As most of you already know (and I am first reporting as I have been busy all day), Alex Gonzalez has rejoined the Boston Red Sox today. After clearning waivers, the Red Sox and Reds agreed to a deal that sent single-A Salem SS Kristopher Negron to Reds. Gonzalez along with $1.1 million of his $2 million remaining money came back to the Sox.
The still slick-fielding SS is still swinging a soft stick batting .213 in 239 ABs and a measly .536 OPS (on-base+slugging percentage) . Do not expect any miracles whatsoever, but there is room for improvement. He did, however, bat .255 with a .696 OPS over 388 ABs in his last stint with the club in '06. Furthermore, he is a .275 lifetime hitter at Fenway in 215 ABs. Having said that, fans should be content with the improved defense he will offer, not to mention the flexibility it will give the club being able to pinch-hit for the shortstops with whatever bats are on the bench for the night.
Negron, the 23-year old 2006 7th round pick, was batting .264 with 20 SBs. He is the second minor league shortstop given up by the organization this season (Argenis Diaz was traded in the acquisition of Adam LaRoche). One of the shortstops not moved in the organization is 21-year old Yamaico Navarro (10th ranked on Soxprospects.com). He was just promoted to AA after being promoted through two levels of single-A ball this year. Like most shortstops, his glove is better than his bat as of now. Another SS to keep an eye on is last year's first round pick Casey Kelly. Kelly's preference is to play SS, but pitching him 95 innings earlier this year in single-A, he amassed a 2.05 ERA with a 75/16 K/BB ratio. However, his preference is to play the field, which he has done since the all-start break. The 19-year old who turned down a full ride to play QB at the University of Tennessee, is finding his bearings mid-season batting .242 in 62 ABs.
Other notes
-Jed Lowrie rejoined the team and he received a clean bill of health on his surgically repaired wrist. The tingling in the hand has subsided and he took BP today. I'd rather he play in the minors until rosters expand; he really has had a lost season in his development.
-Dice-K threw a 65-pitch bullpen session today; he threw all of his pitches and felt 'good.' Matsuzaka will throw another one on Monday and then the plan is to figure out a rehibiltation program. Like Lowrie, he won't be up until Saptember 1st most likely. To date he has had a lost season, and it is tough to expect anything out of him to close it. Perhaps he'll prove Red Sox fans wrong.
-Josh Reddick drew his second consecutive start tonight in CF sparing Ellsbury for the evening. He just made a terrible play that led to the Rangers' go-ahead run in the sixth inning going back on a ball; Jacoby would've had it. Reddick filled in for JD yesterday where he made a poor play coming in on a ball.
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