Chris CrockettBoston Media Members & Others Taking Mike Lowell To Task Are Dead Wrong
May 20th 2010 13:30
(See below for a few of Mike Lowell’s quotes that he made in the clubhouse on Tuesday in New York. I’m sure most of you have heard them by now but check out Boston.com for the rest of the article. Then read my take on the whole thing right under the quotes. I’ve been steaming over this for past couple of days.)
**“I think it’s a little unfortunate, but I think somewhat it’s painfully evident I don’t really have a role on the team,’’ Lowell said. “When Jacoby [Ellsbury] and [Mike Cameron] come back, I just don’t really know what my role is. With those two in the lineup, I don’t know who I would hit for. When I hit, I get pinch-run for. I don’t play defense.
**“I think sometimes you feel like the team might be better off if you’re not on it. I just eat up a roster spot, I really do.
**“I don’t know. If anything, it’s a good feeling that I’ve had so many teammates come up to me and they say they sympathize with my situation. I think I’ve truly agonized over it.
**“But it’s not good or bad, it’s just reality. I don’t know what else to do.’’
**“I know I want to play baseball,’’ Lowell said. “I enjoy playing baseball. But I think that’s the element that’s a little bit out of my control.
**“I just don’t see the role here. David and myself are basically two roster spots that don’t play on the field. Those spots could be used in a lot of different ways. I mean, we’ve got a lot of things we got to fix here. Like I said, it’s reality.’’
Since when is it a crime to express the fact that you want to contribute to your club? Since when is it a crime to not throw ANY of your teammates under the bus while simply saying it seems like you are taking up a roster spot since you and David Ortiz or 'Big Papi Paranoia' as I like to call him, both don’t play the field & are DH’s at this point? Since when is it a crime to not bad mouth management & only bring up the fact that it just seems to be mutually beneficial at this juncture to maybe part ways? Since when is it a crime to get a little frustrated and speak your mind, even if the timing wasn’t 100% perfect?
I have heard more than a handful of the Boston sports media, over the past couple of days, criticize Mike Lowell’s comments and talk about how detrimental this could be for the Boston Red Sox due to their teetering state right now. You goddamn holier than thou throwers of stone! Get over yourselves. “Wah-wah-wah.. the Red Sox are losing and Lowell has the AUDACITY to speak out of turn and make this all about him!?!” That, my friends, is pure unadulterated bullshit. That, my friends, is the media dying to make something out of nothing and blow a few comments way out of proportion.
I’d love to see you fellas and your ‘all about the team’ attitudes if you were put in this position that Lowell has found himself in here during this 2010 season.
Maybe the timing wasn’t perfect for Lowell to speak out on his situation, but when is it ever going to be perfect timing? Maybe he should’ve handled it in a closed door meeting with his skipper before bringing it up to media. He didn’t. He got frustrated and spoke freely. Mistake? Maybe it was, but we’ve all made them. Have any of you that are taking Lowell to task here, ever said something in your professional life that you’d like to take back? I’m not saying that Lowell even wants (or should want) a take back after what he said Tuesday. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. He’s a competitor who wants to do what he does best-----play ball. I have no problem with him speaking out a little after playing the role of good soldier for so long. NONE.
Sit back and think a minute, people. Take your pick… Papi Paranoia, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Johnny Papelbon….. on down the line…..I want you to tell me who would’ve handled this situation more professionally than Lowell has since the offseason when the failed trade with the Rangers---sending him to Texas--- took place. Who? If any other member of this team---especially Papi Paranoia---had a trade go bad and had to return to Boston to start the season, knowing that the team wanted him out of here and he wouldn’t be playing much, there would be HELL to pay. H-E-DoubleEFFINhockeysticks! That clubhouse would’ve become a divided rioting hell hole that would’ve rivaled that scene in Spike Lee’s, Do The Right Thing, when the natives took down Sal’s Pizza. Sort of like how it was when 'Jurassic' Carl Everett & the boys were kicking it in Beantown back in the day. Now there's a distraction.
Mike Lowell has shown nothing but humility & professionalism in this town. Tuesday, in a very calm and collected manner, he simply questioned his role moving forward. Some of the media---at that point--- blew it up and ran with it. Lowell has never spoken out previously and if he continues to speak out in a more detrimental fashion, well then we have a problem, but we don’t yet. Not even close. I think a twitter friend of mine and very knowledgeable Red Sox fan, Holt Murray, put it best yesterday when he said, “With no lively personalities & team plus/minus .500, what else does press have to talk about? Lowell soft talks it really (when talking to press on Tuesday)."
Well put.
Chuck
~TCFB~
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Comment by Big Daddy
As you stated Shit would have hit the fan if anyone else on this roster got this treatment.
Cut him loose and let him play a little more hardball w/ another club before he calls it quits
Comment by Chuck H
TCFB
I'm not even saying to release him and get nothing in return, because I think he can still help this team even if it's in a limited role. To me, after the failed trade and for all he's meant to this team, if they're not going to play him, they owe it to him to explore every single trade opportunity that might exist. Even if they get a little less back on the dollar, per se. If nobody wants to dance with them, then I keep him here. If he's really as classy as I think he is, he won't open his mouth and become a distraction.
Comment by Madgus
Comment by Chuck H
TCFB
Comment by Anonymous
Well written piece and I also agree with Big Daddy. Time for the Sox to do him a solid and send him somewhere he can play.
Murray
Comment by Chuck H
TCFB
Comment by NufCed Tigger-Dave Boston Rsm