Infielder Brett Lawrie, who reached the open market when he was released recently by the White Sox, is not going to sign in the immediate future, according to a statement issued by his agent, Joe Urbon of CAA Baseball (via Jim Boweden of ESPN.com). Lawrie will instead first complete his rehab before seeking a new organization.
According to the statement, Lawrie “still has minor soft-tissue discomfort in his lower body.” Urbon says that the issue arose as “a result of the orthotics [Lawrie] was given last year.” The infielder has previously discussed that matter, saying at the time that he felt he was on track to return to full strength.
While Urbon says that Lawrie is “responding well to his current course of treatment,” he adds that his client is “intent on getting to 100 percent health before signing with a new organization.” It’s not immediately clear just how much of a delay that stance could cause, or what course his camp is planning. It’s certainly possible, though, that Lawrie will rest up and re-start his training, perhaps even working out for interested teams before agreeing to a new deal.
From a strategic perspective, perhaps there’s reason to believe this approach will help Lawrie wait out an attractive opportunity. There has been some initial interest in the veteran, who has long played third base and spent most of his time more recently at second. But it’s far from clear whether he’d be able to earn more than an opportunity to earn a reserve or platoon role at this stage.
Looking at things from a somewhat broader perspective, Lawrie only turned 27 in January, so it probably won’t hurt for him to take some time plotting the next phase of his career. He has not yet quite lived up to the high hopes placed upon him early on, and hasn’t produced enough to merit regular playing time, but he’s also undoubtedly a useful player. Over the past six seasons, Lawrie owns a .261/.315/.419 batting line (101 OPS+) and has rarely strayed too far from the mean offensively. He’s a good baserunner who once rated as an elite defender at third, though metrics have soured on his glovework more recently.
Get healthy Brett. Team Canada needs u in the wbc finals
Might not be able to pass the physical yet if a team signs him right now.
Alternate headline:
Teams Not Ready to Pursue MLB Contract with Brett Lawrie
This is more likely the truth. He can’t sign with a team if no one wants him. He is waiting for an injury and hoping someone takes a chance.
“still has minor soft-tissue discomfort in his lower body”
Be more vague!
Can’t be much worse than the NHL, where every injury is an “upper-body injury” or “lower-body injury.”
Sounds like he needs some Pepto-Bismol
Right?! It can’t be a legit injury. Lawrie and his agent were trying to put a good spin on involuntary unemployment. There is no way a pro baseball player has a legitimate injury but doesn’t know where other than a soft-tissue below the belt. And no pro doctor is going to call an actual injury to a real body part “soft tissue discomfort in the lower body”.
At some point he and Gordon Beckham need to be roommates
The guy is a whiner complainer and glad he is off the Sox. There is just something off about the guy.
It’s just his ADHD, the temper tantrums are probably just a side effect of the meds
Maybe gonna take some time off? Travel a bit? Recharge the batteries?
I wish him well. He was a fun player to watch during the short time he was with the White Sox.
Safe to say no player in the 70s 80s or 90s would have ever used an excuse of minor soft tissue discomfort for time away from the game .
Yeah, they were underpaid, played through injuries and were generally retired by 30.
Back in my day we had to play baseball uphill.
Both ways!!
I love how the 70s 80s and 90s always get lumped together. That sounds like my son who was born in 2003…in his mind somehow Led Zeppelin and Nirvana are contemporaries. Oh you can believe there were iffy injury claims being made….the baseball world was full of astroturf back then. People just didnt tend to obsess over every minor player detail like they do now.
He will get healthy and a team that needs middle infield depth will sign him to a minor league deal
If I was his agent I would get him to do the same thing, 1.3 War in 384 plate appearances is worth more than a minor league tryout. It doesn’t matter how much of a Richard you are being. He needs to wait until a couple of teams are more desperate and willing to fork over a guaranteed Mil or two