The Red Sox get Gonzalez
Lugo, Renteria, Cora, Gonzalez, Lowrie, Green, Cabrera, Reese, Garciaparra, Crespo, Vazquez, Pedroia, Gutierrez, Bellhorn, Clayton and now, once again, Gonzalez:
The Red Sox, who have had a revolving at shortstop in recent seasons, reacquired a familiar face this afternoon in attempt to help solve their ongoing problem.
Alex Gonzalez, who was spectacular with the glove but so-so at the plate during 2006, his lone season in Boston, was reacquired by the club today from the Cincinnati Reds after he cleared waivers, the only way a player can be dealt after the July 31 deadline.
It was unclear immediately whom the Sox dealt to Cincinnati in exchange for the 32-year-old veteran of 11 Major League seasons, but WEEI.com is reporting that the Sox have sent 23-year-old old Single A shortstop Kris Negron to the Reds to complete the deal.
Alex Gonzalez is currently hitting .210/.258/.296 in a bandbox in the National League. Something tells me that he isn’t going to be der differencemacher for the Red Sox. At least in a positive sense.
(thanks to Pete Abe’s post for the list of Sox shortstops)
Well, Bellhorn played 1 game at SS in 04 and another in 05, but whatever.
But if you want count him you should count H Ram, who played 2 game in 05 also.
At least A Gonz can turn a DP
So far this year Lugo and Green combined for 30E vs 74DP for Boston. That’s talent right there.
Well, they tried to trade for A-Rod, but he’d have been playing out of position.
Seriously, I don’t think trading for a guy with a -12.1 VORP is going to help their offense issues. Okay, sure, we’re not getting Hanley Ramirez back, but even Christian Guzman is having a good year, and he sucks.
Query: have any of you spent a significant amount of time watching Nick Green play shortstop this year? He’s the worst I’ve ever seen, and it’s not even close. Dude can’t hit a lick either, despite his hot-ish start. Unless Lowrie can somehow get his wrist in order in the next few weeks, it’s already a forgone conclusion that the Sox won’t be getting any significant offensive production from shortstop, so they might as well not get it from a guy who can catch the damn ball (and then throw it somewhere in the general vicinity of the first baseman. Nick Green has massive problems with this).
It’s a good move, but only because of the absolutely abysmal state of Red Sox shortstops.