SATURDAY, 1:11pm: The Twins' field staff is lobbying for Lowell as their need for that type of player is obvious, tweets Rosenthal. However, the front office has concerns about his salary and durability.
FRIDAY, 5:26pm: The Red Sox are in trade talks with the Twins and Rangers about third baseman Mike Lowell, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. The Angels, who recently learned that Kendry Morales will definitely miss the remainder of the season with a fractured leg, are said to be "hovering."
With the strong play of Adrian Beltre and Kevin Youkilis, plus David Ortiz's May resurgence, the 36-year-old Lowell has become a sparsely used and expensive bench player. He's in the lineup tonight, but overall he's received just 25 plate appearances over the last month and is hitting .225/.313/.338 on the season.
The Rangers have been connected to Lowell dating back to the offseason, when they had a deal in place to acquire him. Minnesota third basemen are hitting just .211/.281/.281 on the year, so it's a clear position of upgrade. The Mariners and White Sox have also expressed interest in Lowell this month, who is still owed approximately $7.4MM through the end of the season.
In a second tweet, Rosenthal mentions that Boston will likely explore the market for an outfielder, which could tie into a potential Lowell deal. Both Jeremy Hermida and Jacoby Ellsbury are on the disabled list, and Mike Cameron is playing with an abdominal tear.
If Lowell is traded to either team, even if the Red Sox eat all of his salary, they can’t expect to get anything of significant value.
With the LAAA already having $80M committed for 2011, they may be looking for a salary dump. I think the RS would prefer a prospect or two though, unless Theo sees a possible reclamation project.
Except Lowell isnt worth a prospect or two.
Still hasnt proved his thumb/hip can stand up to you know- actually playing baseball.
They need a reliever for Lowell, but ain’t going to get one, not at least that is going to help them is best can see is some marginal type prospect, much like Max Ramirez that was offered before and only then if Boston pays virtually all of Lowell’s salary.
This is just being done to give Lowell a last chance at a few AB’s it feels like, nothing more.
Got to love NYY fans who don’t (or unable) to understand that Lowell is not being looked at by anyone as a starting 3B anyway, but as a PH, 3B/1B fill in and P/T DH.
I’d be stunned if the Twin go for Lowell. With their strong emphasis on defense I just don’t see Lowell as a prototypical Twins player. On the other hand Texas, who don’t place so much emphasis on defense but more on power, should make a move for him. He fits in perfectly with what their trying to do. Even though I know Boston is selling Lowell as a PH, teams will definitely ask him to play 3B every once and a while to give another player a day off. Who knows?
For me Lowell should bow down and just retire. He’s had a pretty respectable career and I think he senses that he has not much to contribute.
Why wouldn’t Lowell fit? Sure his range isn’t as good as it once was but he fields anything that is hit at him. That is is Twins baseball, not a guy who can get to a ball 5 feet away, but a guy who will day in and day out make the plays he can.
With his hip, can he even play 3B regularly, or with enough skill to even be average at the position now? I’d think that he’d be confined to 1B or even to DH. We’ve already got Jim Thome on the roster so I don’t know what use we could have for Lowell.
He actually played good at first earlier this year and still has range. I’m sure if the twins are going after him they think he can play semi-regularly at third or first (probably 3rd).
The Red Sox should be pretty close to happy if they can get the roster spot back while controlling where he ends up (ie not NYY). It’d be great if they work out a Lowell-plus-mondo-dinero for PTBNL deal with MN where it’s Glen Perkins or someone vaguely useful if Lowell stays healthy, but the Ghost of Someone Awful if he goes on the DL or totally sucks.
If Lowell + $$$ for Perkins is the deal, as a Twins fan, I’d be happy
He actually played good at first earlier this year and still has range. I’m sure if the twins are going after him they think he can play semi-regularly at third or first (probably 3rd).
With his hip, can he even play 3B regularly, or with enough skill to even be average at the position now? I’d think that he’d be confined to 1B or even to DH. We’ve already got Jim Thome on the roster so I don’t know what use we could have for Lowell.
Why wouldn’t Lowell fit? Sure his range isn’t as good as it once was but he fields anything that is hit at him. That is is Twins baseball, not a guy who can get to a ball 5 feet away, but a guy who will day in and day out make the plays he can.
i hope this is for a decent bullpen arm
I wish they’d just release him. The Yankees would sign him in a heartbeat to DH and spell Arod at 3b once in awhile.
That’s why they won’t release him ;)
That’s why they won’t release him ;)
I wish they’d just release him. The Yankees would sign him in a heartbeat to DH and spell Arod at 3b once in awhile.
Well hes pretty much a dh at this point but I think he can put up good offensive numbers. Whoever gets him is lucky because they wont have to give up much as well. I wish the red sox could keep him but it sucks seeing him sit on the bench.
Well hes pretty much a dh at this point but I think he can put up good offensive numbers. Whoever gets him is lucky because they wont have to give up much as well. I wish the red sox could keep him but it sucks seeing him sit on the bench.
Let me guess they’ll ask for another physical and then the same crap will happen again.
One has to wonder how much Lowell would have helped the Rangers thus far if not for that minor thumb injury that they nullified the deal on anyway. That had nothing to do with his hip and he has not been bad at 1B and 3B in extremely limited play has seemed about like last year so far.
Thumb injury didn’t stop him from being available from the start of the season and he was hitting very well when getting semi regular play earlier. Got to think Texas dropped the ball on that one, cause Ramirez would have never gotten an AB yet at mlb level with Boston and has performed poorly for Texas. Not that Boston can hope to get anything remotely better back quality wise in a trade, but perhaps a different player of the same type this time.
Let me guess they’ll ask for another physical and then the same crap will happen again.
As much as the bullpen needs help, what relief pitcher would Lowell get back from these teams? From Texas or MN? Can’t see either dealing MLB bullpen talent. THe White Sox would undoubtedly move Linebrink for Lowell (or anyone, for that matter), and that would be an upgrade for the Red Sox bullpen, but it is a very unlikely deal.
The Red Sox defintely need OF help, but any deal with Texas or Minnesota won’t get an MLB-caliber OF, not for Lowell anyway, and neither of these teams has a contract they’d like to dump that makes sense…
“Can’t see either dealing MLB bullpen talent”
I’d say you can have Crain.. but you mentioned talent.
As much as the bullpen needs help, what relief pitcher would Lowell get back from these teams? From Texas or MN? Can’t see either dealing MLB bullpen talent. THe White Sox would undoubtedly move Linebrink for Lowell (or anyone, for that matter), and that would be an upgrade for the Red Sox bullpen, but it is a very unlikely deal.
The Red Sox defintely need OF help, but any deal with Texas or Minnesota won’t get an MLB-caliber OF, not for Lowell anyway, and neither of these teams has a contract they’d like to dump that makes sense…
Jacque Jones from the Twins for Mike Lowell. Jacque is hitting .325 in AAA… Only it would be a shame to trade him away after the standing ovation he got from the crowd in his first AB in Spring Training.
Jacque Jones from the Twins for Mike Lowell. Jacque is hitting .325 in AAA… Only it would be a shame to trade him away after the standing ovation he got from the crowd in his first AB in Spring Training.
Dark Star says the trade would be Brendan Harris, low grade prospect for Mike Lowell and cash.
Not bad at all! What are we giving him for playing time? Skipping over him just to call up our kids from AAA… Lowell would easily get some playing time at 3B. ANYTHING to keep Punto from hitting. I was thinking the Sox would want a decent OF for Lowell? Him or Crain… Take ’em.
Not bad at all! What are we giving him for playing time? Skipping over him just to call up our kids from AAA… Lowell would easily get some playing time at 3B. ANYTHING to keep Punto from hitting. I was thinking the Sox would want a decent OF for Lowell? Him or Crain… Take ’em.
My apologies for double posting.
What about Repko?
Red Sox send Mike Lowell + money & PTBNL to Twins
Red Sox send Jacoby Ellsbury & Ryan Lavarnway to Rangers
Twins send type B prospect to Rangers
Red Sox send Felix Doubront to Rangers
Rangers send Josh Hamilton to Red Sox
That’s quite the dream there bub; i mean i am sure the Rangers would pull the trigger on this one immediately while they are in a pennant race, are trying to build around Hamilton and Ellsbury is probably out until at least late July early August.
What in the hell did you just say
Thought the Rangers had enough catchers without adding yet another in Lavarnway, much less a masher like him who was the Sox ML offensive player of the year last season and has already put up 13HR, 49 RBI, .292 AVG, .393 OBP and a .911 OPS in the 1st half of this season at High A ball this year and the 23 YO Lefty SP Doubront who has been outstanding (again) at both AA and AAA.
Those 2 and Ellsbury for Hamilton? Don’t think so, does not help Boston any, just gives the Twins a decent backup 3B/1B/DH/PH for probably nothing.
Thought the Rangers had enough catchers without adding yet another in Lavarnway, much less a masher like him who was the Sox ML offensive player of the year last season and has already put up 13HR, 49 RBI, .292 AVG, .393 OBP and a .911 OPS in the 1st half of this season at High A ball this year and the 23 YO Lefty SP Doubront who has been outstanding (again) at both AA and AAA.
Those 2 and Ellsbury for Hamilton? Don’t think so, does not help Boston any, just gives the Twins a decent backup 3B/1B/DH/PH for probably nothing.
please Boston take Harris off our hands and give us a good hitter that would be two wins for the Twins (taking away a 3b who gets hardly any hits for a veteran 3b with offense) please get this done Bill b4 they change their mind…
I don’t see the point of the Rangers acquiring Lowell. There really doesn’t seem to be any place for him on the roster. Even if the Red Sox pay his way and give him up for future considerations…why take him? I’d have to believe that one of his other suitors is better off with him on their team and maybe can throw him some decent playing time?
And Daniel Nava might have secured himself a temporary job in LF
Twins do not need a 3rd baseman. Especially Mike Lowell. Rookie Danny Valencia is thier next 3rd baseman. DO NOT WANT MIKE LOWELL IN TWINS UNIFORM. -Twins fans