Projo Sox Blog

By DANIEL BARBARISI
Journal Staff Writer

FORT MYERS, FL -- Julio Lugo is a 10-year major league veteran. A guy in his physical prime, who has won a World Series, has signed the big-money contract.

At this point in his career, he doesn't want to be competing for a starting job. But that's exactly what he's doing, locked in a tight battle for the starting shortstop job with second-year man Jed Lowrie.

"I definitely don't like it," Lugo said before today's game. "But I really have no say on that. I'm a player here, and I've got to do whatever they ask. Sometimes you need an incentive."

And if he is relegated to a utility role?

"Definitely I'm not going to be happy. I don't think I'm at the stage in my career where I want to be a utility man or a backup. But we're going to have to see, at the end of the spring. Things are going to work out," he said.

Lugo, 33, has been a disappointment since he signed a lucrative free-agent deal to join the red Sox before the 2008 season. Most of the pop he showed in his Tampa Bay years seemed gone, and he was a liability in the field last year, making 16 errors in only 81 games before a quad injury put him out for much of the second half. When he was healthy enough to consider a return, the Red Sox left him off the postseason roster anyway. He had a .237 batting average in his first year, 2007, and followed that up with only one home run in 2008.

But now that he's in open competition, Lugo isn't making it an easy choice on management. He slapped the ball all over the field today on his way to a 3 for 3 afternoon, with two doubles, a walk, and two RBI before he left the game. He is now batting .533 in Florida in 15 at-bats, near the top of the Grapefruit League. He looks fitter, and his defense has improved.

"I think he's stronger, I think he's a little more upright at the plate," said manager Terry Francona.

As for the errors last year, "I think the biggest thing was that he just didn't always move his feet, or follow his throws. Everybody's going to make errors. He got some errors he probably shouldn't have," Francona said.

Lowrie, however, is doing just as well in Florida. Lowrie had the day off yesterday, but the 24-year-old Stanford graduate has been playing all over the infield so far, and has hit .375 with two doubles and four RBI in 16 spring training at bats.

Francona isn't looking at the relative numbers, but he likes what he sees out of both men.

"I couldn't tell you what their batting averages are, because I don't care. Jed hit a ball the other day, right handed, to right field, that was to me, a perfect spring training at bat. Hit it right on the nose -- and it's an out," Francona said.

"One thing to remember, Jed's young. And he has completely embraced what's in front of him, and that's a good sign. He's a very mature young man."

The switch-hitting Lowrie also seems to have solved a major deficiency in his swing. Last year, hitting left-handed, he couldn't catch up to fastballs from power right handers. Now, he's pulling the ball well from that side.

"[Last year] we had to stop playing him against the harder-throwing right handers, and he's already gotten to a few balls this spring that he wouldn't have gotten to last year," Francona said.

The team's needs may determine where the two end up. If one has to be the utilityman, Lowrie may be a more natural fit. He's younger, played second base in college, and has been starting at third this spring in place of the injured Mike Lowell. He's looked comfortable out there, though he said he hasn't picked up all the finer points of third base just yet.

"It's always going to be a work in progress. But there's still a lot to learn - the nuances of the position. I know what I need to do. But just like the initial reaction, the instinct, I don't want to say it's not there, but it can still be built upon," Lowrie said.

There's another issue at play here: cost. The Red Sox certainly want to get their money's worth out of Lugo. The team committed $36 million to the shortstop over four years, and he is under contract for another year. Lowrie is on the opposite end of the spectrum, earning just over the major league minimum at $414,000. Nine million is a lot to pay your utility man.

No decision will likely be made until near to the end of camp. Either way, Francona benefits by having two viable options.

"They both look good. If that ends up being a dilemma, I'd rather have that happen than guys not playing well," Francona said.

Despite his unhappiness at the competition, Lugo appears to have retained his well-known sense of humor. After a foul tip landed at his feet during his first at-bat today, he picked up the ball, tossed it in the air to golf it towards the ballboys, and missed badly, earning him a laugh from the crowd. The home plate umpire playfully motioned down to first base, and the first base umpire called it a "strike."

Lugo laughed, shrugged it off, and promptly nailed a single through the left side.

 Tags  Boston Red Sox Dan Barbarisi Jed Lowrie Julio Lugo Terry Francona

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