Coming into the spring, the Boston Red Sox had an internal debate between general manager Ben Cherington and manager Bobby Valentine on who the team’s starting shortstop should be. Cherington preferred veteran Mike Aviles, who has a heck of a bat, but isn’t a very good fielder. Valentine was more partial to prospect Jose Iglesias, who cannot hit at all at this stage in his career, but is an absolute wizard with the glove. Cherington ended up winning the debate, and Aviles was the Opening Day starter at short while Iglesias was sent to AAA Pawtucket.
In Pawtucket’s first game of the year on Thursday, Iglesias made a freakishly good diving catch of a line drive hit by Buffalo shortstop Omar Quintanilla. No one has ever questioned Iglesias’s glove, and plays like that are why many believe that if he can evolve into a below average hitter (as opposed to the “awful” level he’s at right now), he can be a starting shortstop in the majors.
