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MLB - Mike Lowell deal voided

Odds & News | Webmaster ( Wed 23rd, December 2009 )

The Mike Lowell trade to the Rangers is dead. It seemed like a foregone conclusion last week but last night after an exam on the 3rd baseman's right thumb revealed a torn ligament that will require surgery.

Lowell will under go surgery sometime after Christmas and will be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks, though he is expected to be ready for spring training. The injury stopped what appeared to be a done deal with Texas for Max Ramirez, the minor league catcher. The Red Sox were about to pay 9 million of the 12 million owed to Lowell, but the Rangers backed out after examining Lowell yesterday in Texas.

The teams had agreed that the money was not going to be an issue, and Texas was supposedly happy with the condition of Lowell's surgically repaired hip. The only question was the thumb, and last night it was confirmed to be the deal breaker.

This leaves the Red Sox and Lowell up in the air. The Red Sox shopped the World Series MVP in winter meetings trying to find a willing trade partner.

The Sox were eager to move Lowell as part of their offseason plan was built around improving the defense. Due to issues with Lowell's hip and thumb, the Red Sox weren't confident that he would be healthy enough to play regularly this season. They weren't sure if he regained enough mobility to play 3rd base.

A deal with Texas would of saved them 3 million and allowed Kevin Youkilis to move back across the diamond in case they couldn't sign a free agent 3rd baseman like Garrett Atkins or Adrian Beltre, who recently signed with the Orioles. Otherwise, the Sox were planning to begin the season with Casey Kotchman the defensive whiz at 1st base, and Youkilis at 3rd.

Boston will now have a hard time trading Lowell, especially now that he is undergoing surgery. Which probably means that he will be with them at spring training regardless of their efforts of moving him.

Although he is a classy clubhouse presence and a team leader, it is hard to visualize that Lowell will relish the idea of returning to the Red Sox after the way they tried to get rid of him this winter. After all, Lowell did not keep it a secret last year about his displeasure when the Sox talked about trading him trying to land Mark Teixeira.

To make things tougher to swallow for Lowell is that he left extra money on the table by resigning with Boston following the 2009 season, when he signed a 3 year, $37.5 million extension. At the time, he said that he was OK to take a little less money so he could stay with the Red Sox.

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