Posted by Alex Speier

It would be hard to imagine a more frustrating year for Julio Lugo. In the second year of his four-year, $36 million deal with the Red Sox, he hit .268/.355/.330/.685 before tearing a quadriceps muscle just before the All-Star break. He became an easy target of fan dismay while committing 16 errors in 81 games.

While Lugo was sidelined, switch-hitter Jed Lowrie filled in impressively. As late as Sept. 19, the rookie was hitting .275/.360/.428/.788, before a season-ending tailspin (3-for-29 in his last eight games) dropped his marks to .256/.338/.399/.737. Lowrie also helped to stabilize the infield, as he did not commit an error at short.

The Sox, of course, are willing to trade Lugo this offseason. But if both Lugo and Lowrie are with the club in the spring, the two players will engage in an open competition to play short. The 32-year-old Lugo, who would have received medical clearance to play in the World Series, will start playing for Licey of the Dominican Winter League at the beginning of December in order to get ready for a comeback next year. He has not expressed any displeasure about a potential fight for an everyday job.

“He wants to play for the Boston Red Sox,” Sam Levinson, one of Lugo’s agents with ACES, said on Thursday. “There have not been any demands (for a trade). He absolutely understands the position that he’s in. He has spoken with (Sox G.M.) Theo (Epstein), he has spoken with (manager Terry) Francona.

“Julio understands clearly that there are no guarantees. He’s going to camp, obviously Francona will make the decision about who is the starting shortstop. He understands that he’s going to compete against Lowrie unless something happens between now and then. He clearly understands and has no problem with it.”

As for the trade market for Lugo and other shortstops, it is expected to become clearer once free-agent shortstops can begin discussing terms of offers on November 14. At that time, teams that find themselves priced out of the market for Rafael Furcal, Edgar Renteria and Orlando Cabrera can turn their attention to shortstops available by trade, including Khalil Greene and Lugo.