Lowrie Lovefest

Posted by Mike Giardi August 20, 2008 at 7:14 pm

In light of a possible setback in Julio Lugo’s return from that quad injury, I decided to go on my “Save The Shortstop” drive. Unfortunately for Lugo, I’m not referring to him. I’m talking about Jed Lowrie, who established himself as a legitimate Giardi binky candidate last year when I spoke to him in Portland (no, I was not stalking…), and has hammered home his credentials with a strong Major League debut in 2008.

Do you realize no shortstop has more RBI since the All-Star break than Lowrie? That he has more ribbies than the aforementioned gimpy 36-million dollar man in 36 less games (30 RBI to 22)? Did you also realize that Lowrie has yet to make an error in 136 total chances? Yes, I understand the former Stanford star doesn’t actually have Ozzie Smith’s range (true confessions, I once said Jed had the range of a legless spider at short), but he’s settled down a position that has been in flux since April 6, when Lugo committed three miscues (16 total this season).

But you know what’s the tipping point for me? What’s sold me on Lowrie? That he has the same unshakeable confidence that I saw in Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. They never considered failing an option. Lowrie strikes me exactly the same way. Okay, maybe not quite as cocky as Dusty - who is? - but you get the point. You need to have that attitude to be successful in the bigs. Lowrie has it, and the Sox are reaping the rewards.