The Globe had a story about how the 'Sox never really wanted Lowell. The feeling was that the Marlins demanded that the 'Sox take Lowell in order to get get Beckett, the proverbial "throw in". Far being a throw-in, he was an integral part of the 2007 WS championship.
I remember the trade for Beckett and Lowell in which the Theo-less front office sent SS Hanley Ramirez and SP Anibal Sanchez in exchange. The following year, Ramirez has a stellar season and Sanchez threw a no-hitter. I remember thinking, "great, a lopsided deal". But, that all changed in 2007.
He has been a class act despite Theo trading to trade him at least 2-3 times. I will miss seeing his name in the boxscore and feeling the comfort of his covering the hot corner. Thanks for the memories, Mike. You'll always be wanted in my book.
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I've had a couple of days now to deal with the departure of my fave. What is it about Mike Lowell? Yes, it's the professionalism, the ironman mentality, the skills. But it's more than all this. WHAT it is is not easy to explain. Every fan has their #1 for whatever reason. They just connect with a certain player and that guy is IT for them.
ReplyDeleteI've been a Mike Lowell fan for a while now. I remember his coming over from the Marlins and not knowing anything about him. He was the "spare part." But there was something about Lowell. It didn't take too long for him to become IT for me. He was MY player. I was literally jumping up and down in my living room at 1 am after Game 4 of the '07 WS when he received the MVP trophy. It couldn't have gone to a better player. Then, the nerves started. Will he be re-signed? I couldn't imagine him playing for anyone else. I sweated each day until he was locked in for good. I checked the Globe page a thousand times a day for any news, any update on the Lowell signing. I signed a fan petition with 10,000 other Lowellites demanding that the Red Sox bring him back. Then, euphoria!! Mikey's stayin for 3 more years!!
Those 3 years were gut wrenching. He was on the DL in April '08 for a thumb injury. He pulled an oblique muscle in July. Then, his hip gave out. If anyone needed any proof that Mikey's an Ironman, think back to the bunt layed down by the Ray batter in the '08 post-season game. I can't think now who it was because the only image that sticks out is the charging Lowell from third who made a bare-handed grab for the ball in an attempt to get the out at first. The pain in his hip was so bad that he couldn't stand up after that play. Ironman!
The nerves came back in the '08 offseason. The Boy Wonder GM (who was conspicuously absent from Saturday's ceremony, by the way) wanted Pretty Boy Texiera. If we got him, Youk would go to third and Mikey would go packing. That was probably the one and only time I was grateful for the Yankees. They scooped up pretty boy like ice cream and Mikey stayed.
The last two season have been emotional rides. Is he stayin? Traded, not traded? Playin, not playin. I'm glad Mikey called it quits on his own terms. For the first time in a long time, I won't dread the offseason. It will be fun to see who we get and argue about who we need. There's a kind of peace promised this offseason. Theo and his henchmen can't hurt my fave.
To say good-bye is not the right ending. I have a feeling Mikey will be back in baseball at some point. This not good-bye Mikey. This is "til we meet again."