FORT MYERS, Fla. — According to Red Sox third base coach and infield instructor Tim Bogar, you would never know Mike Lowell’s previous professional experience at first base consisted of four minor league games in 1999.

“He’s fine. That transition’s not a problem for him,” Bogar said. “His big thing was working on picking balls in the dirt and footwork stuff. We did that a couple of days. He’s a natural at it. Great hands. Two days we’ve hit him buckets of balls at first base with low throws and stuff. He’s just professional. We had to talk about a couple of technique things, ways he likes to do things and way he doesn’t but other than that he took right to it.”

Lowell, Bogar, and Red Sox manager Terry Francona all said the plan right now is to have the infielder start his initial spring training game Monday at City of Palms Park, starting at first base.

The appearance will be a culmination of three weeks of work at first, that has included Bogar peppering Lowell with grounders and information regarding how to position himself on the other side of the diamond.

“Mikey doesn’t surprise me because he’s such a great fielder. His hands are so good,” Bogar said. “The other thing too is that he understands the game so moving a guy like that to a different position he understands what to do over there. It’s not like you have to explain a lot of things to him. There are going to be a couple of plays that are going to be foreign to him because he’s never seen it. But once he gets there and sees it in game situations it will be fine.

Perhaps the one thing that has yet to be determined is how improved Lowell’s range might be this year compared to last season. Without game action, Bogar points out that it is difficult to decipher exactly how mobile the 36-year-old will be, particularly at his new position.

“He’s moving better, obviously. And it looks as though he’s swinging the bat better, also,” Bogar said. “We haven’t tested him a lot because it’s one of those things where until you get in the game and see that’s when you’re going to have to make that judgment. But he’s moving fine. Coming to get balls he’s moving really good. When we do slow rollers and stuff like that he’s moving really well.”

5 Comments for “Bogar on Lowell at first: ‘He’s a natural at it’”

1. donna Says:
   March 14th, 2010 at 9:52 am

   Of course he’s a natural. What? No one already knew that? Remember the ovation he got in Florida when he returned to that park as a Red Sox player? They’ll miss him when he’s gone. No faith. I wish him every good thing this game can offer him. I wish he were staying here. Why do the good ones always get shafted? It’s not Beltre’s fault but wait until he strikes out a few times. Fans are not very patient.

2. Linda Says:
   March 14th, 2010 at 1:03 pm

   The Red Sox are going to regret it if they trade Lowell. They need to keep him around. If he is a natural at first why not keep him to play first, third and DH. They need his bat. They need him on the team. I am not looking forward to going to the games if Lowell is not going to be on the team. Fan’s will not be patient if these other guys don’t get hits and keep leaving men on base and striking out all the time. If Lowell leaves he will be back but when he comes back it will be on the opposing team and then Theo will see how wrong he was!

3. LindaJ Says:
   March 14th, 2010 at 2:16 pm

   Right on! Beckett said in an interview last year that the player he’s learned the most from is Mike Lowell: “He’s a baseball wizard.” I hope he has a “Mike Lowell” year and leaves egg on the face of the FO.

4. The troll Says:
   March 14th, 2010 at 6:42 pm

   Lowell will have a better year no matter which team he ends up with then Fat ass Ortiz the juicer. He is tearing the cover off the ball 068. This guy is done. Just like this team the Yankees will bury them by the All-star break.

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