Staying Power: Sox Can't Shake Lowell

By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Is it possible to trade Mike Lowell and not trade Mike Lowell at the same time? If you’re the Red Sox, apparently you can.

Leave it to the Red Sox to turn an otherwise mundane matter into a game of hot potato. With Lowell playing the role of the Sox' proverbial potato, to date Boston has had no luck dropping the five-time all-star third baseman. Instead, the 2007 World Series MVP continues to keep landing right back into the Sox’ hot little hands. This, after a recent deal to trade Lowell to the Texas Rangers in exchange for rookie prospect Max Ramirez went up in smoke when it was revealed Lowell would require surgery on his ailing right thumb.

It’s pretty clear that the Red Sox are through with Lowell, as evidenced by their most recent attempt to move the injury-plagued corner man to Texas. Coming off a season in which he was slowed by a balky hip that required surgery last offseason, Lowell still managed to put up OK numbers batting .209 with 17 home runs and 75 RBI. Lowell’s numbers nearly mirrored his 2008 season — the first of a three-year $38 million contract — with the Sox, who awarded Lowell the extension following his 21 homers and career-high 120 RBI effort in 2007.

Now, after what are soon to be two surgeries later, Lowell enters the final year of his contract still a Red Sox — something arguably GM Theo Epstein and company weren’t expecting. Not with free agents Adrian Beltre and San Diego Adrian Gonzalez both still available, and journeyman Casey Kotchman slated — for now — to start at first and Kevin Youkilis taking over at third.

Quite simply, there’s nowhere to put Lowell, who will have plenty of veteran company on the bench with catcher Jason Varitek having more-or-less agreed to backup Victor Martinez, while Tim Wakefield may lose his starting job now that John Lackey is aboard. The Red Sox may enter 2010 with the deepest bench in MLB.