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BOSTON -- As the Red Sox fell apart in September, no one on the club had a higher average that month than Marco Scutaro, who hit .387.On Sunday, Boston officially brought the shortstop back for another season, announcing that Scutaro's $6 million club option had been picked up on the day he turned 36 years old. Scutaro hit .299 in 2011, a career-high, and his strong September was only a capper to bcs football rankings the previous three months. He played in just 23 games from April to May, hampered in the latter by a left oblique injury, but when he came back after 26 games away, the platoon situation at shortstop with Jed Lowrie dissipated. Sctuaro's takeover was partially owed to Lowrie's inability to stay healthy, but Scutaro also played his way into the regular job. From June 7 -- the day Scutaro was reins bcs football rankings tated from the disabled list -- through the end of the season, Scutaro hit .312, fourth-best average on the team. The final line on Scutaro's season included seven home runs, 26 doubles, one triple, 54 RBIs and a .358 on-base percentage. Like his average, Scutaro's .423 slugging percentage was also a career-high. He started 103 games at shortstop. After the Red Sox's devastating 4-3 loss to the Or bcs football rankings ioles on the season's final day, Scutaro said he wanted to return, but that the matter was out of his hands. "You're asking me? I just work here," he said. "Ask the big boss." Scutaro joined the Sox as a free agent before the 2010 season on a two-year, $12.5 million deal. In 263 games since, Scutaro has batted .284 (292-for-1,027). His 10-season career average is .270. bcs football rankings
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