EagleTribune.com : Blogs : Burt Talks Sports

I really hope they re-sign Lowell, and even if they don’t, they better not sign A-Rod to replace him. For starters, the hatred that Boston fans have for A-Rod transcends what team he is on. It’s not like he’s Jeter. We boo Jeter because he’s the Yankees captain, but we respect the way he plays and we’d instantly make him a fan favorite if he defected to the Red Sox. We hate A-Rod for so many other reasons besides the fact that he’s on the Yankees, and that wouldn’t change even if he played for Boston.

Just as importantly, in 39 postseason games, A-Rod has a .279 batting average, 7 home runs, 17 RBI and 38 strikeouts. His teams have made the playoffs seven times and never made the World Series, with an overall 3-7 record in playoff series. The Red Sox have proven they can win the World Series without him, and he has proven he can’t win the World Series (or even get there) with any team. Why would the Red Sox want him at all, let alone for $30 million a year?

You’re right. A-Rod is a circus. Lowell is a pro. While I’d like to see him signed at 3/36, it may take 4/48 to do the deal. If so, write that last year off as an unofficial “World Series MVP” bonus, sign him, and move on.

Same with Schilling (except for 1 year).

Then it’s time to start worrying about the future at catcher.

Lowell: 2 World Series rings
ARod: none

Lowell: can not only hit the ball & play in the field but also help mentor & prepare your up-and-coming rookies
ARod: can’t stop looking in the mirror long enough to realize that it’s not all about him

Lowell: can handle playing in a pressure cooker atmosphere & you never hear a single negative thing about the man
ARod: yeah right

Lowell: an all-around stand-up MVP guy with class who is an intergral part of the organization to which he belongs but who never ever needs to be in the spotlight
ARod: chose someone else’s moment to shine as the stage for screaming “pay attention to me!!”

Lowell: World Series MVP, Gold Glove third baseman who will play for a reasonable salary
ARod: determined to always be the highest paid athlete in MLB

Need I go on?

I definitely want Lowell back but aren’t we missing the larger point?

A-Rod is a shortstop. In fact, he’s a great shortstop and the only reason he was at the hot corner was because of Captain Intangibles.

I would much rather have A-Rod as shortstop instead of Lugo. And with Manny’s contract expiring at the end of next year, it’s not a major salary upgrade and A-Rod is still relatively young and is a heck of a shortstop.

It’s not a Lowell or A-Rod conversation. It’s a Lugo for A-Rod question.

I love Lowell. I would be happy to sign him for three more years. How much could he possibly decline in that span?

re: Rodriguez…. I don’t know. I don’t like him — the person as he represents himself. He’s laughably narcissistic, and kind of a ninny. That said, i’m torn about whether i’d want him on my team. Certainly, though, it would NOT be to replace Lowell. I’d want Lowell at Third, and Rodriguez at short, trading Lugo and Crisp. And, it’s not that i don’t like Lugo, but talent-wise, if there’s a choice between Rodriguez and Lugo…c’mon.

The thing with A-Rod is that he has always been looked to to be the savior. He was supposed to push a team over the top. But, we don’t need that. All he would have to do is fit in and contribute. Even if he sucked it in the post season, we could probably get by.

But, maybe i’m not ‘realistic.’ i never consider the financial aspects of Sox deals. Because, it’s not my money, and those who do have it aren’t short of it. So, whatever. It’s like a Fantasy Team.

What i don’t want, though, is for A-Rod and his ‘antics’ and his massive salary and the expectations and his failures, and his HR Record drive to be THE STORY for the rest of his years. I’ve been a RedSox fan since i was about 9 — since about 1976 — and the team has always been bigger than any of its stars. It HAS to be that way.

Because of that last statement, if we did have A-Rod, i would just have to find a way to ‘deal with it.’ But, i won’t be cheering for him like i do for Papi and Mike and Pedroia and Ellsbury. And, if he does bring us another ring, i won’t feel an iota of happiness for him. He’s a mercenary, and isn’t worthy of any manner of sentiment. Besides — he likes himself enough for all of us.

I have to express some disagreement with a statement posted above, and one that is common in lots of sports discussions:

“Lowell: 2 World Series rings
ARod: none”

It’s not tennis. Winning a championship is dependent on a great number of factors. If Lowell had been playing for the MFY this year, i’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have won the World Series. This is sorta like saying you’d rather have Luc Longley than Charles Barkley. Or, Craig Hodges and not Dirk Novitski. Jacques Villeneuve won an F1 championship when he was with Williams, but couldn’t find his arse with both hands after he changed teams. Things have to be seen in ‘context.’ Situations are just as important as talent.

Yeah, i understand the Loyalty to Lowell, and the passionate dislike of Rodriguez, but that’s just not fair.

A-Rods OPS+ for the past three years : 173, 134, 177
Lowells OPS+ for the past three years : 77, 104, 124

How about their home away splits last year?
Lowell : Home .373/.418.575 Away .276/.339/.428
A-Rod : Home .301/.403/.630 Away .326/.441/.660

Doesn’t make me too worried about the numbers he would put up for the Yankees. Lowell is going to be 34 next year and has never posted an OPS+ above 130. A-Rod is two years younger and hasn’t posted an OPS+ below 130 since he was 21. And while a small bit of defense would be sacrificed, it’s not like they’re trying to force Ryan Braun’s glove over there.

And for everyone that wants to talk about his 120 RBI’s. The four guys hitting in front of him had an aggragate OBP of right around .400. Freakin’ Willie Bloomquist could get 120 RBIs hitting 5th in that lineup. Seriously, Lugo wound up with 73 RBIs hitting either leadoff or 9th all season. RBIs are all about the people hitting around you, not your own skill level.

Same with winning World Series. One player does not win a championship, it takes a whole team. Garret Atkins only hit like .100 for the Rockies in the 07 WS. Was it completely his fault the Red Sox won?

And as for people saying that he has the wrong mental makeup for Boston. Well, according to you so, does JD Drew. So which is it? They are polar opposites in terms of letting what people say get to them, but both are wrong for Boston. Doesn’t make much sense to me.

In short, bring on Arod.

Screw A-Rod. It’s all about “me” with that guy and ghe would be a major disruption in the clubhouse .. particularly this clubhouse. I could never bring myself to cheer for him.

Sign Lowell!!! I’m not one of those unrealistic people who say “whatever it takes to get him to sign” but I think this deal can happen. AROD has this black cloud that he brings to each team he plays for. I can’t say he is a completely selfish player because he did go to third base so he could go to the yankees and play for a playoff team with the potential to win a championship, however, something happens to teams that he joins and I don’t even want to know or experience that that something is.

Hasn’t anyone noticed the two teams in the past four season that seemed to get along the best won the world series? Both years the players seemed to have a common goal, to win the World Series. It wasn’t about individual stats, who is batting where, who isn’t playing enough etc. With all those big names in New York they all seem to have individual agendas and in that case, nothing as a team is going to be won. I personally NEVER want to see that kind of play in Boston.

I never thought anyone could compare to Bill Mueller as the Red Sox third baseman. The guy always had a smile on his face, always waving to fans, giving autographs, gave 110% on both sides of the field and just had a presence. Mike Lowell is the same kind of man and we lucked out getting two of these men in a sox uniform at the hot corner. We pretty much lost Bill to injuries which can’t really be helped but we can help losing Lowell to money or lack of interest. RESIGN MIKE LOWELL!!

Sox don’t need a-rod. He needs a relaxed atmosphere, in new york he was constantly pressing and trying to prove himself; it would be even worse in Boston. He needs a quiet, low-pressure team where folks don’t really care much about baseball. LA and the whole leave-by-the-seventh-inning attitude would be perfect.

Lowell doesn’t put up the glamorous numbers, but he’s a solid player who steps up his game when he needs to. Also, in 2008, Manny is a free agent. So is Johan Santana. Varitek will be looking for a few extra years. Schilling will be retiring (if he’s even still with the team) and need to be replaced. Do the sox really want 30+ million dollars locked up in one player at that point?

Also, Lowell is all of one year older than A-Rod. 3-4 year deal for the 34-year old or a 10 year deal for the 33 year old? easy choice for yours truly.

CK Dexter Haven:

In regard to: “I have to express some disagreement with a statement posted above, and one that is common in lots of sports discussions:
“Lowell: 2 World Series rings
ARod: none”

I was attempting to be succinct in giving my reasons, but I stand behind it. Some players bring a black cloud with them. What I see in Mike Lowell’s two rings is that he can be part of a cohesive team, one that works together to get deep into October. What I see from ARod is that everywhere he goes, he makes a boatload of money, becomes an albatross, isn’t liked by his teammates (which is a huge part of why the Sox team works so well together, because they are a well-knit group), and somehow the team he plays for falls on its face. If he could have succeeded anywhere in getting at least one ring, let’s be honest: the Bronx should have been the place, with the amount of talent on that team, and the ability to be a team that “creates situations” for itself, yet there they sit since his arrival, a team in disarray. If *that* is what ARod brings to a ballclub, I absolutely don’t want to see him in favor of Lowell, who has been described, on more than one occasion, as “the glue of the clubhouse.” It’s the guys like Lowell, who keep a team running on an even keel, that help bring home Championships, not the guys who suffer from a raging case of “me-ism.” You’re correct: a team wins a Championship, not a player, but in this case, I see a player (ARod) as detrimental to the team. As you said, “Things have to be seen in ‘context.’ Situations are just as important as talent.”

Brilliant update of match!!! I liked the way you have presented various things togther in a beautiful manner.

Commendable job done by you. Congratulations!!!

The reality was that I never took steroids, although one time I thought I might be forced to.

Given the huge interest in this topic I`ll be cranking up some more pointers on how to tackle this issue , taking in account different use cases.