The Red Sox, facing a roster bind as they prepare for the returns of shortstop Jed Lowrie and third baseman Mike Lowell, have informed teams that they are willing to assume virtually all of shortstop Julio Lugo's remaining salary in a trade, according to a major-league source.***
While another source told FOXSports.com earlier Thursday that the Sox were "desperately" trying to move Lugo, the second source offered a different view.
The Red Sox, he said, recognize that Lugo is a "sunk cost," and would accept a fringe prospect for him in return. In other words, they are willing to assume the same financial burden that they would if they released him.
A release could be the ultimate outcome. The Red Sox are likely to designate Lugo for assignment if they are unable to trade him once Lowrie returns.
Terry Francona:
We're either going to activate Mikey Lowell on Friday or Saturday and also Lowrie most likely on Saturday ... So we're looking at a couple of roster moves, and they're important ones. ...Does Tito's talk of not getting too far ahead of himself regarding shortstops means there will be a corresponding decision on Julio Lugo? There has to be, doesn't there? I cannot see the Sox carrying the 3-Ls (Lowell, Lugo, Lowrie) and going with one less man in the bullpen.
If [Lowrie] comes back Saturday, or close to Saturday, he's not going to be at 100-percent efficiency. He's not going to be ready to play every day. ... We can use our shortstops -- and again, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here -- we can use who we have and also give Jed a day built in in between.
Ken Rosenthal says the Red Sox are "desperately" shopping Lugo. Boston is also under contract with the Secret Weapon for $9 in 2010. I can't see any team picking up any significant part of that tab.
While Lugo's batting average is nearly 30 points higher than Green's (.284 to .257), their OPSs are identical (Lugo gets on base more often, Green has more pop). However, in 16 games since June 25, Nick Green has hit .133/.264/.200. Is that evidence that he is turning back into a pumpkin? Does that complicate the picture?
The issue is what will Green and Lugo do for the rest of the season, not what each of them has done to date. Lugo will likely be the better hitter, though his range and fielding will be decidedly subpar. Even with Green's lousy two weeks, the team has shown no inclination to give them near-equal playing time.
It's all speculation. We should know a lot more very soon.
I also wanted to post this, from SoSHer xjack:
I don't think Lugo has gotten enough credit for his professionalism. I can't think of another high-priced Boston athlete who's handled this kind of demotion and humiliation with more class.Tim Wakefield did not pitch in what might be the only All-Star Game of his long career, but he did have a five-minute chat with Barack Obama, who asked him: "How do you throw that thing?"
11 comments:
Boston is also under contract with the Secret Weapon for $9 in 2010. I can't see any team picking up any significant part of that tab.
Well, if nine dollars is the issue, you can put me down for a fiver.
Welcome back - I have kept checking the blog over the last few days, hungry for news. Hope you had a good time away.
The only thing I can think of is try to trade Lugo for someone else's bad contract. I don't want that terrible Vernon Wells contract unless we're getting Halladay as well, but maybe we could trade him for Alexis Rios and kind of work Rios in against lefties for Drew and use him as DH when Ortiz is sitting? It's kind of an awful contract, though, paying him something like 13 million in 2014.
I don't see a super mega AL East trade ever happening like that James...Toronto's 3 "top" players...no way.
"I don't want that terrible Vernon Wells contract unless we're getting Halladay as well, but maybe we could trade him for Alexis Rios"
Yeah, and maybe we can take someone else's terrible SS for Yook, Bay and Beckett.
I assume you're joking.
As long as we're joking... Let's trade Lugo for Nomar!
Trade Lugo for Pedro! That Jimmy Rollins guy sucks.
I assume you're joking.
I'm not joking. If we told the Blue Jays we'd take Alexis Rios off their hands, they'd give him to us without a second thought. He's signed to a 13 or 14 million dollar deal until 2014, and he's not a good player.
He's a career .285 hitter who hits 16 homers a year and doesn't like to walk. He can't play center, and his bat and glove seem to be getting worse. Seriously, he's not a good player at all, and he's due to make more than any player currently on our roster. I think the Sox would be less likely to make this trade than the Jays, who have a lot of cash tied up in bad players.
Also, I meant Lugo for Rios straight up, not Lugo for Rios, Wells, Halladay, although if we offered them that they'd take it in a second.
This is like Mardi Gras for me.
"I'm not joking. If we told the Blue Jays we'd take Alexis Rios off their hands, they'd give him to us without a second thought. He's signed to a 13 or 14 million dollar deal until 2014, and he's not a good player."
Alex Rios is a god in Toronto.
Blue Jays FO doesn't care what kind of a player he really is - just like the Yankees don't care what kind of a player Derek Jeter is.
They care about selling tickets, and that's what Alex Rios does (via the media that hypes him).
He is the face of the Blue Jays in Toronto. If another team was to "take him off their hands" it would have to be for a blockbuster deal that would put them in playoff contention. Other than that, they'd rather finish in whatever place with him than without him.
I can't think of another high-priced Boston athlete who's handled this kind of demotion and humiliation with more class.
Coco maybe?
Despite his general classiness, I wouldn't mind trading Lugo in for some magic beans at this point.
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