Speaking by phone from Orlando, Mike Lowell clarified the history of the thumb injury that ultimately led to the cancellation of the trade that would have sent him and $9 million to Texas for minor league catcher/infielder Max Ramirez.

“I was in constant and open communication about my thumb situation from the moment it happened to every week after,” he said, pointing to a foul ball against Cleveland starter Jeremy Sowers as the cause for what is now diagnosed as a strain of the radial collateral ligament in his right thumb. Lowell said that he was asked by the Red Sox to take an MRI on Dec. 7 after being put in a splint at the suggestion of Red Sox trainer Mike Reinold, who had visited Lowell in Miami on Nov. 25.

“I’ve had very open and honest communication with the training and medical staff,” Lowell added. “The day this thing happened it was X-rayed and I told them about the pain, which was Oct. 2. That’s why I didn’t play the other two games [in the regular season]. We taped it up in a way that we thought would help me in the postseason. They thought it might be a strain or a bone bruise. I don’t want to lay blame on anybody because in ‘07 my other thumb got hurt and they thought it was a strain as well and it ended up being that way and everything settled down nice and easy.

“I was in constant contact with the training staff and I told them at the two-week [mark] I didn’t feel a difference with my thumb and at the four-week mark it was the same thing and then at the seven-week mark Mike Reinold flew down to Miami to check it out and that’s when they decided to put me in the splint and keep it immobilized for a month. That’s when the thinking was that it might be something more than it was originally thought to be. The first day of the winter meetings was when I was ordered to get an MRI.

“I understand the business. That first day was to make sure the medicals could be sent to other teams. I have no problem in them shopping me around. But I would have preferred to have the surgery in October once the season was officially over [if the extent of the injury was known]. I don’t want to race to spring training.”

Lowell expects to be ready for baseball activities the first week of spring training, which will put him eight weeks out from the surgery, which is expected to take place shortly after Christmas.

“I was in constant communication with the training staff,” Lowell said. “This did not crop up anywhere. I told them two weeks later, four weeks later and seven weeks later until I finally got the MRI.”

Lowell also disputes the Red Sox’ assertion that the injury wasn’t a point of emphasis in the team’s exit interview.

“It definitely was [brought up],” he said. “You have to understand the exit interview is the last day and it was hurting at the time. That’s where I defer to the medical staff. If they had told me to get an MRI that day, I would have done it.”

The third baseman didn’t believe, however, at the conclusion of the season that the injury would result in surgery.

“Surgery? No,” Lowell said. “I was in a lot of pain in ‘07 for a couple of weeks and the doctors told me it was going to get better and it did. I always defer to the medical staff. They know better than me, I’m not a doctor. So I did the same thing in this case, but I did mention concern [that] as the weeks went by I wasn’t getting better.”

When asked what he thought would ultimately happen in regards to another potential trade Lowell said, “I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea. That’s not my department.”

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34 Comments for “Lowell clarifies thumb situation”

1. Greg from eMpTyland Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 10:01 pm

   Sorry Rob but this article appears to be poorly written and not in chronological order to me… I think the report is that when it happened on oct 2nd they discussed it and remedied the results for the post season. Than at the exit interview it was discussed that it appeared to be the same injury type as the 07 one on his other hand. So they decided to treat it the same way (which makes sense). Then later on when they didn’t hear from Mike that it was getting better it was still in the window of the other (07) injury and no one was really concerned yet. Than no improvement so as the winter meeting date started they asked for the MRI to confirm that the injury was OR wasn’t the same as the 07 one. Then the trade happens and no information is passed because Mike hadn’t had his physical… at that time the Arizona visit you didn’t report came in to it than the texas visit.

   Seems odd that you don’t have all the times and facts in the right order!
   Why don’t you try again as this article appears to by biased from you at making trouble!

2. Rob Bradford Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 10:11 pm

   I would read the post again. The order makes perfect sense, with Lowell serving as the one giving the timeline, not me. He says that in ‘07 they diagnosed the thumb correctly. This time they didn’t. Not that complicated.

3. Josh A Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 10:21 pm

   How many times are you guys going to recycle that constant communication quote?

   Does anyone know if Lowell was in constant communication with the medical staff?

4. kris Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 10:38 pm

   who really cares if the order is exact or not. the point is the sox medical group assumed the thumb to be exactly like the injury in “07″ and it wasn’t. if they did their job correctly and had the mri by the end of the season, things would have happened differently. Lowell nor the red sox are placing any blame, so why should any of us. i just hope everything works out good for mike and if he’s still in the red sox dugout come april all the better for the team and people like myself (the fans)!!!

5. Rick Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 10:58 pm

   I like baseball

6. sdc Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 11:26 pm

   I like Lowell and think he’s a very positive force in the dugout. Given that any trade is likely to involve eating most of his salary, they’re better off keeping him around. He will heal. Papi will slump.

7. steve Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 11:27 pm

   isn’t it possible that:

   1. He hurt it on the 2nd. they looked at it and taped it up and he sat two games – determined it was much like the ‘07 injury on the other thumb
   2. Taped it up for playoffs, still hurt, but immobilized
   3. Exit interview he said is still hurt, but though, like in ‘07 it would heal.
   4. they stay in contact . . . its hurting, little better, not sure – haven’t swung a bat in a while. OK, more rest Mike
   5. Winter meetings come up – he’s a hot commodity and they need a bigger and more up to date file on him, so they decide to MRI it, not for their own sake, but for the sake of the other teams interested, believing there was nothing wrong.
   6. They (RS) were kinda dumb and it turns out it is bad, needs surgery – deal on hold. Lowell out for 8 weeks

   The only crime here, it seems, is one of stupidity or at least not doing due diligence. They should have done an MRI on 10/2 or immediately after the season, knowing full well Mike was going to be on the block. They didn’t just figure that out at the start of the winter meetings. Theo thinks a few steps ahead, he knew.

   Bottom line, it seems they flubbed this one. Bad times for them and Mike, but I guess it happens.

8. Matt Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 11:49 pm

   Greg you have the writing skills of a fourth grader. Who are you to criticize someone’s work when you can’t even figure out whether to use ‘then’ or ‘than’ in your response.

   And how could you possibly know the order of the events when you’re just some average-Joe who isn’t privileged to those facts in the first place?

9. boris Says:
   December 22nd, 2009 at 12:36 am

   What doesnt make complete sense to me is that they don’t do the MRI sooner. Okay, initially they thought it would heal. After a week at most two, or at very most three, if it isnt much, much better, you get an MRI, right? This isnt the guy on the street. It’s 12 million dollar, .290, MLB player.

10. BenInL.A. Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 1:56 am

    It’s great we’re all doctors AND writers, isn’t it? Otherwise most of our opinions would just seem silly.

11. pft Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 3:55 am

    Doesn’t Mike have his own Doctors though. I mean, he is entering a contract year, and the Red Sox were looking to dump him. I mean, why trust them.

    But it does seem clear that the Red Sox knew all was not well. Mike did not do anything wrong that I can see, and most folks tend towards denial when it comes to health, so that probably explains the first point I brought up.

12. Wayne Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 5:03 am

    BenINL.A. briefly states, “…we’re all doctors AND writers…our opinions…seem silly.”

    As is typical of many American’s he’s dismissive of others without establishing reality or facts. Maybe he doesn’t care, or maybe he’s merely a parrot who follows life as it seems without really knowing what it is all about.

    FACT: Mike Reinold (Sox Trainer) visited Mikey in Florida on 11.25.09 (53 days post-injury) regarding the thumb.
    FACT: The MLB Winter Meetings began on 12.7.09 and Mikey was scheduled for an MRI on his thumb by then.
    FACT: His thumb injury (stated above as a “strain of the radial collateral ligament”) will require surgical repair. It is probably NOT a strain because “strains” are muscular/tendinous and “sprains” are ligamentous.
    “Sprains” are graded…
    Grade I: Mild injury, the ligaments are stretched, but no significant tearing has occurred.
    Grade II: Moderate injury, the ligaments may be partially torn.
    Grade III: Severe wrist sprain, the ligaments are completely torn, and there may be instability of the joint.

    More than likely Mikey has a GradeIII sprain on the radial collateral ligament which was misdiagnosed. Hindsight being 20/20? He should have had an MRI as soon as the season was over. Is that a “silly opinion” now?

13. rob Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 6:44 am

    its simple, the red sox medical staff missed the severity of the injury, and i for one am happy that lowell is still with the team.

14. sttitirrjhrjroir Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 9:12 am

    Hey, amateur editors: Please shut the fuck up.

15. Mongo Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 9:35 am

    Fire bad! Mike Lowell good!

16. Editor in Chief Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Hey sttitirrjhrjroir, I take my job very seriously! I’m a professional!

17. Mister Caresalot Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 10:35 am

    Lowell can sit on the bench and collect his $12M next year for all I care. It’s the least the Sox can give him after making him play in the 2008 playoffs with that bad hip. They ruined his future by not shutting him down…..it’s the least they can do for him.

    Schill got his bone. Lowell deserves his. Without either one of these guys in 2007. The Sox never would have won a second championship this decade!

18. connewbury Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 10:51 am

    I wish Mike Lowell the best, which would be playing effectively with a fully healed hip and thumb. He’s the ultimate class act, unlike some of the postings here. Bradford, can we edit out the f-bombs, at least in this “good will toward all” season?

19. grandpa11 Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 11:04 am

    Hey Greg,check your usage,it’s then not than.

20. summerof67 Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 11:07 am

    I too wish Mike well. He is a class act and a gentleman, all the more impressive because he has gone through a number of trials that some of us can only imagine. It is a shame that the attempted trade played out like this, and perhaps Theo could have handled it better – if indeed it was Theo, and not Lucchino, who was dictating this deal. I suspect that Mike will be traded to an AL team sometime during spring training, after everyone has had a chance to inspect the thumb. Surely someone will need help at 3B or DH.

21. Rob+Mike4EVA Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 11:44 am

    Hey Rob,

    Did you get your main squeeze Mikey Lowell something naughty for Christmas? Maybe you’ll luck out and he’ll get you one of those pens that writes upside down. That’d be neato!

22. kris Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 12:07 pm

    In the grand scheme of things, the vast majority of us want mike lowell to stay in boston. throwing insults at the writer or fans only makes you seem like your brain is upside down. if you have nothing to add but insults, then find something else to do. i hope to see mike bounce back from the hip and thumb injuries asap and show the haters just what he’s made of!!!

23. Gwizz Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    Get him repaired so he’s well enough to be a back up DH, and first baseman. He can still hit, and he should be fine at first. Whats the big deal with this? Did Lowell sleep w/ Theo’s wife or something?

24. gramfan Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    Whether there was misdiagnosis or miscommunication doesn’t matter at this point. Mike will be back in a Boston uni come spring. I’m delighted. Hope the surgery and recovery goes well; and fervently hope Mike doesn’t try to do too much too soon as he surely did this past season.

25. Ferde Rombola Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Summerof67 said: “Surely someone will need help at 3B or DH.”

    Well, the Sox could definitely use a RH DH and having someone who can play 3B is a very handy way to rest Youk and Victor. If the Sox are willing to eat 9M of Mike’s contract, that means for another 3M they get the guy they need. What could be simpler?

26. kris Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm

    well said! for 3 mil the sox get an “07″ WS MVP as a 3rd baseman, 1st baseman or DH. with a player of his talent and flexability who wouldn’t want him. if he played football, i think the pats would appreciate a man of his integrity and talent. lets all appreciate what we have for our teams here. they are all doing well and hope it continues through 2010…

27. renee Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    I’M JUST GLAD WE STILL HAVE HIM!!!! So in that regard, thank God for the bum thumb!

28. Julia Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    I for one am GLAD this trade didn’t go down. Our lineup is pathetic and Lowell is not only a class act but the most clutch hitter on the team. I’m disgusted by how the Sox are treating him. He’s not freaking Manny Ramirez so stop with the finger pointing… He won the Sox a world series I can’t stand the short term memory loss ! He played on a bum hip until he couldn’t walk because he’s a winner and we NEED winners!

29. blueyes Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 6:12 pm

    Hey Matt: forget Greg’s typo — “than” instead of “then” …. what about professional writer Rob Bradford writing “not ME” (my caps for emphasis) instead of “not I.”?
    Love how journalists jump on athletes for mistakes, but the journalists butcher the English language worse than Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo botched grounders to short.

30. Emmett Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 6:31 pm

    Mrcaresalot you are correct, without lowell the Sox dont win in 07. Theo wants his own World Series, the first one was mostly the Duke, and 07 was mainly due to the trade that Jed and Ben made for Mikey and Josh. Dont be surprised if JB is the next to go.

31. Don Oreo Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 9:15 pm

    The Sox should go after Chone Figgins for 3rd base.

32. hamr Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 8:05 am

    Chone, pronounced Chone, not Shawn!! has allready moved on to Seattle!

33. peter Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am

    better yet pujols says he doesnt wanna sign with the cards and hates the yanks the only team that will have the money to pay him is the sox so why dont you keep the team you have now get pujols and then the top prospect first baseman and ofcourse other prospects and we could go get another good player like prince feilder for DH because iguess prince wants a lot of money the brewers wont pay so we could bring back that great left right

34. Tony from Bridgewater Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 9:20 am

    Kris this is NOT football you fool. Get a clue. The Sox need to get younger quick or they will become the New York Mets. Look at there long term signings over the past 5 years. They are now hamstrung in making any deals that would make them better. Let us move on from Mike Lowell. We ALL love him but “Jimmy crack corn”. When Figgins lays down a bunt in the 9th inning of a tie game do you want Mike Lowell running in to make the play? Be honest! I also know Mike Lowell has some gas left but it is low grade gas and when you use low grade gas the vehicle has a good chance of breaking down. Sox fans stop the whining and let’s move on.

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