Mike Aviles To The Phillies? Say It Ain't So

There has been a rumor circulating around the web that Mike Aviles is likely to be traded to the Phillies. This would continue in the Sox' spree of trading shortstop candidates-- first Jed Lowrie to the Astros, then Marco Scutaro to the Rockies, and potentially Mike Aviles to the Phillies. After a hot start to this spring, Aviles is cooled off and is now hitting at a .226/.226/.355 clip with no homers, two doubles, and three RBIs. If Aviles was traded-- Nick Punto and Jose Iglesias would be the primary candidates to become the starting shortstop. This spring, Punto is batting .267/.421/.400 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Iglesias, meanwhile, has wowed fans and front office members alike as he has shown his trademark defense plus an improved hitting composure-- he is batting at .231/.286/.385 with a triple and four RBIs. Since Iglesias is the shortstop of the future at 22 years old, he would likely get the chance to start there and try to impress everybody. Even with Iglesias waiting in the wings, I hope Aviles is not traded-- save it for midseason if Iglesias is impressing.