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| Why the Red Sox Would Pay to Shop Lowell | 11.23.09 at 3:44 am ET |
It should come as little surprise to hear that Mike Lowell is once again on the trading block. (AP)
According to FoxSports.com, the Red Sox are offering Mike Lowell to other clubs and offering to pick up $6 million of his $12 million salary in 2010. Even so, the report cited a rival executive who suggested that other teams would not be inclined to pick up that much of the third baseman’s salary for next year.
Lowell is entering the final season of a three-year, $37.5 million deal he signed after the 2007 World Series. The 35-year-old hit .290 with a .337 OBP, .474 slugging percentage and .811 OPS in 2009 while hitting 17 homers and driving in 75 runs. He was limited to 119 games in his first season following surgery on his right hip labrum after the 2008 campaign.
That said, for much of the year, his overall offensive numbers suggested a highly productive member of the lineup. He hit at least .300 in four of the six full calendar months of the season; his OPS also exceeded .800 in four months, and was actually .900 or better in three months. The only two months in which his numbers dipped — June (.206 average, .595 OPS) and Sept./Oct. (.239, .633) — coincided with periods when his recovery from hip surgery required him to have fluid drained and the lubricant Synvisc to be injected to ease the discomfort in his hip.
By and large, he was a productive member of the lineup. Even so, since the time of GM Theo Epstein’s press conference analyzing the state of the Sox following the 2009 season, Lowell’s place and role on the 2010 club has seemed uncertain. Asked to identify what the Sox could improve upon for 2010, Epstein suggested the following:
“There are a lot of different ways to get better,” said Epstein. “Probably start by looking at our weaknesses because there is the greatest room for improvement there. If you look back at this year’s club, we weren’t as great a defensive club as we wanted to be. So look at overall team defense and defensive efficiency. Then offense on the road. We didn’t really hit at all on the road this season.”
Lowell was part of both of those shortcomings. His defense was obviously impaired by his recovery from surgery. He went from being a well above-average third baseman (as measured by UZR and John Dewan’s plus-minus ratings) throughout his career from being one of the worst in the majors, particularly on balls hit to his left (an unsurprising result of the weakness in his right hip).
As for his home/road splits, Lowell was a monster at Fenway, hitting .307/.344/.588/.932, but on the road, he hit .276/.331/.382/.713. Of Boston’s everyday players, only Jason Varitek had a more dramatic disparity in his home/road numbers. (Though Lowell is a right-handed pull-hitter, it is worth noting that he’s alternated between being a better home and road hitter in his four seasons with the Sox.)
Both Lowell and the Sox have said that they expect that his hip will be in better shape for the 2010 season than it was in 2009. Last offseason, Lowell could do nothing but worry about the recovery of his hip. As he said on multiple occasions, he would not be able to strengthen the joint until this winter.
Even so, Lowell will be 36 in 2010. Even if he is able to improve from his surgery, the Sox have been non-committal about what to expect from him next season.
“He will grind it out everyday but at what point does that become a hindrance to his performance?” manager Terry Francona mused last month. “I think we saw that happen this year too. I think we all feel, including Mike, the medical people and us that he will be better situated next year. Now, stating the obvious, as guys get older, where do you balance the surgery, guy becoming a certain age and another year of wear and tear.”
Given all those factors, it is anything but surprising to hear that Lowell is being made available in a subsidized trade this offseason. After all, the Sox already had shown a willingness to move on from the 2007 World Series MVP last offseason, when they pursued Mark Teixeira.
If the Sox acquire a first baseman such as Adrian Gonzalez this offseason, then Kevin Youkilis could be moved to third, and Lowell would become expendable. But given the role that Lowell played in two of the areas that the Sox hope to improve upon in 2010, he likely will remain in a familiar position of limbo this offseason, regardless of whether the Sox bring back an All-Star like Gonzalez or not.
Then again, Lowell spent this decade as an almost perennial presence in the rumor mill, yet he was dealt just once during that time. So, even though initial signals would suggest that the Sox are open to moving Lowell, it remains to be seen whether that sound and fury will signify anything.
21 Comments for “Why the Red Sox Would Pay to Shop Lowell”
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November 23rd, 2009 at 9:12 am
Another giant mistake by Theo. Mike lowell is a professional and a terrific hitter. I feel he did a great job coming from hip surgery and will shine again in 2010 as a third baseman and or a DH. Why does Theo love to pay for people we do not have any more.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Mike Lowell is a class act. I would hate to see him off the team, especially if he has a full recovery from his hip surgery. He is one of my favorites because he is simply a class act and a gentleman. He’s a good player as well. If traded, he will be missed.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:51 am
Someone should tell Theo to look at what is available before he throws away what he has. I can already see him loosing Jason Bay to the Yankees and signing Johnny Damon to replace him.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:35 am
Mike Lowell should be one of the indispensible Red Sox players. He continually goes above and beyond. His stats for this year, despite the injury, was well above the majority of the team. If he was traded, my loyalties would be split between the Sox and Lowell’s new team. I also believe that fan favorites ought to count for something. Are you listening Theo?
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:45 am
Yes indeed it would be a HUGE mistake by Theo to get rid of Mikey. I think Mike Lowell totally proved everyone wrong this past season. Last year at this time, no one was certain if he was even going to be a factor in the Sox lineup. He worked his tail off to be in the lineup on Opening Day!! He was there offensively when others took until June to show up (insert Ortiz here). He is a total class act and a hell of a good player. There’s no reason to think we can expect anything less from Mikey in 2010. Theo, wise up!! This isn’t about you being GM of the Century!! Think about what’s best for the Sox, not about what will make Theo look good! People say it’s all about business. Lowell gave Boston a discount in 2007. Remember that.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 am
Not only is Mike lowell a class act, he produced and is a positive infuence among his peers. Are we now forgetting how badly we wanted Theo to sign him. Allow him to complete his contract and with a much reconditioned hip plus swapping off at DH and Third, The Red Sox will not be sorry. It’s about time we counted loyalty for something or there WILL be a chemistry problem with the Red Sox.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
I agree that Lowelll is a class act,and may well be able to overcome his age and injry deficiencies in 2010,even
though Youk may be able to replace him at third,Youk is not the defensive payer at third Mikie is even when injured.Youk is a gold glove FIRST baseman.Unles we can getsomeone like Figgins,leave MIkie where he is and Youk where he is defensively,Losing bAY AND GETTING DAMON,IS NOT GOING TO IMPROVE ANY DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT,mATSUI WOULD BE A BETTER DEAL,AT LEAST OFFENSIVELY,AND AN EVALUATION BY THE sOX MECDICAL STAFF OF HIS KNEES WOULD BE MORE OF A BENEFIt THAN acquiring dAMON,dho is not even mediocre in teh field.hOPEFULLY Reddick can improve enough to be Bay’s repalcement next year or in 2011.
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
i cannot agree, as a fan who watched almost every game this season lowells was no where near where it should have been, he gave up errors on simple ground balls, and for youk at third, he initially was a third basemen, so going back isn’t a bad idea, he will lock it down, as much as i like lowell he is aging and injured, to eat his salary and bring something in for him now is the smart decision, theo may do things the fans hate, but he puts together teams that can win. if lowell returns, ill love it, but if not i’m sure theo did what will help the team most. this year is most likely to be a year to rebuild or to make it to next seasons offseason.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
CRIPPLED RED FLOPS. Lowell, Ortiz, Lowrie, Wakefield. For God’s sake get some players who can run, bunt, hit and do not panic and strike out when men are on base. Sox are horrible at bunting and small ball so always lose 1 run and extra inning games in spite of having Ellsbury who is not utilized properly. Bay may take all winter to decide so Sox must make moves now.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Mikey Lowell was never 100% healthy last season. Having this time to strengthen his hip and be stronger will definitely improve his play. That stat breakdown of home/away can be said of almost every hitter. It is a very rare thing when a player hits better on the road than at home, so those stats should not be a determining factor on the value of a player. Mikey will be healthy in 2010 and therfore will be more productive offensively and defensively. You can also give him an occasional spell by DH him vs a tough lefty while Papi sits.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Red Sox Nation, myself included, screamed bloody murder when our studious, world class GM Theo, mused about what to do with Lowell following 2007. We cajoled him into keeping Mike Lowell (himself a class act). If we would have kept our mouths shut, maybe we would have had a line-up that brought home World Championships in 2008 and 2009. Maybe hell….most likely. Did you forget how close we were in 08? We probably could have gone out on a limb for Tex had we not had Lowell signed. Tex at first and Youk at third last year maybe would have put us that close in 09.
Remember the GM who delivered us from the 86 year stroll in the barren desert. Remember Theo.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I would like to see the Sox keep Mike,and the hell with Johnny ‘Throws like a Girl’ Damon,send the money and get Bay to a long term contract. If we did get Adrain Gonzalez,he and Youk could split time,and let mike DH against lefties. Lowell is a team leader,a respected player,and always gives 100%. Same with Bay. I dont understand letting players of this caliber go when there arent good replacements,just a bunch of ragged guys to chose from.
And why not get in on the Halliday bidding too? he is also a class act and a terrific pitcher who could help more then some we have had lately ( Smoltz,Penny…)
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I love Mike Lowell, great leader, great teammate, he’s definetly a gamer, all those things being said…Reality is that professional sports is a business and if trading him away makes the Sox better then I’m all for it. Fans are emotional, Theo and the boys will do whats best for the Sox w/ emotion set aside.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 pm
It’s so nice to hear fans who appreciate an amazing player and leader like Mike Lowell. He is indeed a class act and so important to this team. I am so sick of him constantly being the one thrown under the bus every off season by the media and the fans. People need to stop talking like he is 85 and not 35.Theo needs to appreciate what he has and he really doesn’t.I think that loyalty should definitely count for something and Mike has done everything he posibly could for this team, including working his butt off to come back from surgery and contribute. His stats prove that he certainly did just that.His defense wasn’t what he is capable of ,but cetainly not the worst in the league. He was the only real defensive star in the playoffs. The Red Sox knew that it would take until 2010 for him to fully recover and I believe that he will. I know that baseball is a “business” ,but the players are people, not property. We need Mike Lowell on the Red Sox for his character, leadership and his very valuable talent.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Whether or not the Red Sox want to, they might end up keeping Lowell. Eating half of his salary might not be enough to get anything in return for him, especially given the economy.
Although Lowell may be better in 2010 than he was in 2009, other teams might not believe that. It’s possible that Lowell could be more valuable to the Sox at $12 million than he would be to any other team at $6 million. If that’s the case, the Sox should chalk the potential loss up to an additional cost for the 2007 championship team.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Let’s do the right thing for a change and get rid of theo and keep Mike Lowell. This players heart and soul is with the red sox and he is being treated like crap every year and still comes back and gives 100 plus per cent.Come on Red Sox nation let’s all stand by our man LOWELL.
Last year with all the changes every game no one knew what they were doing. Looks like another year of the same. If it is true re” return of Damon, How stupid can the Sox be? Guess it is time to cancel our spring training trip .
November 24th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Sure, just let go of all the guys who contribute well and even ones as him who werent let to play as much as they could have. DEFENSE? Uh, how well was he a factor in the playoffs! I still remember some of his catches in my head. I am getting more and more sick of what goes on behind the scenes of this sport. Yes!…. to all who said he’s a class act, and I totally know more of that for I met him and he finally and so taking his time with me, signed a historic homerun ball I caught that was pitched by Corey Lidel in 2006. As I tried but fumbled the words of wanting to say “if they trade him next year, I will be so bummed etc” I instead said “if you go” and he totally cut me off right there with a big smile and said, “I aint going anywhere”. So, so help me if they try to say good bye to a great class act addition to our team, including a great hitter and awesome third baseman, well then just dismantle the whole team because that is how I feel each year. Even though I met the owners, sorry, but you got guys who took a lower salary to stay with you guys when they couldve went elsewhere, they play their hearts out, want to play more but arent allowed then get blamed for how well they may play next year. I thought Mike has a no trade clause, I sure hope so, for he is meant to stay here, he’s a dirt dog, he clicks so well with Youk and his hitting is awesome. Let him stay, let him play til he cant play no more like you shouldve let him play this season so he couldve been hugely offense productive in the playoffs. Dont even get me started with another peeve of mine this playoff season, uh, yeah like Tek, isnt allowed to catch Beckett in THE PLAYOFFS? A veteran two time champ doesnt play one playoff game. Can I PLEASE start managing this team already! LOVE YA MIKE, you are so loved by everyone and I dont care if people say I am personalizing the game and it has to do with how the players are agewise etc. Bottomline, he can still play, and play well and deserves to be here in 2010. Fine if his injury was so bad its obvious he cant play anymore. Not the case. LET OUR THIRD BASE GUY keep throwing to YOUK! Whenever we got a great player who should remain with us, POOF, it somehow doesnt matter. Then to, if you trade this class act, who will play first with Martinez catching the majority of the time? LUGO?
November 24th, 2009 at 4:50 am
DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED WITH THE ONE WHO MENTIONED WE SHOULDVE HAD TEX LAST YEAR. LOWELL’s the man………what did tex do with the angels in the playoffs last year, CHOKED, what did he do this year against the Phils’, was it 1 for ? Ok, will I give him 2 for? Sometimes you gotta stay with someone who SHOULD STAY and not get rid of someone for who OH IS SUCH A GREAT PLAYER, HA…….he sure didnt get the MVP did he? ENOUGH WITH “BIG NAMES” who are moneyhungry! Yeah nothing like a team full of money hungry players who get a ring this year, SICK and oh of course one who gets exposed on his total lying about using steroids, even SICKER. THE CHAMP THIS YEAR IS THE PHILLIES! I already stated it my friends, I am not even going to opening day this year and will not watch any of the games or go to the games in 2010 against that dispicable team. You will have no acknowlegedment from me at all in 2010. Oh, cant forget the “wouldve been a homerun” call. I know I am rambling, sorry but this is more venting I have needed to do! And, ok, one more thing about that Tex we shouldve signed…. WAY to go Mauer!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I can’t believe Mike Lowell has to go through this again. There is no one on the Sox that tries harder, fights to the bitter end. Mike did not lose the Championship series by himself…remember no one hit in that series, 5 runs total. Mike has NEVER received the credit due to him, no matter what he does. Do you think Mike didn’t work hard enough? HE HAD MAJOR SURGERY! In 2008 Mike play in serious pain, you could see and feel it but he did his best. J.D. Drew is out ever other week for a pulled or sprained something and is praised for everything, HE should be traded. I think Theo should think more about getting pitching and by the way how is Dice-K doing? How many more years are they going to waste on him? Didn’t he have an injury? Why is he still there? If Mike does as good or better in 2010 then he is worth keeping, age???? How old was Smoltz,Penny and Gagne? As you can tell I am a huge Mike Lowell fan. He is a good player,has his heart in the game and is a role model for his teammates and all of Red Sox Nation. Management needs to think and not with only their wallets. Mike I will follow what ever team you are on if you don’t play for the Red Sox this year. Hope to see in Spring Training, I will be sitting right by third base.
November 26th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Just reading all these posts makes me wonder what goes on in the minds of some Red Sox fans heads and where they get some of thier ideas. First about Lowell. The only reason they would move him is if they were able to make a deal for a big bat at first or third (A. Gonzalez, Miguel Cabrera, someone of that type). As much as we all love Lowell, if the sox can add a bat like that in the line-up, we have to realize how much better the offence would be. But again, they arent going to move him if that doesnt happen, so either way its good. And second, why on earth would anyone think damon would even be on the sox radar??? Obviously getting bay back is tops on the list and if he is too pricey the holliday. Damon would not come close to the bat they want from that spot and I imagine they would have to be VERY desperate to even think of Damon as an option. All in all, I just ask my fellow nation members to please think before they start making comments like these. Lowell is great, but honestly, if moving him means we added a guy like A. Gonzalez, can anyone seriously justify keeping lowell at that point when we know he doesnt want to be a part time player? I didnt think so.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
START PAYING PLAYERS ON FUTURE PERFORMANCE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.GET PLAYERS TO PLAY DIFFERENT POSITIONS. WE NEED LOWER PRICES AT THE BALL PARK.THESE NEW TV’S MAKE YOU THINK YOUR RIGHT THERE,SO WHY GO TO THE BALLPARK ON A REGULAR BASIS.