The Angels have not yet shown any interest in acquiring Mike Lowell in the wake of Kendry Morales' injury, according to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Bradford's source indicated that the team has begun looking for a replacement, however.
Morales fractured his leg celebrating his walk-off grand slam yesterday, a big blow to the team considering his .290/.346/.487 batting line. Lowell has played sparingly this month because of David Ortiz's resurgence, and he's hitting just .239/.329/.358 on the year. The 36-year-old former World Series MVP has indicated that he will likely retire after the season.
We looked the Angels' options to replace their injured first baseman earlier today.
Beantown media’s really pushing this one, makes sense for the angels, low cost high reward. But i dont like Bill Hall being the contingency plan if Beltre or Youk go down.
I know you could V-mart at first and Tek at catcher, but is that any better then paying lowell 12 mil to play some were else? unless they get a useable player in return it would seem like it weaken the sox infield depth. Hall’s versitile but my blood preasure rises 40 points when he plays up the middle.
not that they necessarily would, but getting rid of Lowell would give them the flexibility to also get rid of Hall if they wanted- they could bring up someone like Nava from AAA as a backup outfielder and find someone else to just be another backup outfielder- maybe bring Green back. Just a thought. Lowell isn’t really versatile as an infielder (can really only field first decently these days and occasionally third), so they need someone like Hall on the roster who can play for IF and OF positions.
Also, that said, I think there are options for the Angels that make a whole lot more sense.
Hall’s fine as 3b-of, but i just think they could do better with lowell for 1b-3b-dh and a good middle infield type like cora-green. I also think that would alow Hermida to get enough at-bats when Ells returns. Im not opposed to a to a infielder who can play the outfield too, but being able to get the bench consistant at bats is easer when guys have more defined roles Hermida in the OF, Lowell on the corners and a middle infield specialist.
If they do trade Lowell i would trade hall, try to get Willie Harris who’s bill hall with less power but more speed, which is good in late inning situations, and find a 2b-ss guy like green or maybe bring up Sanchez. im just not comfordable with hall at SS or 2B if pedroia or scutaro go down
“[…] a good middle infield type like cora-green.”
You want Alex Cora? I’ll take a bread bowl of chowder in exchange.
I mean the alex cora of 3-4 years ago, a player that has good range a 2B-SS and a tolarable bat.
Boston is sort of screwing over Mike Lowell, he wants to play and it isn’t very fair to him to keep him around as a backup backup plan just because Boston has too much pride to eat his salary
dont be silly, its not pride, its good baseball. why should the sox trade a great player like Lowell when he can play the corners and DH while on the other hand we get nothing for trading him? hes worth more on the sox then he is in almost any trade, esp right now.
You really think they are screwing over Mike Lowell? They signed him to a contract that, looking back now, was clearly too long and too lucrative. He had a great year in 2007 and got that contract. The guy is making over 12 Million dollars this year and gets to ride the pine on a playoff contending club. He is an excellent leader, and probably would be starting at 3rd/1st/DH for about 28 teams right now, but sometimes that is just the way the game works.
it is smart baseball to do what they are doing right now:
-keep him in case of injury to either of the 3 starters at the positions he can play
-let him play 2 times a week to give the starters a day off here and there
-hold your cards to your chest until someone comes to you and offers something your interested in.
Obviously they are willing to pay the salary for him to play for someone else in the right deal. Why not wait it out for that right deal. If it doesn’t come; keep him.
Don’t give me the screwing Mike Lowell over BS. Please, 12 Million, they are screwing themselves (if anyone) every time they write out him pay check.
How exactly is Mike Lowell not screwing over the Red Sox by still making All Star 3B money, but no longer being a serviceable 3B?
To be clear, I don’t think he is. But neither are the Red Sox screwing him. That’s just how baseball goes.
Kendry Morales breaking his leg proves just how stupid homerun celebrations are.
As posted in the earlier thread on this. Sox fans recall Dave henderson tearing up his knee after the big Angels beating HR during the 6th game of the 86 ALCS, when he was doing everything after being acquired from Seattle? That crazy jump by henderson and the awkward landing really messed up their chances, he could hardly swing/move the rest of the post season.
Yeah on Lowell. They have about got to keep him. if he is released, the NYY sign him as a DH until Johnson comes back, or pay somebody else to get a decent bat and team leader who hits fairly well. As much as moving Lowell would also probably also get rid of Hall also, the more useless object IMO, would rather have Lowell sitting on the Sox bench than producing for the NYY and making it harder to make up the ground between the 2 teams.
If the Angels are content with Izturis and Wood at 3B, then don’t trade for Lowell. Most of his limited value comes with being a decent defensive 3B. Playing him at first isin’t an upgrade of playing Napoli or calling up Quinlin. I would inquire the avalibility of Luke Scott or Ty Wigginton over Lowell.
But that all depends on the asking price for each player, too. Baltimore isn’t going to hand over Wiggington out of pity; they’re going to probably hold him as long as possible until all offers are on the table. Can the Angels wait until July 31st? Or will they blow the Orioles away with an offer?
I have no idea what the Sox want for Lowell, but apparently the plan isn’t to simply give him away. However, at the very least the Red Sox have shown that they will pay a significant amount of salary to get something better back.
Should these two teams be talking? Defintely. Does that mean anything will happen? Of course not…
wigginton over lowell for sure, wigg has shown much more pop(yes in more at bats but still) and he can play anywhere on the diamond so he is versatile when kendry comes back they have more options
They aren’t even going to consider Lowell. The Angels and anyone else looking to trade for Lowell have the Redsox over a barrel on this one. Everyone knows the Redsox will pick up most of his salary and really have no role/use for him. That isn’t a good starting point for negotiations even if they look to trade for a bag of balls in return. The only possible way I see this happening is if Lowell asks for and receives his release. Yet,like others pointed out,there are still better options out there for LAA.
Too bad for Mikey Lowell. He deserves more at bats in his final season.
too bad? really? They have a younger, more athletic player at 1st and 3rd. Also, Ortiz is FINALLY producing. Clearly they will not sit Youk to play Lowell, Beltre is third in the AL in avg and outside of the first (approx) 25 games he is playing fantastic defense again. And Ortiz slugged over 800 in May. Why would they play Lowell more instead of the other three options?
No he doesn’t. “Deserve” comes from “earn”; “earn” comes from “be good at” — which he isn’t.
I didn’t say he deserves more at-bats on the Red Sox haha. I also wasn’t referring to his last year on the team, rather, this is his last year period according to him. He deserves to be getting more ab’s on another team but because of the biz it won’t happen…that’s all I was saying, just feel bad for him.
If he deserved more at-bats on any other team, any other team would be vying for him.
I appreciate Mike Lowell for everything he has done for the Sox, but everyone ages. It might be nice if he got a few more at-bats to find his rhythm, but with Beltre, Youk and the revamped Ortiz going like they are, they are probably keeping him on the roster just in case of injury. The reasons IMHO are probably exactly what ronnie9 mentioned above. Of course, the flip side of the coin is that Lowell is one HECK of a backup infielder/DH. :O)
JM