One of the most valuable contributors to the Red Sox team of the past few years has been Mike Lowell. Few fans and personnel within the organization seem to recognize this, though.
In his time as a member of the Boston Red Sox (Lowell was acquired a few years back in the Ramirez/Beckett deal), Mike Lowell has always been a reliable source of offense and defense for the team. While he's entering his later years at 35, he's still effective. This past Tuesday night showcases his abilities, as his two home runs in the game against the Tigers won a game the Red Sox sorely needed.
All he's done is stay quiet and not complain despite having his playing time cut due to ongoing recovery from off-season hip surgery and the recent additions of Victor Martinez and Adam Laroche-then-Casey Kotchman that has resulted in a regular rotation of the corner infield positions. Since being acquired as a throw-in to the Josh Beckett-for-Hanley Ramirez and prospects deal prior to the 2006 season, the 35-year-old has been a consistent force at the hot corner, both with his glove and the bat. He could have felt slighted at how he was viewed coming into Fenway Park, but it didn't take long for Lowell to get over with the faithful.
Lowell had a great season in 2006, and nearly won the MVP award in 2007, as he drove in 120 runs and hit .324. 2008 was no friend to Lowell, as he missed almost 50 games with injury and the team nearly traded him away when they knew they had a shot at Mark Teixeira. Once again, visions of Adrian Gonzalez surfaced recently and Lowell was the trade bait.
It was always about trading Lowell away for one of these players, or to bench him in the event that they couldn't trade him after acquiring someone else. Many players would pain this situation in a negative light, and it might effect their attitude about their team. Lowell, however, has always been as classy as can be, going on with his duties and playing his best.
Fast forward to 2009, and Lowell is still a valuable contributor to the Boston team. While he's 35 years old and spent parts of the summer on the disabled list, he's still in the midst of a respectable season, with a .297 average, 13 home runs, and 57 runs batted in with just 323 at bats. These numbers are much better than those of David Ortiz.
When it comes to benching or trading a player, maybe our focus is on the wrong guy. We love stars in Boston and especially those that simply play hard, shut their mouths while doing so and want to win, baby, win. We have a great one in Mike Lowell and enjoy him while you can. If last off-season and the trading deadline this year were any indication, Lowell will once again be treated like a piece of coal by those that continue to search for diamonds they already are overlooking.
If only more players were like Mike Lowell... - 29967
In his time as a member of the Boston Red Sox (Lowell was acquired a few years back in the Ramirez/Beckett deal), Mike Lowell has always been a reliable source of offense and defense for the team. While he's entering his later years at 35, he's still effective. This past Tuesday night showcases his abilities, as his two home runs in the game against the Tigers won a game the Red Sox sorely needed.
All he's done is stay quiet and not complain despite having his playing time cut due to ongoing recovery from off-season hip surgery and the recent additions of Victor Martinez and Adam Laroche-then-Casey Kotchman that has resulted in a regular rotation of the corner infield positions. Since being acquired as a throw-in to the Josh Beckett-for-Hanley Ramirez and prospects deal prior to the 2006 season, the 35-year-old has been a consistent force at the hot corner, both with his glove and the bat. He could have felt slighted at how he was viewed coming into Fenway Park, but it didn't take long for Lowell to get over with the faithful.
Lowell had a great season in 2006, and nearly won the MVP award in 2007, as he drove in 120 runs and hit .324. 2008 was no friend to Lowell, as he missed almost 50 games with injury and the team nearly traded him away when they knew they had a shot at Mark Teixeira. Once again, visions of Adrian Gonzalez surfaced recently and Lowell was the trade bait.
It was always about trading Lowell away for one of these players, or to bench him in the event that they couldn't trade him after acquiring someone else. Many players would pain this situation in a negative light, and it might effect their attitude about their team. Lowell, however, has always been as classy as can be, going on with his duties and playing his best.
Fast forward to 2009, and Lowell is still a valuable contributor to the Boston team. While he's 35 years old and spent parts of the summer on the disabled list, he's still in the midst of a respectable season, with a .297 average, 13 home runs, and 57 runs batted in with just 323 at bats. These numbers are much better than those of David Ortiz.
When it comes to benching or trading a player, maybe our focus is on the wrong guy. We love stars in Boston and especially those that simply play hard, shut their mouths while doing so and want to win, baby, win. We have a great one in Mike Lowell and enjoy him while you can. If last off-season and the trading deadline this year were any indication, Lowell will once again be treated like a piece of coal by those that continue to search for diamonds they already are overlooking.
If only more players were like Mike Lowell... - 29967
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