NewsInbox: Who starts at shortstop?
Beat reporter Ian Browne answers fans' questions
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
07/02/09 3:21 PM ET
When Jed Lowrie comes back, is there any chance we might see Nick Green move over to third base? Nick has played a great offensive game this year, and he's really turning it around defensively. With Mike Lowell on the disabled list, it would be nice to see Green still out there when Jed returns.-- Donald J., Danbury, Conn.
If your scenario unfolds and Lowrie returns before Lowell, I actually think that Lowrie would be the one to play third base and not Green. Lowrie is a very good third baseman and played there when Lowell was hurt last year. Also, Green has done such a good job at short that it doesn't make sense to move him to another position at this point. He is more of a middle infielder than a corner guy, where I think Lowrie has equal comfort.
What do you see happening at short once Lowrie comes back from his injury? Competition for the spot is great, but obviously one of the three (Lowrie, Green and Julio Lugo) will be left out.
-- Andy P., Grand Forks, N.D.
I'm not sure if there will be one mainstay at short this year. Obviously Lowrie has been robbed of a lot of his season already, so I'm not sure they can run him into the ground when he comes back. I see Terry Francona rotating Lowrie and Green, and using them both quite often. It's hard to see where Lugo -- despite his significant contract -- fits right now. I guess it's a matter of who else might be healthy or hurt once Lowrie is ready to be activated.
Clay Buchholz has obviously been dominant this year. Just look at his numbers. Now I know the rotation is already beyond full, but could the kid come up and be a long reliever? He has shown his 2008 days are behind him. How soon until Clay is called up?
-- Mark B., Mystic, Conn.
I don't think the Red Sox find much benefit in seeing Buchholz become a middle reliever. He is in a great rhythm right now, pitching every fifth day. I'm sure a spot in the rotation will open for him at some point, and it probably makes the most sense to let him keep pitching at Triple-A until that time comes. If I had to guess when Buchholz will be in the Boston rotation, I would say around Aug. 1. That is usually when every contender starts to mean business and puts the team on the field that it wants for the postseason.
When a pitcher hits a batter, are they allowed to say "I'm sorry" to him, if it's truly an accident? I know they are sometimes retaliating, but I think some are really accidents.
-- Joanne R., Weymouth, Mass.
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Interesting question. For whatever reason, Major League pitchers aren't supposed to express remorse, because it is considered a sign of letting down their guard. In Japan, it is much different. In Daisuke Matsuzaka's rookie year with the Red Sox, he hit Alex Rodriguez and then tipped his cap to him, as if to say, "Sorry." It was later explained to him that is not protocol in the Majors, and I've never seen Dice-K tip his cap again after hitting a batter.
Do you see Tim Wakefield making the All-Star team? Wake has been money for the Red Sox, with 10 wins. Is there any chance that manager Joe Maddon selects him to be on the team?
-- Aaron B., West Hartford, Conn.
Wakefield has definitely put together a compelling case. However, that is not always enough. It is a numbers game. It would obviously be a fantastic story to see him become an All-Star for the first time at 42 years old. But one of the great misnomers out there is that the manager has a lot of impact on who makes the team. That is how it used to be, but not anymore. Under the new All-Star rules, the managers have minimal impact on the selection of the teams. Players vote on most of the pitchers. The final few spots come down to the manager, with input from Major League Baseball. But the issue there is that many of those spots have to be players from certain teams to make sure that each team is represented at the All-Star Game.
Do you think it possible that the Red Sox take another look at trading for Texas catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia? I remember reading that he said Jason Varitek was the catcher he looked up to, and with Brad Penny being extremely tradeable right now, and Varitek with a year left on his contract, this seems to be a pretty decent option for the Sox.
-- Ryan M., Burlington, Mass.
I don't think the Red Sox ever stop looking for that guy who can be their next catcher. Let's face it, Varitek is not going to play forever. Saltalamacchia is a guy just about every team would love to have, so I'm sure the Red Sox will be in the running if the Rangers decide to make him available.
Mike Yastrzemski, who is the grandson of the great Carl Yastrzemski, was just drafted by the Red Sox. Is the ballclub excited to see a new generation brought to them, and will he make any impact because of his name?
-- Brian B., Lawrence, Mass.
I think the Red Sox mainly drafted Yastrzemski for symbolic reasons, and as a classy gesture towards Yaz and his family. Fact is, the younger Yaz is all but certain to accept his full scholarship to play at Vanderbilt.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
