Tag Archives: Julio Lugo

July 23, 2009 · 5:42 AM

2 Trades, More Losing

Fare thee well Julio Lugo. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

A piece of garbage that the Red Sox overpaid for after a sub par season prior to him signing, Julio Lugo never lived up to Theo’s man crush. The Sox are paying nearly all of the $13 million remaining on the contract just like when the traded Manny and other Theo crush Rent-a-wreck. Maybe it was because Manny slept with his wife that he was never right in Boston, or just the fact that he’s not a good shortstop. Who knows. With his speed, this guy would be best suited to play the outfield but he’d probably fuck that up too. Well he’s not our problem anymore. Good luck Cardinals.

In return the Sox got Chris Duncan from the Cardinals. Duncan was optioned to Pawtucket, After hitting back to back 20 home run seasons he battled injuries this season and has only hit .227 with five home runs. Let’s hope that he heals up and is a September call up that can help spell guys for a potential playoff push. I say potential since the Sox have now lost five straight and are two games back in the AL East.

The other deal of the day was the Sox acquiring Adam LaRoche from the Pirates. The Sox gave up a bag of balls and a pitching machine to make the deal, so it didn’t cost them. What bothered me was that the Indians had a deal for Victor Martinez straight up for Clay Buchholz and Theo didn’t want to pull the trigger. So instead Theo goes bargain shopping for an insurance policy in LaRoche. A year after trading his brother in the Manny Ramirez and Jason Bay trade, the Sox got the elder LaRoche to play first in base and spell Lowell who they’re trying to keep healthy. LaRoche is hitting .247 with 12 home runs 40 RBI’s this season. I would rather have gotten Martinez.

Finally the Sox are going to retire Jim Rice’s #14 on Tuesday after he’s inducted into the Hall Of Fame Sunday. Fantastic.

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July 17, 2009 · 5:44 AM

Finally Some Sox

Just spit ballin here but if you were thinking of trading a guy that’s been down in Pawtucket, just beating the snot out of the competition, would a good way to showcase him be bringing him up to start right after the All Star Break against a team you’re thinking of trading him to? I thought so too.

So in an effort to “set the rotation” as Tito puts it, Caly has been called up for a spot start tonight against the Blue Jays. With more and more rumors surfacing about the Yankees being contenders in the Halladay sweepstakes doesn’t it make sense to showcase Clay against major league hitting? Especially against the team he could be going to? I think that if Halladay is heading to Philly the Sox really don’t care but if New York is seriously in the mix and has the players to get it done the Sox will trade Clay as one of the pieces to make it happen.

One of the other rumors from Toronto is that the Sox are looking at Scott Rolen. The former Cardinal and Phillie played under Terry Francona his first four years in the league which included a rookie of the year award. This is just insurance in case Mike Lowell can’t come back, but I think it’s a decent pick up so long as you’re not giving up too much to get him. It beats having guys named Bates in the lineup.

Another rumor that came down the pike yesterday from Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com: The Rockies have discussed a Garrett Atkins-for-Takashi Saito trade with the Red Sox, but both teams continue to explore other options, according to major-league sources. While the Rockies are eager to dump Atkins, who is earning $7.05 million, they might want more of a return for the third baseman than Saito, who missed most of the second half of last season with a sprained elbow ligament. I make this deal in a second. I guy that you have under contract for one year that’s almost over for a productive third base option. Again, this is contingent on no Mike Lowell.

Finally, my favorite. The Julio Lugo era in Boston seems to be coming to a close. Ken Rosenthal also reported that the Sox are desperately trying to trade Julio Lugo. Lugo who Theo had undoubtable man love for is in the third year of a four year $36 million contract. A contract that the Mets are so grateful they didn’t sign him to. If the Sox can’t find someone willing to take him, they’ll likely release him. The writings on the wall and I’m loving it.

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December 23, 2008 · 8:16 AM

Hot Stove And Stuff

So the ownership for the Sox flies down to Texas and meets with Teixeira, you think they’re flying down to get a contract signed, then they come home empty handed. John Henry announces that the Sox are out of the running for Teixeira. Now the Angels have come out and said they too are out of the running. The Yankees likely won’t make a serious run after signing CC and Burnett.

Now what?

Do we honestly think that he’s going to the Nationals or Orioles? Look, I love the Sox, but if they sucked I would sign with a contender vs. like $5 million extra dollars. Teixeira could get $175 from the Orioles or Nats, but why not sign for seven years and $168 from the Sox? You have a rabid fan base that sells out the home ballpark every game and has one of the best road presences in all of baseball.

Still No Catcher
Yup, the team didn’t tender an offer to Kevin Cash leaving them with no catching at this point. The good news is that there’s no market for Varitek. Given the economy combined with the fact the team that signs him would give up a first round pick and all signs point to the captain returning. Well, get it done already. And while you’re at it, give up a couple guys and get a young catcher from Texas. That’s all I’m saying.

While we’re on the subject of trades, what happened to the Lugo to Detroit for Willis talk? Make that happen already, I don’t want the Sox opening camp with Lugo still on the team.

Winter Sports
Your winter teams at the Garden are a combined 50-7. That’s unbelievable. A glorious 26-2 Celtics team that’s going for a best start to a season record and a 24-5 Bruins team that’s steamrolling all of the NHL. A couple injuries haven’t slowed the Bruins, but Bergeron getting hurt really sucks. Good news is he’s only down 3 weeks.

Back tomorrow with who knows what (maybe even a noon time posting) and then off Thursday for Christmas. Lakers vs. Celtics on Christmas Day. Awesome. NFL preview Friday.

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August 24, 2008 · 10:15 PM

Lugo Who?

In case you’ve been under a rock this season, you know that Sox have been plagued by injuries all season. Starting with JD Drew and Josh Beckett missing the Japan series and most recently, well, JD Drew missing time with a herniated disk in his back and Beckett having problems with his pitching arm.

David Ortiz, the Sox #3 hitter missed over a month with a wrist injury. Mike Lowell missed pretty much the first month of the season and is out again with a strained oblique.

What I’m getting at is that the team has had a slew of injuries that most teams wouldn’t be able to bounce back from. Yet somehow the Sox are staying afloat. More importantly we’re getting to see some of the young talent in the system that in some cases, has proven to be major league ready.

Which brings me to yesterday’s game and more importantly the headline of the column. Julio Lugo went down shortly before the All Star break to every Sox fans’ wish come true and Francona said that Cora and Lowrie were going to split time.

Then Lowrie took advantage of the opportunity and cemented himself as part of this team and lineup. Hopefully in doing so spelling the dismissal of Julio Lugo. This guy seems to step up with the bases loaded almost every time he’s up (not Saturday, don’t get me started with that pathetic offensive performance) and comes through in the clutch. In those same spots, Lugo hits into double plays and kills rallies.

So for this guy to hit a game winning homer yesterday, just cemented that spot even further. And yes I know he played third on Sunday.

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What do you do with Lugo? Um, pretty easy. Release him. Who gives a rat’s ass that Theo has this boy-crush man-love for Lugo and wants to pay him $9M a year? Who cares if the reason he was slumping was because Manny had sex with his wife (allegedly)? I don’t care if this guy is the nicest guy in the clubhouse or has the best OBP of any starting shortstop in the AL. He’s the anti-clutch and needs to just leave the team.

Next year your starting infield will be Youk, Dusty, Lowrie, and Lowell. Three of four home grown talents. Fantastic!

So a day off on Monday and a Yankee series on Tuesday. Wake against Pettitte on Tuesday, doesn’t look too hot for the Sox. Bird against Ponson looks a little better since the Sox kicked Ponson’s ass last time out. The series wraps with Lester and Mussina on Thursday and there’s no way I bet against Lester, Saturday be damned.

This upcoming series with the Yankees can bury the Yankees out of the East and the Wild Card. I hope the Red Sox realize this and instead of being pussies, step on the Yanks throats and take the last breath out of their season.

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July 13, 2008 · 10:50 PM

Sox Take Two of Three

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So Friday night I missed the game and kept getting updates, but got the sweetest update when I went in to check the score myself. Boston’s favorite whipping boy, Julio Lugo, was attempting to leg out a single (which he did) and tore his left quadriceps.

On the DL for 15 days. Every angry Boston’s fan wish was granted. Jed Lowrie was called up from Pawtucket and started Saturday. He proceeded to go 0-4 in his first start since May. I’m not worried.

Francona said that he’ll alternate Cora and Lowrie at shortstop till Lugo comes back. Great news on the defensive front for the Sox and honestly the lineup can’t be any worse than with Lugo.

Hopefully (and I emphasize hopefully) Lowrie, or Cora but I’m really pulling for Lowrie, can catch fire in his starts and earn the spot away from Lugo and Cora. Brady took Bledsoe’s job when he got hurt and I think we all like how that worked out, so don’t give me the “you shouldn’t lose your job because your hurt” bullshit.

After the loss Friday the Sox bounced back behind great pitching Saturday and Sunday by Wakefield and Daisuke Matsuzaka (10-1, 2.65 ERA and not an All-Star?) respectively. The bats were alive and well on Saturday in a 12-1 drubbing. And sure Papelbon made us a little nervous in the 9th on Sunday, but the Sox got the win 2-1.

So where does this weekend’s two of three from the O’s leave the Sox? Right where you’d expect them to be, in first place. Sure it’s a half game lead over the surprising Rays and 6 ahead of New York, but this division is decent this year. Even the last place O’s are only 3 games below .500.

Finally there was much rejoicing in Lowell when Da Guy got the news that Ortiz is scheduled to return on 7/25. How great is that? I surmise that it is incredibly great, not for our fantasy league, but for the solidification of the Red Sox lineup.

Back tomorrow with my first half recap. Enjoy the Home Run Derby, anything is better than the WNBA.

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