Yankees offer Lowell 4 year deal to play FIRST BASE?

[VinnyTheMick]

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/sports/BO66884/

BOSTON -- 7Sports has learned that Mike Lowell has received contract offers from four separate MLB teams: the Braves, Angels, Cardinals, and Yankees.

A source close to the Lowell side of the negotiations tells 7Sports that each offer is a 4-year contract, worth between $55-60 million.

The Yankees offer includes a request that Lowell play First Base, something the Gold-Glove-winning third baseman does not want to do.

The Red Sox have previously offered Lowell a 3-year contract worth $36 million.

Lowell is now waiting to see if the Red Sox will up their initial offer and try to keep him in Boston, in lieu of these newest offers from the four previously mentioned teams.

This has disaster written all over it. I understand it might be done simply to make Epstein's life hell but c'mon! Although some argue that with Lowell & Arod off the table, Boston might have to sell the farm to get Cabrera to play 3rd thus taking them out of the Santana race.

Regardless, I don't want Lowell on the team, especially considering he hasn't played 1st.....

[Pharmcat]

[PR07]

I'd rather have Dougie Baseball at 1B for one season than Lowell. With AROD returning, that could increase the chances for a Doug return too. Just let Dougie play for one season, and then go after Texeira next free agency.

[HCYanks]

Why has it occurred to so few people that Fenway Park made Lowell's big 2007 season? Even ignoring the fact that people have researched into his hitting tendencies, his home/road splits are right on his goddamn ESPN stat page for anyone to see. 4/14 or 15 million per for an out of position first baseman that'll have a .760 OPS? Just drop it, Cashman.

[cmaff051]

I doubt we really offered him a contract, we are just raising up the price for the Red Sox.

[Jitpal]

I think there are two things to this. First of all, I think the Yankees either have a deal in place or are confident that Arod will be back at 3B. Which is key because going by reports from unnamed sources, cryptic messages on Arod's personal website and reading into Hank's comments is all still shaky. Now you add this to the mix and it is pretty much certain that Arod is back.

Second, I think this Lowell thing is just a ploy to raise the price for Boston or maybe even have 3rd team get worried and try to get him for even more. Everything I have ever heard about Cashman suggests to me that he is a big stats guy, so I'm sure Home/Away splits would be something he would have noticed already. Honestly, we already have enough in-house options and a few cheap FA options like Mientkiewicz and Sean Casey to consider. -Jitpal

[HCYanks]

I mentioned this on the GB, but I think this article is total BS looking at it again. The Braves make even less sense as a suitor than we do.

[sully00]

While part of this is about driving the price up this is also pretty devastating to the Sox lineup if they lose Lowell. There is almost no bat available in FA at either corner position to make up for the loss of Lowell. Obvously they can find a someone to play the position but they only have 3 dependable bats in their line up besides Lowell.

From the this is "only money" playbook. For the 55 mil not only does Lowell give you a steady right handed bat at 1st and a good glove he also gives you protection against an ARod or Jeter injury. It is also a body blow to the Sox, who have to use assets instead of cash to fill the hole and likely get knocked out of the Santana derby, as they will have to pursue Cabrera, Tejada, or Rolen through trade.

If teams including Boston want to get tight with the wallet after escalating salaries last year, then I think the Yanks should exploit that and go get me my Johan Santana damn it.

[BBall_Babe114]

if A-Fraud is coming back, we don't need Lowell at all.

I'd rather keep Doug or Andy Phillips at 1st, and for a whole lot cheaper.

[VinnyTheMick]

The reports of the Yankees wanting to give Mike Lowell four years never made much sense to me. Not given his splits, Brian Cashman

[HCYanks]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3115704

ESPN's reporting the same. cmaff was probably right about this being a (half-assed) ploy to drive up Lowell's price. That or this all originated from the stupid channel 7 story.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing the Angels sign Lowell. He becomes their big FA move, but probably doesn't live up to his contract ala Gary Matthews. And the Red Sox would either lose some offense (seriously, Lowell was born to play in Fenway with the Monster's setup) or they might go nuts and overpay the Marlins for Cabrera. The latter would hurt in the short term but might be worth it later on.

[PR07]

I think this is the right call. Lowell is a solid player, but he's much better in Fenway and asking him to switch positions when he's a gold glover at his regular one doesn't make much sense.