The Julio Lugo Problem

The Red Sox have only seven games to play before the All-Star break. They sport a record of 49-31, second best in the major's, one game behind the Angels. In the AL East they hold a 10.5 game lead on the Blue Jays and are 11 games ahead of the Yankees. At the All-Star Game, five members (David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell ) and possibly a sixth (Hideki Okajima) will represent the American League. And still, I have a complaint. Julio Lugo, the third shortstop signed (4-years/$36 million) by Theo Epstein since allowing Orlando Cabrera to depart following the 2004 season, has been a nightmare. The numbers alone (.190 BA, .256 OBP, .283 SLG, .539 OPS) don't tell the story. He is finding ways to lose games. On Saturday night against the Rangers he came in to pinch-run at second base with two outs and Kevin Youkilis at the plate. Instead of waiting for Youk to rip a line drive single to score him, Lugo took off for third base and was thrown out by roughly 29 steps. The solution to this problem is difficult to come up with. Being this is the first year of a $36 million dollar contract, the Sox just can't let him go. And no team -- short of the Sox assuming more than half the remaining dollars -- will take him back in a trade. But with a team built to win a World Series, the Red Sox just can't wait for Lugo to (hopefully) get on track. Something must be done. My idea is to move Dustin Pedroia to shortstop go after a second baseman. The ideal fit as a short term fit at second? Mark Loretta, now with the Astros. Loretta works on many different levels. First of all, he was a very good player in Boston last year (.285/5/59/.345 OBP/.361 SLG/.706 OPS). He is an above average second baseman defensively and he can still hit (.326/2/27/.403/.433/.836 with Houston). Loretta also would come cheap (he makes just $2.5 million) and is signed for only 2007, meaning the Sox don't have to worry about any long term commitment. Another plus to a possible deal for Loretta is that the Sox could look into adding bullpen help from Houston in the move. Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler would all improve the Boston 'pen. In a move for Loretta the Sox wouldn't have to give too much up in return. Outfielder's David Murphy and/or Brandon Moss would be more than enough. An expanded trade for one of Houston's reliever's would probably force Boston to add in either Craig Hansen or Manny Delcarmen and maybe even a lower level pitcher, such as Kris Johnson. Whatever Theo has up his sleeve, the time is coming for him to act. Even with a subpar month of June (13-14), the Sox still have a 10.5 game lead in the AL East over Toronto. He can make a move now from a position of strength or he can wait until the trade deadline in July, when his position might not be as strong.