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PREGAME: Different year, different personality »
October 21, 2007
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON --The Red Sox gave some consideration to replacing struggling shortstop Julio Lugo with Alex Cora for Game Six.
One of the reasons manager Terry Francona opted not to make that move was the speed that Lugo offers the team. If he gets on he's a stolen-base threat, which Cora is not.
Lugo whiffed his first time up in Game Six, but in his second at-bat, he grounded a two-run double inside the third-base bag, putting the Sox on top, 8-1, en route to a 12-2 victory that forced a deciding Game Seven tonight.
''I think that was huge for him,'' said Francona of Lugo, who was 1 for 4 in the game and still is batting just .182 (4 for 22) in the series.
''You don't want to make changes just to make changes,'' said Francona. ''You play your guys and hope they're good enough.''
Cora, meanwhile, may be good enough to play more on most teams, but he's a valued utilityman in Boston, and he accepts his role with maturity and good humor. He played the final inning of Game Six at shortstop, giving Lugo a little break. He has been in two ALCS games but has yet to receive an at-bat.
''He came in (to the manager's office) and said he was going to go home and work on his speed,'' said Francona with a chuckle. ''AC has been an unbelievable leader even though he hasn't gotten in much. He's on the top step of the dugout (rooting) for the guys. He knows what buttons to push on guys to keep them loose, make them laugh.''
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 5:33 PM | Permalink
