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Mike Lowell didn't see the field once in Boston's first four games this season, so it wasn't terribly surprising for the veteran third baseman to openly ponder his future in the game heading into his first start of the year Saturday.
Now a part-time player who has seen no time in 2010, Lowell told reporters that this "probably" will be his final season as a player.
Lowell is playing out the end of the three-year, $37.5 million contract he got before the 2008 season and doesn't anticipate continuing his career no matter what transpires the rest of 2010.
He did say that he would prefer to go out with a career year -- which doesn't appear likely to transpire based on his early usage -- but he doesn't plan to seek, say, a one-year deal with another team in order to depart on a high note if it doesn't happen for him this season.
"If I hit 30 home runs this year or I hit three, I don't think that stance is going to change. Now, whether I want to (keep playing) or not, that's totally different. But I don't think my numbers will determine it. I'm pretty confident in physically what I'm capable of doing. You can look at this is a walk year, the next contract, all that stuff. Has this scenario maybe put baseball a little lower? I don't think so. But it grinds at you a little. If this was the fourth year of my career, I would've choked everyone by now, straight honest. I'm much more of a mellow family man now."
Lowell did add that his decision is not 100 percent final, but said the chances he would walk away are "up there." The 36-year-old would like to spend more time with his family, and it goes without saying that physical issues have eroded his all-around game considerably in recent years.
A four-time All-Star with both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to his credit from his younger days with the Marlins, Lowell has managed to play in only 232 games the last two years thanks in large part to a nagging hip problem. That injury robbed him of the mobility that once helped make him one of the best third basemen in the game. His best offensive season came in 2007, when he hit .324 with an .879 OPS and drove in 120 runs to help the Red Sox to the World Series title.
Lowell still has respectable pop in his bat, as evidenced by his 17 homers and .290/.337/.474 line last season, but he tailed off to a .633 OPS in the final month of the regular season.
Now a part-time player who has seen no time in 2010, Lowell told reporters that this "probably" will be his final season as a player.
Lowell is playing out the end of the three-year, $37.5 million contract he got before the 2008 season and doesn't anticipate continuing his career no matter what transpires the rest of 2010.
He did say that he would prefer to go out with a career year -- which doesn't appear likely to transpire based on his early usage -- but he doesn't plan to seek, say, a one-year deal with another team in order to depart on a high note if it doesn't happen for him this season.
"If I hit 30 home runs this year or I hit three, I don't think that stance is going to change. Now, whether I want to (keep playing) or not, that's totally different. But I don't think my numbers will determine it. I'm pretty confident in physically what I'm capable of doing. You can look at this is a walk year, the next contract, all that stuff. Has this scenario maybe put baseball a little lower? I don't think so. But it grinds at you a little. If this was the fourth year of my career, I would've choked everyone by now, straight honest. I'm much more of a mellow family man now."
Lowell did add that his decision is not 100 percent final, but said the chances he would walk away are "up there." The 36-year-old would like to spend more time with his family, and it goes without saying that physical issues have eroded his all-around game considerably in recent years.
A four-time All-Star with both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to his credit from his younger days with the Marlins, Lowell has managed to play in only 232 games the last two years thanks in large part to a nagging hip problem. That injury robbed him of the mobility that once helped make him one of the best third basemen in the game. His best offensive season came in 2007, when he hit .324 with an .879 OPS and drove in 120 runs to help the Red Sox to the World Series title.
Lowell still has respectable pop in his bat, as evidenced by his 17 homers and .290/.337/.474 line last season, but he tailed off to a .633 OPS in the final month of the regular season.
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