It's been a revolving door at shortstop in Boston since the team dealt Nomar Garciaparra at the trading deadline in 2004, with general manager Theo Epstein unable to find a suitable long-term replacement.
Four different players -- Gonzalez, Nick Green, Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie -- played at least 21 games at the position this season. Between Garciaparra's departure and this season, Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Gonzalez (in 2006), Lugo and Lowrie have manned the position, with the Red Sox doling out $76 million in contracts to Renteria and Lugo alone.
Since declining to bring back Orlando Cabrera after winning the 2004 World Series, the Red Sox have used 13 different shortstops.
Next up, Alex Gonzalez. Actually, Gonzalez -- who Boston acquired Friday from Cincinnati for Class A shortstop Kristopher Negron -- was already on that list, having played for the Red Sox in 2006.
Gonzalez, an excellent defensive player. hit .210 in 68 games for the Reds, but he was hampered early in the season by bone chips in his right elbow, and he eventually had four loose bodies removed, causing him to miss more than four weeks. Since returning July 24, he has hit .197 with a .279 slugging percentage.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
When Luke Hochevar was summoned to the majors last season, he had started only 13 games at the triple-A level. He had compiled a 2-4 record with a 4.54 ERA in those starts. Translation: It appears the former number one overall draft pick had been rushed -- especially when you consider his ensuing major league numbers. In his rookie year, Hochevar went 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. His strikeout rate was well below his capabilities as well.
FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Cincinnati Reds.
Once one of the most admired franchises in professional sports, the Reds have now suffered through nearly a decade of futility. The last time they finished above .500 was in 2000, when they won 85 games. The last trip to the postseason was in 1995. Even their gorgeous ballpark is barren for much of the summer, as the Reds finished 23rd in attendance last season. It's safe to say that the days of the Big Red Machine are a distant memory.
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through every major player on each team. Fantasy FanHouse is here to help with a quick once-over.
Meet the ... Team who definitely won't be clogging up the bases. That joke never gets old, but, seriously, this is a team who has the potential to make some noise. Their lineup and rotation are both good, and there are several solid fantasy players here. If you want stars, though, keep on moving. There are lots of really good players here, just no great ones.
The final week of the 2008 season has been one long requiem for all things Yankee. On Sunday, Yankee Stadium closed it doors after 85 years. Two days later, the second longest string of postseason appearances was officially snapped. The eulogies have been written, but the game presses on.
Five days from now, the Yankees will finish their final game of the season at Fenway Park and they hurtle headlong into an offseason of transition the likes of which hasn't been seen in the Bronx in more than a decade. Moving across the street might be one of the smaller changes.
It's clear that the Yankees have fallen a step behind their hated rivals to the north. But they've also fallen behind the Rays and the Blue Jays and Orioles are improving rapidly. A massive payroll just isn't good enough on its own anymore.
This Yankees team never really got going because of significant injuries to Jorge Posada and Chien-Ming Wang and a patchwork pitching staff. It will probably wind up with a win total in the high 80s. It will let Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi walk this winter, and possibly Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina as well.
So what now? Given all the similarities, can the Yankees get back to the playoffs and beyond in 2009 as the Red Sox did last year?
Dan Uggla has struggled during the second half of the season. Since the infamous All-Star game where Uggla struck out three times and made three errors, Uggla has been awful, sporting a line of .189/.298/.336. The All-Star game may or may not have led to Uggla's struggles, but Uggla's struggles have led to him being benched on Sunday by Fredi Gonzalez.
"Some guys go through rough spots in the season," Gonzalez said. "He's going through one now. He's a big part of our offense."
"We need him to get back on track if we're going to win," Marlins outfielder Luis Gonzalez said. "He's huge for us."
Uggla says he has no explanation for his struggles. He scoffs at the amateur psychologists' belief that his performance in the All-Star Game - three strikeouts and three errors - plays a factor.
"That was over as soon as the game was over," he said.
But that hasn't stopped opposing fans from taunting him ... especially one group that's been particularly scorned by Marlins in the past.
UPDATE: Hey, did you know that today is April Fool's Day? Because I sure didn't before I wrote this post up! Turns out it's an April Fool's joke, and I am playing the part of your April Fool.
You remember Steve Bartman, don't you? If you're a Cubs fan you probably just responded with "Do I!?" before picking your computer up and throwing it out the window. Bartman, of course, is the infamous fan who "interfered" with a foul ball that started another epic Cubs collapse in game six of the 2003 NLCS, and was then made a scapegoat for the Cubs blowing the series by Cubs fans everywhere.
Ever since that incident, Bartman has escaped back into the real world and gone about his life in relative anonymity, which is why it's a bit of a coup that Bugs & Cranks' Cameron Martin was able to score an interview with the Cubs fan. One of the things we find out about Bartman in the interview? Turns out, he's still going to Cubs games. Cubs playoff games.
Steve Bartman: ...I was last at Wrigley for Game 3 of last year's playoff series versus the Diamondbacks.
Cameron Martin: What? Geez, that's bold. I mean, well, OK, forget how I think people would typically treat you. Tell me yourself. Did people recognize you? Say anything? Threaten you?
Steve Bartman: Since 2003 I've had my share of near scrapes and screaming matches, I'm not going to lie to you. Without the support of my friends and family, I probably wouldn't have gotten through it too well. Nobody recognized me at Game 3, and no, I wasn't wearing a disguise. And no, I wasn't wearing that same outfit (from the 2003 playoff game). Even if people had recognized (me)...listen, it was just a baseball game. I mean, don't get me wrong. I was sick to my stomach for weeks after that. But at some point you have to let it go. And I have. And that's what I tell anyone who meets me and says, "Geez, you fool! What were you thinking?" Man, that was the whole point: I wasn't thinking! which is what I said in that statement after the game. I mean, did I feel responsible? Sure, I did. But do I feel like I personally cost the Cubs their chance to make the World Series? I know Cubs fans would love for me to say yes, but the truth is, I don't. I'll probably get blasted for saying that, but that's that.
Bartman is right, he didn't cost the Cubs the World Series. He didn't boot that easy ground ball right afterwards, Alex Gonzalez did. He didn't leave Mark Prior in too long, Dusty Baker did. He also wasn't in attendance for game 7, so he couldn't lose that one for the Cubs either. Overall, it's a pretty good interview and I recommend reading it if you have the time.
So Ken Griffey Jr. made his return to Seattle yesterday, and everyone there loved him. That was a much, much warmer reception than A-Rod got upon his return to Seattle a few years back. After the big welcome back, the Reds beat the snot out of the Mariners and seemingly every Red got in on the beating except for Griffey himself, who went 1-for-5.
The Reds won the game 16-1, which according to SportsCenter matched the worst home defeat in Seattle history. Brandon Phillips went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored and hammered two homers. David Ross ripped two homers out of the nine slot in the order to go with his three runs scored and to give him five ribbies. Josh Hamilton also homered and Alex Gonzalez added three RBIs. The fact that Griffey only had one single was pretty irrelevant.
On the flip side of things, the Reds probably should've saved some runs for another night because Aaron Harang was dominant. He only allowed two hits and struck out seven in his eight innings of work. Even the worst team in the National League gets a night where everything clicks.
Before last night, Bronson Arroyo had only seen the Reds offense put 11 runs across the plate in his first five starts. Last night they had 11 on the board by the time John Coutlangus took the mound for him in the bottom of the eighth inning. You probably don't need me to connect the obvious for you, but the Reds beat the Astros 11-2 and Arroyo finally picked up his first win of the season. Arroyo was pleased:
"It feels a lot better than it did after the first five starts," Arroyo said. "I'll take a 7-1 lead any time."
The Reds also got a boost from Ken Griffey Jr.'s return from whatever is currently ailing him this week. Griff had three hits including a homer and drove in two runs. Alex Gonzalez and Adam Dunn also added homers for the Reds, who used to the win to get back to .500.
There wasn't much good stuff from this one for the Astros. Arroyo held them to three hits and one run over his seven innings and they only added two hits and one more run to things off of the Reds' pen. Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb both made errors that cost the Astros runs early on while their deficit kept building. I guess Craig Biggio got a hit, which is always nice for them, and Brad Lidge only gave up one run on one hit in one and two-thirds innings to go with three strikeouts and I think that has to be seen as progress.
The Boston Red Sox have declined their $6 million option on shortstop Alex Gonzalez for next season, according to the Boston Globe, once again leaving the team without a reliable everyday player at the position heading into offseason.
Since declining to bring back 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through 
The final week of the 2008 season has been one long requiem for all things Yankee. On Sunday, Yankee Stadium closed it doors after 85 years. Two days later, the second longest string of postseason appearances was officially snapped. The eulogies have been written, but the game presses on.
UPDATE: Hey, did you know that today is April Fool's Day? Because I sure didn't before I wrote this post up! Turns out it's an April Fool's joke, and I am playing the part of your April Fool.
So 
Before last night, Bronson Arroyo had only seen the Reds offense put 11 runs across the plate in his first five starts. Last night they had 11 on the board by the time John Coutlangus took the mound for him in the bottom of the eighth inning. You probably don't need me to connect the obvious for you, but 
