http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090606&content_id=5178644&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos
Julio Lugo says his leg is fine and he's sick of being asked questions about it. He also doesn't understand why he is being platooned. Julio Lugo has an EQA of 240, an OPS of 671, nearly 18% of his flyballs are infield flies. His FRAA is -4 (in 26 games, or -23 runs/150 games), and his UZR is -5.3 (-34/150 games). Plus, he looks absolutely totally fucking terrible out there. He's cost the Red Sox about 10 runs (between offense and defense, in limited playing time) over the course of 26 games.
The Sox have scored 300 runs in 57 games, or about 5.3/game. If you factor in Julio's sterling -5 BRAA, he has single handedly, in those 26 games (sometimes when he barely even played!), reduced the Sox overall output by about 5% compared to the average SS. On defense, it's not much better. The Sox have allowed 257 over 57 games, and Julio's ineptness have cost the Sox something in the neighborhood of 5% of their runs allowed. Incedentally, for those of you watching Penny's start against the Rangers, they all could have come during that game. Also, it's a bad sign when your first "highlight" video on your MLB page has the title "Lugo fails to turn two." Basically, everything- two different defensive metrics, his offensive work to date (which doesn't seem to be negatively impacted by luck), and our horribly, horribly biased eyes tell us that Julio Lugo is fucking toast. He's toast that's so burned it's not even toast anymore. It's just a loose collection of carbon atoms that's barely held together in a vague toast shape. And after all this, he has the gall to wonder why he's being platooned? As opposed to what, taking him out back and shooting him?
I'm sure that there are all kinds of similar statistical arguments that could be made about Ortiz, but at least with Big Papi there is the hope that he'll return to previous form and be a solid hitter. Julio was hardly ever a solid hitter, and the defense, where he was always somewhat prone to errors, has fallen off a fucking cliff.
PS- the attached image is the very first result from the google image search "Julio Lugo sucks." I found it quite fitting.
4 comments:
Well, I guess it's good he's no longer on my fantasy team (although Gordon Beckham is yet to collect his first major league hit).
The Red Sox would be well served to look outside the organization for a useful shortstop this year. I am not convinced that Lowrie is ready to be an every day player - strikes out way too much.
I agree with you about Lowrie. It seems like Lowrie defenders are always making excuses as far as why he's not matching his minor league production. I'm not sure Lowrie will ever be more than a super-sub and 3B/SS.
I'm not sure he'll be any better than a really solid utility guy either, but that is still a huge upgrade over Julio Lugo right now. The other thing to consider is that Lowrie has never been healthy in the majors, so there is still some upside there or at least the ability to match last years numbers without getting quite so lucky on balls in play.
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