Mike Lowell: Time For A Break

Special For The Puerto Rico Daily Sun / MLB Notebook

For the first time this season Mike Lowell is accepting a break. Not because he is pulling one of those Alex Rodriguez ‘fatigue’ stories as the ‘A-Rod’ did when the Yankees came to Miami. Lowell’ hip had grown stiff and sore lately and his Manager Terry Francona have offer him to take longer breaks. Not good news for the Puerto Rican four-time All-Star.

Let’s remember this season is one he does not want to finish hurt. Lowell pointed us out back during spring training that he very well know he needs a healthy season and finish with good numbers.

He really wants to demostrate Boston’ management he can still play and would like to be a Red Sox longer than his signed contract through 2010.

"This season is very important to me. I love Boston and I want to stay here. If not I play in Mars along their is big league baseball. After all I'm a major leaguer," Lowell said.

For the veteran Gold-Glove third baseman, up until few weeks ago it look his numbers were amazing hitting over .300 and taking him to the path for a run for American League Comeback Player of the Year. Some Boston media were even talking All-Star Game in St. Louis. However, the last two weeks his hitting has gone down faster than the Titanic. At this moment he’s hitting .281, 10 homers with 41 RBI’s.

According to Lowell, 35, the pain is not constant but some days his hip would feel “locked up”.
For Red Sox Nation fans this is not good news either. Specially right now that they are in command of their East Division pennant. Nonetheless, they have not forgotten that it could be déjà vu all over again as last season.

Last year Lowell went down as they were fighting the surprising Tampa Bay Rays. For most of the 2008 campaign he was hurt to the point he was left off from the Red Sox roster for the American League Championship Series. And in October 20th he decided on to go to surgery for a torn labrum in his right hip with well catalogued Dr. Bryan Kelly in New York.

Remember the Rays won and were the one with the ticket to the World Series. And this year the Red Sox besides the Rays they also have the Yankees and the Blue Jays in their back very close too.

At this moment the Red Sox are planning to put Lowell on a maintenance program starting next week up to the All-Star break where he'll receive at least one day off a week and receive occasional lubricating injections to ease the friction in the cartilage in hip and they want to make sure he's rested accordingly. After the All-Star Game they will check on Lowell’s progress.

The Red Sox acknowledge that they need a healthy Lowell to win it all again. In the other hand, Lowell wants to be healthy enough to go back to a post-season and who knows if he can repeat again his 2007 World Series MVP performance. And of course, stay as a Red Sox.

Last Minute Note: According to various reports Lowell will not play this weekend against the Atlanta Braves.