Cabrera has bounced around a lot as of late playing for the Expos, Red Sox, Angels, A’s, White Sox and Twins which makes you wonder if there isn’t a slight attitude problem with him because his numbers are good. He had a run in with the White Sox managerial staff when he allegedly called the official scorer during a game to have an error he committed changed to a hit.  That doesn’t sound like much of a team player but he will be playing for Dusty Baker who is one of the best known players managers in the game. Baker definitely know how to stroke a players ego and douse fires when the erupt in the clubhouse having dealt with Barry Bonds all those years in San Francisco.

This signing is another positive step in the right direction for the Reds. Walt Jockety is putting together a very competitive team in the Queen City and I would not be surprised to see the Reds stick with pack in the National League Central this season. Cabrera by no mean puts them over the top but he does add an upgrade to the offensive without hurting the defense up the middle.

ESPN’s Buster Olney

The 34 year-old Scutaro is coming off a career year offensively with 12 HR, 60 RBI, .282 BA, 100 R, and .379 OBP in 2009.  However, he is a career .265 BA/.337 OBP/.384 SLG. Defensively, Scutaro had an UZR of .9, which puts him as an average defensive shortstop.

In 2009, 35 year-old shortstop Orlando Cabrera hit 9 HR, 77 RBI, .284 BA, 83 R, .316 OBP, but post a .275 BA/.322 OBP/.398 SLG for his career. Cabrera, a traditionally good fielder struggled last year with an UZR of -13.7, the worst of the two-time Gold Glove winner’s career.

Wouldn’t you rather have Cabrera than Scutaro?  Especially since there is a good chance Cabrera will be one of those free agent bargains such as Bobby Abreau last year. For his career, Scutaro is average at best.  In this economy, why would a team (even the Red Sox) guarantee $12.5 million dollars to an at best average player?

Espn’s Peter Gammons wrote that Red Sox’s second basemen Dustin Pedroia was willing to move to shortstop.  Wouldn’t moving Pedroia to shortstop and going after one of the many available second basemen (Orlando Hudson, Mark DeRosa, Brandon Phillips, Luis Castillo, and Placido Polanco) be a better idea?  Defensively Pedroia would not be any worse than Scutaro and any of the second basemen that are/were available via free agency or trade would be better than Scutaro.

What do you think.  Did the Red Sox mess up?