Monday, February 25, 2013

Pedro Ciriaco: SUPER Utility Man!


I'm absolutely appalled with myself this morning: when I searched "Pedro Ciriaco" on my blog, there were ZERO results. After all the work Ciriaco did for the Red Sox last season, I apparently never dedicated a post to him.

Well, that's over - Ciriaco is a literal superman of utility fielders, and he was exciting to watch in a season without a lot to be excited about. In 2012, Ciriaco logged thirty-five games at third base, sixteen at second base, twelve at shortstop, ten as the designated hitter, three in center field, and two each in left and right. The only positions that Ciriaco didn't play at were first base, catcher, and pitcher.

The twenty-seven-year-old righthander is nothing if not a team player, and he even managed to hit .293 and steal sixteen bases (19 attempts) while playing 2/3 of the defensive postions last season. In yesterday's spring training win against the Cardinals, Ciriaco had two hits and two RBI.

Hopefully we get better health from the Red Sox regulars in 2013, even if it will mean seeing somewhat less of the superman performance of Pedro Ciriaco. He certainly adds a freedom to the roster with his ability to play nearly anywhere, and I personally love watching him play. I'll just have to savor the days when he's on the field, while hoping that they won't be very frequent. A little cognitive dissonance never hurt anyone, right?

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