Bringing back Mike Lowell a priority?

[JoeSixPat]

I think I heard a report on the radio that re-signing Mike Lowell in the offseason will be a priority of the team...

Good to hear in my opinion, as opposed to locking $300 million into A-Rod for the next 10 years, especially after he gets implicated in Canseco's next steroids book...

I can accept that A-Rod's overall season #s are better than Lowell

But I can also accept the fact that we can get to the post season without A-Rod's $30 mil a season - especially if we use that $30 mil elsewhere

Now this should cause one to examine what A-Rod's post season production is... at first appearance it seems he might get a bad rap

Post season A-Rod has a .279 batting average, a .361 OBP and a .483 slugging average over 10 post-season series going back to his time with Seattle.

Lowell however only has a .261 batting average, a .340 OBP and a .443 slugging average, over 6 post season series (including the not yet completed World Series)

Of course one needs to look a little deeper and determine how A-Rod and Lowell both do when it counts the most.

With 4 fewer post seasons series, A-Rod has the same number of RBIs - 17... as Lowell

Over his last 3 post-season series, Lowell has 12 of his 17 RBIs...

Over his last 3 post-season series, A-Rod has just 1 - only 1 - RBI.

So that is a big red flag, with Lowell playing at his best when the heat is on and men are in scoring position - and A-Rod doing just the opposite.

So since we're all confident that we can get to the playoffs without A-Rod's $30 million salary, who would you rather have come the post-season when it really counts?

Is A-Rod really worth 10x the money you'd pay for Lowell? And even if you overpay Lowell by extending him a year more than you might like to - isn't he still a bargain compared to A-Rod?

 

[Foley]

As I asked before when the same topic was brought up, would you be unhappy if Boston traded for Jake Peavy or Vlad Guerrero and signed them to a long extention? Because both of them have horrible postseason numbers.

Keep what Lowell did this year is perspective. He has never hit above .293 before this year, he had never had an OBP above .365 before this year, and he had never had more than 105RBI before this year. While Lowell will still ba a solid offensive player, and it is unreasonable to expect him to do something like this again. Also keep what ARod did this postseason in perspective: Its difficult to drive in runs when no one gets on base, which was the case with the NYY lineup come October. ARod left a total of 6 men on base the entire postseason, which is not that much considering that Lowell has had entire game where he's left on about the same number. He had a legitimately awful postseason in 2006, but his postseason this year really wasn't as bad as people want to make it out to be.

And ARod wont get $30M a season nor will he get a 10 year contract. Boras said he'd get Damon a 7 year deal and he'd get Vatirek a 5 year deal with a no trade clause. Hes posturing and coming out with a big outlandish first offer that will never come to fruition. Its what he always does.

 

[Boston Boxer]

i would say yes it is a priority, but i doubt he comes back. He want a 3 years deal and we are not going down that road for an older guy like Lowell. Don't get me wrong, i love the guy, but i doubt he keeps this level of play up and i think we will move Youk to 3rd and look for a 1B.

 

[JoeSixPat]

i would say yes it is a priority, but i doubt he comes back. He want a 3 years deal and we are not going down that road for an older guy like Lowell. Don't get me wrong, i love the guy, but i doubt he keeps this level of play up and i think we will move Youk to 3rd and look for a 1B.

So, let me get this straight... we're concerned about Mike Lowell's production going down because of age at the end of a three year contract that would probably be less than half of what A-Rod will demand per year.

But many are eager to give A-Rod a 10 year contract (well that's probably what he'd demand) at @ $30 million per year.

Is everyone aware that Lowell is just one year older than A-Rod?

 

[IcyPatriot]

If we had a 1st or 2nd base prospect in the system then I would hesitate to sign him for 3 years. All we have is Chris Carter (25) and Aaron Bates (23) in the sytem. Most, if not all the 1b and 3b prospects of any worth are a few years away from being FA's. I would overpay for Lowell, the return you get in the clubhouse for him more than offsets the overpaying.

 

[Fixit]

I love Lowell, so they must keep him.

If, God forbid, Theo signs Rodriguez, I'll quit the Sox until he's gone.

 

[JoeSixPat]

If we had a 1st or 2nd base prospect in the system then I would hesitate to sign him for 3 years. All we have is Chris Carter (25) and Aaron Bates (23) in the sytem. Most, if not all the 1b and 3b prospects of any worth are a few years away from being FA's. I would overpay for Lowell, the return you get in the clubhouse for him more than offsets the overpaying.

I guess I come down to the point that the market dynamics dictate we're going to overpay for a thirdbaseman.

It's a question of whether we're going to overpay Lowell or overpay A-Rod.

Lowell's 33 years old -causing many to question what he'll contribute in year 3 (or even year 4) of a multi-year contract that someone will likely offer him if not us... he'd be 36 or 37 at the end of a contract that would probably pay him about $12 million a season I'm guessing.

A-Rod's 32 years old - and no one seems the least bit concerned about paying him $30 million a season when, in years 7, 8, 9 & 10 - i.e. ages 38-42 - he's unable to field and questionable at DH.

Why do we want to lock ourselves in with a 38 - 42 year old DH at $30 million a year right now?

We don't even know who's going to be available in free agency 5 years down the line - maybe there's another Big Papi!?

And seeing what A-Rod's RBI record in the post season is in his prime, why do we think he's going to get dramatically better as he slows and ages?

I'm just not understanding this - I'd much prefer to have Mike Lowell and another starting pitcher, and take my chances on who might be available in free agency 3 or 4 years down the line than commit $300 million to A-Rod.

A-Rod's good - but not that good - not by a longshot - and only in the regular season.

 

[patriotspride]

the sox need to resign lowell.fenway was made for him.and with papi and manny hitting in front of him there is every reason to expect him to produce like he has this year .

 

[IcyPatriot]

the sox need to resign lowell.fenway was made for him.and with papi and manny hitting in front of him there is every reason to expect him to produce like he has this year .

No question about it ... like Schilling, Lowell reinvented himself. Before, being a dead pull hitter and now he's learn to spray the ball wherever. Absolutely made for Fenway as he's lost some of his power, but doesn't need it to jack one off the wall ... I love it.

 

[patriotspride]

No question about it ... like Schilling, Lowell reinvented himself. Before, being a dead pull hitter and now he's learn to spray the ball wherever. Absolutely made for Fenway as he's lost some of his power, but doesn't need it to jack one off the wall ... I love it.

plus the guy loves playing here .when you love where you work you perform better .

 

[patsfanofNC12]

yes I don't want another Alex Gonzalez story

 

[Water Boy]

If the sox sign A-Rod I will relinquish my red sox fan membership card. Its insanely expensive to see a game at Fenway. I could'nt stomach the thought of laying down that kind of money so an A-hole like A-rod can make 30 million a year - not to mention the 14 million a year they are paying Drew.

 

[Boston Boxer]

So, let me get this straight... we're concerned about Mike Lowell's production going down because of age at the end of a three year contract that would probably be less than half of what A-Rod will demand per year.

But many are eager to give A-Rod a 10 year contract (well that's probably what he'd demand) at @ $30 million per year.

Is everyone aware that Lowell is just one year older than A-Rod?

i never said i wanted AFRAUD...I say the Sox will not give Lowell a three year deal

 

[JoeSixPat]

To give some further perspective here....

Daisuke Matsuzaka has more postseason RBIs this year than Alex Rodriguez does this year... and last year... and the year before.

A-Rod, PostSeason Stats 2005, 2006, 2007 = 44 AB & 1 RBI.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think that the Sox will bring back Lowell. This team is built to win not only this year but take a peek into next year....


SP: Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Bucholtz, Wakefield,

I don't think that they will bring back Schilling


Ellsbury
Pedoria
Papi
Manny
Yopuk
Lowell
Drew
Tek
Lugo (although they do have a kid in the minors who could puch him)

3-leftys, 4 rigthys, 2-SH

 

[patriotspride]

I think that the Sox will bring back Lowell. This team is built to win not only this year but take a peek into next year....


SP: Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Bucholtz, Wakefield,

I don't think that they will bring back Schilling


Ellsbury
Pedoria
Papi
Manny
Yopuk
Lowell
Drew
Tek
Lugo (although they do have a kid in the minors who could puch him)

3-leftys, 4 rigthys, 2-SH

Yopuk???

 

[wistahpatsfan]

I think that the Sox will bring back Lowell. This team is built to win not only this year but take a peek into next year....


SP: Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Bucholtz, Wakefield,

I don't think that they will bring back Schilling


Ellsbury
Pedoria
Papi
Manny
Yopuk
Lowell
Drew
Tek
Lugo (although they do have a kid in the minors who could puch him)

3-leftys, 4 rigthys, 2-SH

I think Wake might retire this year. Can't imagine him playing anywhere else. I think the Sox will go get another front-line starter and sign Lowell for less than the cost of Rodriguez.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think Wake might retire this year. Can't imagine him playing anywhere else. I think the Sox will go get another front-line starter and sign Lowell for less than the cost of Rodriguez.

The bottom line is that there are just two top tier 3rd basemen on the free agent market... A-Rod and Lowell.

So since the demand is higher than the supply, its a given that one is going to overpay and give more years than they'd want to.

So overpaying the 33 year old Lowell to the tune of 1-2 years more more than I'd like at a max of $15 mil a season (i.e. $30 million max) strikes me as the lesser of two evils compared to overpaying the 32 year old Rodriguez to the tune of 4-6 years more than I'd like at a max of $30 million a season. (i.e. $180 million max)

If there's some reason why one shouldn't be worried about A-Rod's skills deteriorating at age 36-42 when everyone seems certain that a 35 year old Lowell won't be able to play I'd like to know about it.

 

[scout]

I think that the Sox will bring back Lowell. This team is built to win not only this year but take a peek into next year....


SP: Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Bucholtz, Wakefield,

I don't think that they will bring back Schilling


Ellsbury
Pedoria
Papi
Manny
Yopuk
Lowell
Drew
Tek
Lugo (although they do have a kid in the minors who could puch him)

3-leftys, 4 rigthys, 2-SH

I sure wouldn't write off Lugo. He's made some clutch plays in the field and has contributed with some timely hits lately. Then you get a huge advantage when he gets on the bases. Francona stated Dice-K would need a year before he hit stride. I think Lugo needs also needs a year.
The most important position that the Sox need a prodigy is catching.

 

[DarrylS]

I sure wouldn't write off Lugo. He's made some clutch plays in the field and has contributed with some timely hits lately. Then you get a huge advantage when he gets on the bases. Francona stated Dice-K would need a year before he hit stride. I think Lugo needs also needs a year.
The most important position that the Sox need a prodigy is catching.

I agree, and would like to see Lowell signed to a reasonable 3 year extension, is there any reason that Lowell and Youk can flip flop??? 1st base is a good place for Lowell to end up??