The Tigers "have some interest" in Mike Lowell, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Lowell is in the midst of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket, and will play third base for the first time on Saturday. He hopes to be healthy enough to be activated next week.
With Brandon Inge set to miss four to six weeks with a broken hand, the Tigers are considering how to fill the void his injury leaves at third base. If they determine that Lowell is healthy and able to play the hot corner, he could be a low-cost replacement. While there is still about $4.76MM remaining on Lowell's 2010 contract, the Red Sox figure to pay nearly all of his salary if it means receiving even a mediocre prospect in return.
Lowell recently expressed pessimism about his trade stock to ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes, but a return to health for the 36-year-old could mean he draws a little more interest before July 31st.
No! This means that they might have less interest in Jose Lopez! Jose Lopez has to go!
I hope they can find somewhere for Mike to live out his twilight.
Clete Thomas, or Fu-Te Ni please?
Clete Thomas is out for the year with microfracture surgery on his knee.
Big fat meh.
I definitely called this.
I see a Bonderman for Lowell+ swap on the horizon.
Seriously?? That is not even funny. Bondo is right now our #3 starter and has a solid but not good or great record and ERA. You want us to give you him for a 3B that isn’t even in the Majors right now cause of health. 1 mediocre prospect for Lowell and 90% of his salary paid for.
Why would either team do that? Bonderman wouldn’t make the Red Sox rotation, and they have Doubront and Wakefield as insurance guys.
My main thought is that the salaries match up. I figured the + could be a pitcher to take Bonderman’s spot in the rotation. After all, Bonderman would be expendable if the Tigers acquired a pitcher.
G-money for Mike Lowell?! 😀
Can Lowell catch?
No, but if they were looking to receive mediocrity in return for Lowell, that’d be the definition right there.
I can see how it doesn’t make sense for the Tigers, seeing as even though Laird is God awful with the bat, they really don’t have much catching depth. It was merely a joke. Haha
Well, I suppose anything involving Gerald Laird = joke.
I think Lowell could actually prove to be an upgrade for inge at the plate even at this age. With Don Kelly on the bench he could serve as a good defensive replacement late in games. If the tigers get this trade done parting with only a mediocre prospect, it could be a perfect fit
Please, for the love of god… No.
might as well stick it out with sizemore and kelly. see if sizemore can get to swinging the stick a little better. kelly has a very underrated glove so just stand pat.
Just trade him already!
Lowell is not going to be able to play 3B on an everyday basis. No idea why all this fuss id being made, the guy can barely move, he’s like Bill “scrap iron” Buckner was, except worse.. It’s his hip and not his lower leg that is permanently messed up for baseball purposes.
As for the Bonderman swap above.. No starters please and especially no better than Wakefield, the current Sox 6th starter they already have no room for. A mediocre prospect and boston will probably gladly pay his entire salary at this point. the guy (lowell) has always (except 2005) been a really good hitter with regular at bats and see no reason for that not to continue, just let him play in the field at 3B/1B 2-3 times a week and DH a couple times a week, the guy is a real gamer and team leader.
Your assessment of Lowell’s defensive ability is right on target. He has the capacity to hit far better than Billy Buckner though. He’s solely DH and limited 1B material. I’d be lying to you if I said he could cover 3B on a once per week basis. Only in an emergency.
We don’t want Bonderman or even a mediocre prospect. All we want is salary. We won’t be offering to pay any of it.
If you want us to pay salary, fine, but then you can expect to give up a b-/c+ prospect. Otherwise, Lowell is fine right where he is. We’re not under any pressure to move him. I think it would be better for both of us if we get a pure salary dump and you get to keep all of your talent.
Could the Sox get Casey Fien or Alfredo Figaro? If the Sox could pull off Lowell +cash for either one of those, I’d be thrilled. But perhaps it’s just a pipe dream…
Uhhm, what about that 2007 WS Championship they both brought us, with Lowell as MVP, Beckett deserving the Cy (20-7)? I believe they were worth what was given up to the Marlins. Hanley Ramirez was far from a sure thing at the time of the trade, and is only now coming into the stud status that he had the potential for. He easily could have busted or been injured. As it turns out, both teams got value.
I agree with you that Lowell cannot fill your hole at 3B.
I’m not saying its clear either way, but there is definitely solid debate for whether that trade was good or bad. Hanley Ramirez might have put them over the top in 08 or 09, and the salary they saved from Lowell and Beckett could’ve brought in other key guys. I don’t think its fair to say the trade is justified just because both guys were key contributors on one World Series team. Of course at the time of the trade no one thought Hanley would become this, but that isn’t the argument…the argument is with hindsight was it a good deal? One thing is for sure, Beckett has been a big disappointment every year outside of 07, and Lowell hasn’t performed on this contract while Hanley might be the most unique player in baseball. So yeah the World Series was great, but going foward Hanley has way more value than Beckett and Lowell.
I would not call Beckett a disappointment over his career with Boston. The AL east has wrecked many good pitchers over the years and Beckett has managed to go 55-34 over the last 4 years and 5-1 in the post season. Those are hardly disappointing numbers.
More like who aren’t the Yankees interested in?
….. Except that being on a 95+ win team every year has really helped that record. And the fact that they’re a large market team with a large market offense…