Ken Macha Has High Praise for New Red Sox Shortstop Marco Scutaro

Marco Scutaro is the latest shortstop of the future for the Red Sox. As Red Sox Nation attempts to figure out what kind of fit Scutaro will be in Boston, one of his former managers offered some high praise.

Brewers manager and former NESN analyst Ken Macha thinks Scutaro has grown into a solid starting shortstop.

“He did a great job for me,” said Macha, who managed Scutaro from 2004 to 2006 in Oakland. “He’s a manager’s type player — where do you want me, and he goes out and plays hard. He got a lot of clutch hits late in the game. I think he is a better second baseman, but he gets the job done at short. 

“He has improved his OBP [on-base percentage] each year,” Macha added. “I think last year he excelled at that.”

Scutaro posted a .379 on-base percentage with the Blue Jays in 2009. In 476 games with the A’s from 2004 to 2007, Scutaro hit .262 with 28 home runs, 162 RBIs and a .321 on-base percentage.