Julio Lugo - Shart Stop

Sorry for the juvenile humor but I have to say this. A shart is a fart that draws mud. You go to fart and you get a little something extra. You gamble and lose. Which brings me to Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo.

Julio Lugo has been an awful signing for the Red Sox. He was signed to a 4-year $36 million contract back in 2007 and Red Sox fans have never been happy about it. Many will go so far as to argue that the Lugo contract was the worst signing in Red Sox history.

Last season Lugo had 16 errors in just 82 games which when combined with his .685 OPS made the argument about him being the worst Red Sox mistake hard to argue against. Rookie Jed Lowrie had ZERO errors in 49 games filling for Lugo last season. Lowrie even hit better than Lugo despite having a fractured left wrist. It was assumed that Lowrie would be the starting shortstop for the Red Sox in 2009 - basically making Lugo a $9 million back-up.

This spring Lugo had an operation on his knee on Saint Patrick's Day almost as if to acknowledge that he lost his job and should get healthy for whatever team the Red Sox would be able to dump him to. Then it was announced that just time alone had not allowed Jed Lowrie's wrist to properly heal and he too would need surgery.

My theory is that Lugo rushed back from his knee injury before he was 100% because he saw an opportunity to win his job back and regain his mojo (if he ever had any). He gambled that he would play well enough in the field and at the plate that Jed Lowrie would be the back-up when Lowrie came off the DL. Lugo gambled and lost.

Sure Lugo may still be nursing an injured knee but this whole season Lugo has played the field like a guy who is afraid to move his legs out of fear that crap would literally seep out of his ass. No range whatsoever. And any Red Sox fan who remembers Lugo failing to turn a key double play recently because his throw to first was made flatfooted as if he was afraid to lift one leg in the air to get some mustard on the throw knows exactly what I'm talking about. That throw was made as if Lugo was afraid mustard would leak down his leg if he made a normal throw. He's been playing like a guy who just sharted.

Julio Lugo - shart stop.

That's how I see the guy now.