The Red Sox have signed shortstop Stephen Drew to a one-year deal, worth $9.5 million.
This is a nice move for 2013, since Jose Iglesias, currently training in Arizona with Dustin Pedroia, has not proven he can major league pitching (a paltry .624 OPS in AAA last year). Actually, Iglesias's status in Boston could be in doubt, if top prospect Xander Bogaerts continues to develop quickly.
GM Ben Cherington: "We feel Jose is ready to compete for the job. We're not ready to give it to him."
Drew will be 30 years old next season.
Blue Jays trade for R.A. Dickey.
ReplyDeleteDrew is the 100th shortstop we have had since 2004. ... True fact.
ReplyDeleteDrew is the 100th shortstop we have had since 2004. ... True fact.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, who have we used? By number of games played at that position (per bbref.com):
2004: Pokey Reese
2005: Edgar Renteria
2006: Alex Gonzalez
2007: Julio Lugo
2008: Julio Lugo
2009: Nick Green
2010: Marco Scutaro
2011: Marco Scutaro
2012: Mike Aviles
It truly has been a revolving door at short...
Most starts at that position in team history?
No, not Garciaparra (956 games)...
No, not Burleson (1005 games)...
Everett Scott with 1093 games between 1914 and 1921.
He also had the longest consecutive game stretch (1037 games) between 1916 and 1925. From the bbref.com Bullpen: "On May 6, 1925, [now playing for the MFY,] [Scott] was benched in favor of Pee Wee Wanninger. Ironically, less than a month later, teammate Gehrig began his own streak when he entered a game as a pinch hitter for Wanninger. Scott's streak is still the third longest streak behind Cal Ripken and Gehrig."
Okay, it's not really a fact! :>)
ReplyDeleteOkay, it's not really a fact! :>)
ReplyDeleteHa! :-)
But now you have me curious...
Back to bbref.com! Players with most starts for the Red Sox since 2004 by position:
ReplyDeleteC: Jason Varitek (2004-2009), Victor Martinez (2010), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2011-2012)
1B: Kevin Millar (2004-2005), Kevin Youkilis (2006-2010), Adrian Gonzalez (2011-2012)
2B: Mark Bellhorn (2004-2005), Mark Loretta (2006), Dustin Pedroia (2007-2012)
3B: Bill Mueller (2004-2005), Mike Lowell (2006-2009), Adrian Beltre (2010), Youkilis (2011), Will Middlebrooks (2012)
LF: Manny Ramirez (2004-2008), Jason Bay (2009), Bill Hall (2010), Carl Crawford (2011), Daniel Nava (2012)
CF: Johnny Damon (2004-2005), Coco Crisp (2006-2008), Jacoby Ellsbury (2009), Darnell McDonald (2010), Ellsbury (2011-2012)
RF: Gabe Kapler (2004), Trot Nixon (2005-2006), J.D. Drew (2007-2011), Cody Ross (2012)
DH: David Ortiz (2004-2012)
So the totals are:
C: 3 players
1B: 3 players
2B: 3 players
3B: 5 players
SS: 7 players
LF: 5 players
CF: 4 players
RF: 4 players
DH: 1 player
Looks like third base and left field have seen some recent "instability," too, with a different player at each position over the past four seasons. Not something that I noticed until now.
Regardless, the shortstop role has been the most unstable position in the Boston lineup since Garciaparra's departure. I don't need bbref.com to know that. ;-)
I suppose that I should reference where I'm getting my information versus stating bbref.com.
ReplyDeleteHere we go!
ReplyDeleteShortstops and games played.
2004
Reese 71
Cabrera 57
Nomar 37
Crespo 27
Gutierrez 6
Bellhorn 1
2005
Renteria 153
Vazquez 12
Cora 11
Ramirez 2
Bellhorn 1
Machado 1
2006
Gonzalez 111
Cora 63
Pedroia 6
2007
Lugo 145
Cora 33
Clayton 1
2008
Lugo 81
Cora 69
Lowrie 49
Velazquez 1
2009
Green 81
Gonzalez 44
Lugo 32
Lowrie 26
Woodward 4
Velazquez 4
2010
Scutaro 132
Lowrie 23
Navarro 15
Hall 6
Sanchez 1
Lopez 1
2011
Scutaro 109
Lowrie 49
Aviles 8
Iglesias 8
Sutton 4
Navarro 3
2012
Aviles 128
Iglesias 24
Ciriaco 12
Punto 6
DeJesus 1
I think that's 30 since the start of 2004.
ReplyDeleteIt's not only SS.
ReplyDeleteIn 2006, we used 10 players in LF, including Carlos Pena for one start!!
You definitely dove a little deeper in your assessment. I was looking only at who had the most starts each season by position.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that if Alex Cora had made some of the starts in place of Lugo in 2008, I would have ID'd eight instead of seven in my original list!
Maybe a new team stat: stability by position versus league average? Would be interesting to see whether it correlates to post-season success, for instance.
ReplyDeleteJD Drew, on his brother playing for the Sox: here.
ReplyDeleteOTM: What Stephen Drew Means To Boston's Shortstop Prospects
ReplyDeleteON FIRE, THE SEQUEL!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis signing is too cool. Drew was .850-ish OPS in his two best seasons, so there's a definite ceiling there. And there was no point saving our pennies this year.
ReplyDelete