Marco Scutaro

Scutaro's 2013 season can be summed up in one word: injuries. He managed to play in 127 games, but it felt like he was battling either a hand, finger, or back issue all season long. The hand injury was a result of getting hit by a pitch in June, which could explain a career-low in power (.072 ISO). He actually lowered his minuscule strikeout rate (6.2 K%) while improving his walk rate (8.2 BB%) from a season ago. Scutaro had surgery on his injured pinky tendon in the offseason, so his power numbers should increase a bit, but not by much. The 38-year-old second baseman is not getting any younger, but he can still provide runs and a high batting average at a shallow position (111 wRC+), even if he does have to take an extra day off every now and then.

Scutaro was able to turn his season around after a trade from Colorado to San Francisco before the deadline. The veteran infielder hit .362/.385/.473 with three home runs in 268 plate appearances after the trade, and cut his swinging-strike rate from 2.2 to 1.0 percent in that time. Because of his ability to make contact, Scutaro is likely to hit .280 and above. However, his plate discipline has worsened over the last few seasons, and his 5.9 percent walk rate was his worst since 2004. He'll return to play second base for the Giants after signing a three-year, $20 million deal in December.

Scutaro's option was picked up by the Red Sox in the offseason and he will return as Boston's starting shortstop. He was one of the few players who didn't underperform in the wretched September collapse and has been an above-average producer for the position. With the trade of Jed Lowrie to Houston, it looked like the shortstop job appeared to be Scutaro's, but then he surprisingly was dealt to Colorado, where he'll now play second base.

Scutaro battled neck and shoulder pain all year, but managed to play 150 games for Boston last season. He received injections throughout the year, and it was really a grind for him, though the pain impacted his defense more than his offense. Scutaro had a career-high 20 errors. In the end, he maintained offensive numbers relatively stable to his career output. That is to say, nothing flashy, but good middle-infield production. He's penciled in as Boston's starting shortstop in 2011, though there's been some talk of teams being interested in him. Scutaro has one year remaining on a very affordable contract, and Boston might be willing to listen as it has Jed Lowrie in house to replace Scutaro in the short term.

Scutaro set or tied his career highs in average (.282), runs (100), homers (12), RBI (60) and steals (14) in 2009 and hit the free-agent market, inking a two-year deal with the Red Sox. He'll be the team's starting shortstop and should be able to repeat his career year in what figures to be a more potent lineup in Boston.

Scutaro bankrolled injuries to Aaron Hill and Scott Rolen and an ineffective David Eckstein into a career-high 60 RBI in 2007. He played over 40 games at shortstop, second base and third base and while the versatility is certainly nice he's most certainly looking at a reduced role this season.

Scutaro used injuries in the Oakland infield to appear in 100 or more games for the fourth straight year. He's consistent in his utility role, but he could be looking at a reduction in playing time following a trade to the Blue Jays in the offseason.

He filled in admirably when injuries to Mark Ellis and Bobby Crosby hit the A's with an .866 OPS after the All-Star break. There's really nothing in his past to think he'll turn that trick again, but there's an outside chance he could get a look at 2B or SS if Mark Ellis struggles or Bobby Crosby comes up lame again.

Scutaro filled in when Bobby Crosby was sidelined, but has no business being a regular in the lineup with his bat. Things have gone wrong in Oakland if he plays in 118 games again.

Various injuries to Mark Ellis and Mark McLemore opened the door for Scutaro to get his first prolonged playing time in the majors in 2004, but he didn't do much with it. A .299 OBP won't get you consistent playing time, so the A's really need a better option at second. He's a utility player forced into a full-time role in 2004; don't expect the same playing time in 2005.

Snagged off waivers from the Mets in October, Scutaro mixes in patience with some power, as you’d expect from a Billy Beane pickup. The A's have a few in-house candidates for a utility infielder in Jason Grabowski and Jose Flores, plus the Mark Ellis/Esteban German situation to sort through, so a year spent toiling away at Triple-A is possible, although Scutaro would have to subsequently clear waivers for the A's to demote him.

Scutaro has good secondary skills, but has failed in what little opportunity he's been given at the major league level. His versatility could land him a spot on a major league roster, but he'll have a hard time convincing a team to give him a starting job, particularly since he's 27 years old without significant major league experience.