Boston Red Sox Need To Go Young At SS And Start Jose Iglesias

The Boston Red Sox have serious problems at shortstop. This is nothing new, as the team hasn’t had a consistent player at the position since Nomar Garciaparra ruled the hearts of New England from 1997 up to the trade in 2004 in July that brought the team the complementary pieces necessary to win a World Series title. From free agent signings gone bad like Edgar Renteria to free agent signings that never should have happened like Julio Lugo, to turning away Orlando Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez to seeing Jed Lowrie struggle to stay healthy, the Sox have run shortstops in and out of Fenway Park. With the team in a transitional year and no good options available, it’s time to go young.

Boston is planning on going into the season with Mike Aviles and Nick Punto at the position, both on the wrong side of 30. Aviles had a meager .289 OBP last year and has never been a good offensive threat. Punto was once a pretty good third baseman in Minnesota and in part-time duty in St. Louis, had a .388 OBP. But his best year in Minnesota is six years in the past, and producing with 133 at-bats, as he did last year, is different than even upgrading to 300-350. Both players can play any position in the infield, but when it comes to the range to play shortstop every day—as opposed to just occasional game to give a starter a day off—both are deficient.

That’s why I think the time is ripe for the Sox to give the job to 21-year-old Jose Iglesias. His  bat is not major-league ready. Truth to be told, it’s probably not Double A ready. But he’s a big-time talent with the glove and some assets are better than no assets.

The Red Sox have been able to win consistently with shortstop being a deficient spot, but that’s becoming more challenging. A look at the SS landscape in the AL East shows us that while it’s not bursting with talent, it places the Sox at a pretty severe disadvantage…

NY Yanks: Derek Jeter—Yes, his range was lousy even in his prime, but he got his offensive game turned around in the second half of last year, and can still get hits and get on base. And let’s be honest Sox fans—if you’re up 3-2 in the ninth, two on and two out in the Bronx, do you really relish the prospect of Derek being in the box?

Tampa Bay: Sean Rodriguez/Reid Brignac—Like Boston, Tampa has offensive problems here. Unlike Boston, the Rays are at least getting consistent work in the field.

Toronto: Yunel Escobar—I realize Yankee fans will have a conniption fit over this, but coming off his .369 OBP year and his solid range, Escobar is the best shortstop in the AL East.

Baltimore: J.J. Hardy—He hit 30 home runs last year and got himself a nice new contract. Perhaps the power stroke that had been gone since 2008 is back to stay. Even so, Hardy doesn’t get on base consistently.

Regardless of who Boston chooses to play shortstop, they have the fifth-best shortstop in the AL East. But while Aviles or Punto offer no hope, Iglesias can salvage something for the present, thanks to his defense, and perhaps provide a better future.