Jed Lowrie wants starter’s job in 2011
After being sidelined for the first 94 games of the 2010 season with mononucleosis, Jed Lowrie, shortstop of the Boston Red Sox, will be going into the off-season focusing purely on becoming a better baseball player, instead of worrying about nursing
any nagging injuries.
"I look at it as an opportunity to continue to get stronger and continue to mature and continue to get and stay healthy," said Lowrie to
mlb.com.
His left wrist has also been a point of contention, but Lowrie feels that it has healed properly. Looking at the increase of his power numbers, it looks like he might be right.
In his first 328 at-bats, which occurred during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Lowrie hit a minuscule four home runs and had 57 runs batted in. Compare that to Lowrie coming off the disabled list, just over half way through the 2010 season, and Lowrie exploded
in 55 games hitting nine home runs, driving in 24, and had 49 hits in 171 at-bats.
"Yeah, it's night and day. It's starting to feel like it did before I got hurt, and ultimately that's the goal -- to feel like I never got hurt."
His defence is also nothing to be concerned about, as he received time at all infield positions last season, with the majority of his time coming at second base and shortstop.
But where will he fit in with the 2011 Red Sox then? That will depend on a number of variables, including whether or not third basemen Adrian Beltre returns.
"It probably depends on who is here," said manager Terry Francona. "I don't know. I don't think we've ever said he couldn't [play every day]. But he hasn't been able to stay on the field. I think it will be important for him to see how this winter goes as far
as strength and getting some of his agility back. Because you're right, there's a lot of things he does.
"He commands the strike zone. He can hit from both sides of the plate. [He can] hit the ball in the gap. He's intelligent. Playing every day, especially at shortstop, if you wear down, it shows. If he's good enough to be an everyday player, that's a nice dilemma
for us."
Lowrie responded, with, " I know that from a personal standpoint, I'm going to prepare myself to be an everyday player and adjust from there.
"I don't think I'm a utility player. I don't know if comfortable is the right word. I know that I can do it. If that's the role that I'm in, I probably won't have a lot to say about it. Like I say, I'm just going to prepare myself to play every day and then
see what happens."
The situation will eventually come to the forefront after Lowrie and general manager Theo Epstein have a few conversations. Every athlete wants to play, but sometimes there just isn't room.
"For me, I want to play. I'm not going to concern myself with whether I'd be happier somewhere else or not. The reality is that I'm with the Red Sox. I can tell you that I want to play and that I'm going to prepare myself to be an everyday guy."
This opens up the possibility of Lowrie being traded during the off-season. Infield is a very taxing position, and with a bat like his, Lowrie won't be hard pressed to find an organization.
With the way he rebounded from the disabled list during the second half of last season, and with the numbers he posted; he has made himself a respectable bid to be an everyday starter, where ever he may end up.
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