Hey, Boston, I’ve got a message for you. Lay off Mike Lowell.
Some hullaballoo has arisen from the fact that Mike Lowell admitted he was none too thrilled with the prospect of the Sox gaining Mark Teixeira, which likely would have led to Lowell being traded. Some bloggers have written Mike Lowell off as a whiner, someone who doesn’t understand the business of baseball. There’s a couple of problems with painting that picture of Lowell.
First, let’s read Lowell’s entire quote.
I was delighted, man. At first there were a lot of rumors that were floating around. So I went to my sources and I was assured by several of them that this was a legit thing. I’m not going to jump the gun, or anything. You feel hurt, but I think that’s a normal human reaction that anyone would have. It just kind of shows you that sometimes this sport is really a business and you have to treat it that way and you go from there. It doesn’t take away any excitement or how I like the guys who I play with on the field. I’m on a team that has a chance to win the World Series. I don’t know too many people who can say that, even in the big leagues that each year you’re on a team that has a chance to win the World Series. I’m still really excited about that, but it wasn’t the greatest process in the world.
Some journalist desperate for a story (it HAS been an uneventful spring) likely asked Lowell how he felt when the Teixeira talks were going on. What kind of an answer do you expect? Lowell took a hometown discount to remain with the Sox, which should and does endear him to the fans. Of course he wasn’t happy about the prospect of being traded. If he had wanted to play for another team, he could have done so for more money. But he wanted to stay with the Sox, and he was justified in being a little miffed.
Second, if you read the entire statement, at least half of it, if we take him at his word, should assure us that Lowell isn’t going to pull a Nomar and pout. He’s still going to go out there and compete every day. He’s not going to hold any grudges.
Steve Buckley tears Lowell to pieces, saying he should know by now that baseball is a business and, basically, he’s a fool if that’s never occurred to him. This is sensationalistic journalism in the raw. Mike Lowell knew the sport was a business, but that’s not what he’s chosen to focus on. He chooses to focus on playing the game. The players who focus on the business aspect don’t exactly give us fans warm and fuzzy feelings, do they?
Douglas then proceeds to quote Theo Epstein as saying “All I can tell you is that when given the opportunity to get something off his chest to me and Tito face to face, he didn’t say anything” and then tells Lowell that if he didn’t say anything to Epstein’s face, he should put the issue to rest. But let’s look at this from another perspective. Epstein was likely asked, possibly by the same reporter, if he knew that Lowell’s feelings had been hurt by the Teixeira talks. It’s no secret that the Red Sox oppose communicating with their players through the media, and I don’t believe that was Epstein’s intention. He simply responded with a statement of fact and left it at that. And one final point: Lowell needs to put the issue to rest? The statement was a response to a question asked to him by a member of the media. He didn’t call a press conference. He didn’t bring up the issue himself. It was the media, and it is now time for the media to lay off.
After all, if we need a third baseman to pick apart, we know where to find one.
This is a rationalization. The man signed a contract. If he honors it, it’s $55.5M from the Sox. He wants to play - great - I’m all for that. But he can’t run, has little range with the glove, and he can still hit I believe, but how many days in a row can he play, and what will his net worth be to the team in 2010? Theo looked into that and decided that it wasn’t enough, and got Beltre, even without trading Lowell.
The word was from the radio and newspaper guys that once VMart was obtained and Lowell’s time went down, he didn’t like it and started to complain - behind closed doors again - fine.
But then a reporter asks him about his thumb and he threw the Sox medical staff under the bus. Even if true, is this what a man who wants to play for a team does? In fact, the Sox were so upset the team’s Assistant GM made a statement which basically opposed Lowell - within 15 hours.
Now he gives interviews when he says he wants to start and doesn’t see it here. Holley last week spent a whole show talking about his multiple sources saying that Lowell was creating all sorts of problems internally in an effort to get out of Boston.
Great Mike, shut up. If he goes someplace else, to get 50-150 more PA’s (if there is such a place), they will be paying the minimum part of Lowell’s $12M contract, and the Sox will have to pick it up - so that Lowell is in better position for a contract next year.
He is not honoring his contract, which the Sox must. He is not keeping his mouth shut, including potentially lying or stretching the truth on his thumb. He is agitating to leave. The myth that he is “classy” and a “quiet clubhouse leader” are exposed for what they are - a lie.
If I was Theo, I’d play him every inning in ST and the regular season until he breaks down (about April 6th) put him on the 60 day DL and screw his chances for anything else but a minor league invite.
And still people suck up this common thief’s garbage. Sickening.