Some thump following long slumps
PHOENIX -- Until last night, the batting slumps by Theo Epstein's two primary acquisitions of the winter (non-Daisuke Division), shortstop Julio Lugo and outfielder J.D. Drew, had reached stupefying levels. So had that of outfielder Coco Crisp, the player obtained by Epstein after a series of maneuvers that also left the Red Sox paying a sizable portion of the contract of shortstop Edgar Renteria, who is in his second season of starring for the Atlanta Braves.
Drew broke out of his slide in a big way last night, hitting two three-run home runs and doubling home another run , while Lugo also homered and Crisp singled in a 10-3 win over the Diamondbacks . The Sox can only hope last night's eruption will signal a much-needed reversal of fortune.
While Crisp has played superior defense in center field and Lugo has given the Sox speed at the top of the order and a surprising number of runs batted in given his lack of hitting, Drew's contributions had been negligible since he opened the season with a nine-game hitting streak.
All three players rank at, or near, the bottom in key offensive categories at their positions. The depth of their slumps underscores how dependent the Sox' fast start has been on the team's outstanding pitching.
But as the Sox begin a stretch of 15 games in three weeks against National League opponents, beginning last night, the struggles of Lugo, Drew, and Crisp raise red flags about the team's ability to sustain its sizable lead in the American League East.
"That's baseball," Lugo said yesterday before leading off the game with a home run.
"Sometimes you're hot, sometimes you're not. I know it's there. I just can't find it.
"You know you can do things, but when you're not doing it, you don't feel as good as you usually do. But it's just a matter of time. You're going through a tough time, but I have no doubt in my mind I'm going to hit. It's not going my way right now. But I contribute to this team, even though I'm not where I want to be. The most important thing is to help this team win."
Their offensive shortcomings, if they continue, will become an even greater hindrance to manager Terry Francona, who in NL parks is prohibited from using a designated hitter and thus will be forced to go without at least one of his top hitters -- David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, or Manny Ramírez -- on a nightly basis.
Their prolonged slumps also raise concerns, especially in the cases of Lugo and Drew, about the long-term commitments made by the Sox. Lugo was signed to a four-year, $36 million contract as a free agent, while Drew signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Sox. Drew's deal can be shortened only if any shoulder injury he might sustain can be linked to a previous condition.
Here are the specifics of each player's slump:
Drew -- Prior to last night, Drew had not hit a home run since April 22. Drew was batting only .156 (17 for 109) since, with just four extra-base hits -- three doubles and a triple -- and only nine RBIs. He had a .287 on-base percentage in that time, a .202 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .489, inconceivably low numbers for a player whose career OPS was .905 entering the season.
Of 25 major league right fielders who play regularly, Drew was tied for last in home runs (2) and batting average (.224), and ranked last in slugging percentage (.309). He was next to last in OPS (.651).
Lugo -- On May 14, he had two hits against the Tigers to raise his average to .265. In 19 games since, Lugo had just 10 hits in 79 at-bats, a .127 average. He had almost three times as many strikeouts (14) as walks (5) in that span, and his OPS was a barely detectable .366 (.176 on-base, .190 slugging).
Among major league shortstops, Lugo ranked last in batting average (.217), next to last in on-base percentage (.277), and last in OPS (.591), hundreds of percentage points behind four shortstops who played for the Red Sox in the last three seasons: Renteria (.878), Hanley Ramirez (.863), Orlando Cabrera (.834), and Alex Gonzalez (.830).
What should concern the Sox is this: Lugo's slump dates to July 31, when he was traded by the Devil Rays to the Dodgers. In 104 games since, Lugo was batting just .218 (81 for 372), with an appallingly low OPS of .573. The Sox had reasoned that Lugo, who was used in a utility role by the Dodgers, would hit the way he did for Tampa Bay once he returned to the AL and was restored to shortstop. That has not happened.
Crisp -- On May 2, Crisp was hitting .250. He was batting .210 (25 for 119) since, with a shockingly low OPS of .559. The slump appeared to be deepening. He was batting .167 (7 for 42) in his last 12 games and did not have an extra-base hit in that span. On the season, he had just one home run in 214 plate appearances, and just 16 RBIs, even though he has come to the plate with 141 runners on base.
Among major league center fielders, Crisp ranked 24th of 25 in OBP (.286), slugging (.308), and OPS (.594). In batting average, he was 22d (.226).
Crisp has one year remaining on the three-year, $15.5 million contract he signed last spring, with the club holding an $8 million option for 2010. His subpar performance last season was attributed to the finger injury he sustained in the first week of the season; his finger has not been cited as the cause of his poor performance in 2007.
