When the Toronto Blue Jays signed Alex Gonzalez, it seemed a fait accompli that Marco Scutaro would take his place in Boston, although at a significant cost to the Red Sox financially and in the draft, as Scutaro was a Type-A free agent and the Blue Jays now have a claim on the Red Sox's first-round pick. (That could become a second-round pick if the Red Sox sign another Type-A free agent.) Scutaro is a significant upgrade over Gonzalez because at the plate they couldn't be more different; Gonzalez is an unapologetic hacker while Scutaro is a patient hitter who rarely chases anything out of the zone. Even if Scutaro's 2009 was -- as it appears -- a fluke year at the plate, his offensive advantage over Gonzalez well outweighs the small defensive disadvantage, leaving the Sox better off and with a player who, with some regression, will still represent a good value for his salary.
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