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« Rumors and Questions | Main | White Sox To Keep Mike Myers? »
Sox Owner Hopes Lowell Stays
Congrats to Cubs, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks fans! What a finish this year has been.
At the beer-soaked madness that was Fenway last night, Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner dubbed Mike Lowell the team's MVP. The Boston Globe reports when Principal Owner John Henry was asked if Mike Lowell would be retained, he said, "In Florida, Mike played for me three years, my first three years [as Marlins owner]. We sort of grew up in the game together. It would be a wonderful thing."
As Tim pointed out here, Lowell could be open to a 2 year, $22MM contract to stay in Boston. But Lowell has seen a gradual resurgence in offensive production, filling in effectively for the injured Manny Ramirez, hitting .325 this year with 20 HR and 118 RBI, an all-time club best for Red Sox third basemen. Not to mention he plays arguably the best defense at his position in the American League. And when you consider the only other two third basemen certain to enter free agency are Pedro Feliz and Mike Lamb, I suspect the market will be ripe for a talent like Mike Lowell.
While they can move Kevin Youkilis back to third, expect the Sox to make an offer to Lowell. I would anticipate a 2 year deal, $20-24MM.
Posted by: Nat Boyle
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NOOOOOOO!
Now that I got that out of my system...For as much as I like Greg Dobbs I don't like the rest of that slop they throw out their at third. I was kinda hoping for the Phils to push for him.
Posted by: no funny hats | September 29, 2007 at 08:31 AM
there*. Damnit.
Posted by: no funny hats | September 29, 2007 at 08:31 AM
i think there's a good chance the sox give him as much as $30M over the two years. why nickel and dime him when he's worth probably $18M? what are they gonna do w/ that $4 or 5M? pay it to joel pineiro again?
i also wouldn't be shocked for a third year to pop in a deal. there's no one in their system who can play third (and wont be for a couple years with the junk heap of talent at the position).
also, youk is going get a gold glove at first, so i think its a "if ain't broke don't fix it" situation or in this case "if it ain't broke pay him what he wants"
Posted by: Nolan | September 29, 2007 at 12:03 PM
With all the talk about Garland being worth $12m plus 2 good prospects or Andruw being worth 4/$70 I have a hard time understanding Lowell at 2/22 or 2/24.
The guy plays premiere defense at a position where there is a scarcity of talent. He has played in the pressure cooker of Boston. And has proven to be a great club-house guy. If the Sox can sign him to a 2/24 deal that will be the best signing of the off-season.
Posted by: bjsguess | September 29, 2007 at 12:05 PM
With all the talk about Garland being worth $12m plus 2 good prospects or Andruw being worth 4/$70 I have a hard time understanding Lowell at 2/22 or 2/24.
The guy plays premiere defense at a position where there is a scarcity of talent. He has played in the pressure cooker of Boston. And has proven to be a great club-house guy. If the Sox can sign him to a 2/24 deal that will be the best signing of the off-season.
Posted by: bjsguess | September 29, 2007 at 12:06 PM
Well I never said I thought Andruw or Garland were worth that much. Scott Boras' projections for Andruw are predicated by Vernon Wells' ridiculous contract. Garland's is overpaid for one good year.
And I agree, if the Sox can sign him 2/24, that'll be the best signing of the offseason.
Posted by: Nat Boyle | September 29, 2007 at 12:29 PM
"And I agree, if the Sox can sign him 2/24, that'll be the best signing of the offseason."
We've got pieces to trade, signing a 34 year old coming off a career year to a 12 million a year contract is not a good idea. That being said I'm all for signing a 32 year old for 28-30 million a year. But thats a slightly different issue. Great person, great two years, great team mate. I'll take the two draft picks and thank him for his services.
Coco is going to be moved, Lowrie should be our starting SS next season if we hadn't spent 32 million bucks on a bad free agent signing but he's blocked and available. There is talk about starting Moss at 1b he's playing winterball there, and moving youk over. With Cris Carter as the backup 1b.
I wouldn't scream at a two year deal, but it has to be a two year deal if its made. This is another Damon situation, you want extra years? Have someone else pay you for them. He'll get offers.
Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | September 29, 2007 at 01:18 PM
Right, that's basically what I meant. I thought it was implied that he won't want a 2yr deal. He'll get a 3-4 yr deal somewhere else and the Sox will be happy getting draft picks. But I think there's a good case to be made for keeping him (conditionally of course) and the Sox might as well try for a bargain. Whether you view 11-12MM/year for a number 5-6 hitter and gold glove defense as a bargain is up for debate. Really, with the Sox, it was a stab in the dark. I thought they were frugal until Drew came along.
Posted by: Nat Boyle | September 29, 2007 at 01:54 PM
Way to much of a market for Lowell for him to settle for a two year deal. Off the top of my head, the following teams will be looking for new third basemen:
Dodgers
Giants
Angels, maybe
Detroit, maybe
Yankees, if A-Rod leaves, which I doubt
Red Sox
Orioles if they trade Tejada
Phillies
Astros
Posted by: andagh | September 29, 2007 at 04:46 PM
"Scott Boras' projections for Andruw are predicated by Vernon Wells' ridiculous contract."
While I fully agree that the TIMING of the contract was ridiculous, it is WAY too early to determine that the dollar figures were as well. Next year he makes 9m and in 2009 he makes 10m. It's only in 2010 that he starts making real dough, 21m. JP did a good job of backloading these deals, something I feel goes too unnoticed. Come back to me 2 years from today and then we can discuss, in August 2009's market, whether Vernon is worth 21m or not. We can certainly discuss the timing of the deal, which was absolutely atrocious and completely illogical other than to be able to sell tickets in the offseason, a tough thing to do for a team seemingly content with mediocrity.
Posted by: 92-93 | September 29, 2007 at 05:00 PM
"Scott Boras' projections for Andruw are predicated by Vernon Wells' ridiculous contract."
While I fully agree that the TIMING of the contract was ridiculous, it is WAY too early to determine that the dollar figures were as well. Next year he makes 9m and in 2009 he makes 10m. It's only in 2010 that he starts making real dough, 21m. JP did a good job of backloading these deals, something I feel goes too unnoticed. Come back to me 2 years from today and then we can discuss, in August 2009's market, whether Vernon is worth 21m or not. We can certainly discuss the timing of the deal, which was absolutely atrocious and completely illogical other than to be able to sell tickets in the offseason, a tough thing to do for a team seemingly content with mediocrity.
Posted by: 92-93 | September 29, 2007 at 05:07 PM
"Scott Boras' projections for Andruw are predicated by Vernon Wells' ridiculous contract."
While I fully agree that the TIMING of the contract was ridiculous, it is WAY too early to determine that the dollar figures were as well. Next year he makes 9m and in 2009 he makes 10m. It's only in 2010 that he starts making real dough, 21m. JP did a good job of backloading these deals, something I feel goes too unnoticed. Come back to me 2 years from today and then we can discuss, in August 2009's market, whether Vernon is worth 21m or not. We can certainly discuss the timing of the deal, which was absolutely atrocious and completely illogical other than to be able to sell tickets in the offseason, a tough thing to do for a team seemingly content with mediocrity.
Posted by: 92-93 | September 29, 2007 at 05:08 PM
"Way to much of a market for Lowell for him to settle for a two year deal."
I still think it all depends on what happens this post season. If he nails down a second ring you would think it would be easier to go somewhere else to get paid. Maybe I'm off about the mans motivation but if your looking to win over getting bank it makes more sense to sign for less and stay in Boston as they look like a team that is going to be competing for the next 5+ years, with a Beckett/Dice-K/Buchholz/Lester+ rotation.
"Orioles if they trade Tejada"
Ummm, Melvin Mora is their 3rd baseman and he is under contract till 09, with a 2010 club option. Unless you meant for monetary reasons, and moving to Mora to a different position which seems far fetched.
Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | September 29, 2007 at 10:21 PM
I would not mind seeing a 2yr deal for Lowell. I was hoping the sox would make a push for Arod, but the more I think about it the less interested I am.
Of course my opinion means nothing, but whatever.
30 mil to work with means we need to make sure the pitching is up to par for 08
Posted by: GoBoSox420 | September 29, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Uh, how is there a great market for Lowell considering he hits like a monster at Fenway and a little blah everywhere else?
Any other team buying Lowell besides the Red Sox will probably end up with a .780 OPS guy.
Posted by: DentalPlan | October 01, 2007 at 05:46 AM