FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -Jed Lowrie wants the job the Boston Red Sox gave Julio Lugo $36 million to handle.
Their shortstop competition is the only one for a starting position in Boston’s camp.
“We’re not supposed to have seven openings going into this camp or something didn’t go right during the winter,” manager Terry Francona said.
If Lugo prevails, the Red Sox hope he can live up to their expectations when he signed a four-year deal before the 2007 season. If Lowrie wins, three-fourths of their infield will be stocked with homegrown players – Lowrie, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia – and Lugo may ask for a trade.
“At the end of spring training,” he said, “we’re going to have to see. We’re going to have to wait and see what happens.”
A quadriceps injury ended Lugo’s season July 11, although he said he could have played if Boston reached the World Series. He batted .263 with one homer and 22 RBIs after hitting .237 with eight homers and 73 RBIs in his first season with the Red Sox.
” Francona said. “He feels like he has a lot to prove.”
The 33-year-old Lugo could win the job or enhance his trade value with a solid spring. He heard rumors during the offseason about being dealt for Detroit pitcher Dontrelle Willis, who missed most of last season with a knee injury.
“This is a business,” said Lugo, playing with his fourth team since reaching the majors with Houston in 2000. “You want to be where people want you. That’s it. If I don’t get traded it’s because (the Red Sox) want me.”
Lowrie has more experience at the other infield spots so might be a better fit as the utility player. He could spell AL MVP Pedroia at second base and Mike Lowell, recovering from offseason hip surgery, at third.
Lowrie, who turns 25 on April 17, also dealt with an injury, a hairline fracture of the left wrist suffered at Triple-A Pawtucket after Boston sent him back there May 11.
“He didn’t say anything about it to us,” Francona said. “We recognize what he did and the ability for a guy to do that and his numbers suffered for it but he played his position and did a good job.”
The switch-hitting Lowrie was recalled July 12 after Lugo was sidelined and was hitting a season-high .318 on Aug. 17, including .341 over a 25-game span. But the injury took its toll, especially batting from the left side, and he hit .195 in his last 37 games and ended at .258.
ough injury is what I learned about myself,” he said, “that and playing every day at Fenway. That’s something that can’t be overlooked.”
He also was a better fielder than Lugo, who made 16 errors in 82 games. Lowrie made two in 81.
“When he first came to play for us when Lugo went down, he gave us a ton of production,” Francona said. “He made the plays and made himself a valuable member of our ballclub in a situation that’s not always the easiest to do. We didn’t skip a beat.”
Lowrie didn’t have surgery and feels his wrist is about 90 percent. Lugo seems in better shape than he was in past spring trainings.
“I’ve been trying to do it for a long time,” he said. “I just worked hard. I got a little stronger”
Francona plans to use Lugo exclusively at shortstop during spring games, while Lowrie also will see time at third in case Lowell needs days off early in the season.
“That’s all I want is to be the starting shortstop, but I know I can help this team in more than one way,” Lowrie said.
There was no competition between the two last year since Lowrie played after Lugo was hurt. But Lowrie impressed Francona enough to have a shot at the starting job in his second major league season.
Lugo doesn’t plan to give it up easily.
s (about who starts). They know what they’re going to get from me. This is not my first rodeo.”
But it could be his last with Boston.
“Nobody’s going to be happy being on the bench,” Lugo said. “I’m not going to be happy.”
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