.
Pedroia will not play everyday when he returns, thats a fast resolution.

All 3 players will be with the Sox at least through 2011, Lowrie likely longer. There is absolutley no need to move Lowrie and he fills an important role because he can play 3 IF positions. When Pedrioa returns he won’t play every day for a week or more, so Lowrie will get his starts. With Pedroia and Scutaro back, Lowrie goes to the bench and plays once or twice a week. Really not that complicated, Scutaro and obvioulsy Pedroia have shown to be better players than Lowrie thus far.

They’re resting Lowrie due to the lost body mass/durability from the mono. This will actually work well to give Scutaro the rest he deserves as well.

Now, next year? Next year might get interesting.

and now we want him to play a significant role.