In 1982, Red Sox third baseman and American League batting champion Carney Lansford went down with an injury. That opened the door for Wade Boggs to come to the majors, and Wade simply hit .349 with a .406 OBP, splitting time between third and first. Thirty years later, Red Sox mainstay Kevin Youkilis goes down with an injury, and the Red Sox bring up Will Middlebrooks. Will posted a 3 for 5 night on Monday, hitting a double and two home runs. He’s 8 for 21 in four games with six extra base hits. He is counting down the homer cycle as his first three long balls were a grand slam, a three-run homer, and a two-run homer.
Like Boggs, Middlebrooks has been in the minors a while. Unlike Wade, who hit well throughout his minor league career, Will didn’t blossom offensively until last season. He’s giving the Red Sox a much needed boost now.
Also unlike Boggs, there’s no place for Middlebrooks to go when Youkilis comes back. The Red Sox have good first basemen and designated hitters. Maybe Will can play shortstop.
Middlebrooks is, so far, a bad fielder. He might improve. But putting him at shortstop would at the very least be aesthetically horrific.
Too bad the Sox already have a ++ DH.
What they should do, IMHO, is trade Adrian Gonzalez. They won’t, but they should. He has great trade value even though he has a big contract, and it looks like he is unhappy in Boston. But anyway, then they could put Youk at first, where he’s a superior fielder, and clear third for Middlebrooks. Or maybe Middlebrooks could play first — that would be even better since his wild throwing would be much less significant.
Middlebrooks’ throwing is fine. He’s made two bad throws.
James, you’re overreacting to two bad throws by Middlebrooks. I’ve never read anywhere else that he is a “bad fielder.” In fact, I’ve read the opposite. The questions have always been about his bat. Maybe you have magic eyes or know something the scouts have missed.
Six years before the Boggs/Lansford situation, the Red Sox faced a similar dilemma. Veteran 3B Rico Petrocelli, like Youkilis an extremely popular player, basically hit the wall in the first half of the 1976 season.
The Sox changed managers just after the break, and Don Zimmer replaced Petrocelli with rookie Butch Hobson. There was no place else for Rico to play, so he sat on the bench the rest of the way.
Doubt this will happen with Youkilis, but don’t be surprised if he’s traded.