| Mike Lowell | |
|---|---|
 Lowell with the Boston Red Sox in 2007 | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: (1974-02-24)February 24, 1974 (age 51) San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 13, 1998, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 2010, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .279 |
| Home runs | 223 |
| Runs batted in | 952 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Michael Averett Lowell (born February 24, 1974) is a Puerto Rican formerMajor League Baseballthird baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for theNew York Yankees (1998),Florida Marlins (1999–2005), and theBoston Red Sox (2006–2010). With the Red Sox, he was namedMVP of the2007World Series.
Lowell was born inPuerto Rico to Carl and Beatriz Lowell on February 24, 1974. His parents were born inCuba, and are of Irish and Spanish ancestry. His family relocated toMiami,Florida, when Lowell was four years old. He has always identified himself as both Cuban and Puerto Rican. He attended elementary school at Epiphany Catholic School inSouth Miami,Florida. As a high school sophomore atChristopher Columbus High School, he was selected to the varsitybaseball team but did not get playing time, so he transferred toCoral Gables Senior High School for his junior year.[1][2]
In 1992, Lowell graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School inCoral Gables,Florida, where he had a 4.0 GPA and was a star player on the baseball team. There, he met future wife Bertica, a member of the school's nationally recognized Gablettes dance team, of which she became coach years later. They have one daughter, Alexis Ileana Lowell, and one son named, Anthony.[3] In 2006, Lowell's sister, Cecilia, marriedCarlos Curbelo, who was aUnited States Congressman from 2015 to 2019.[4]
Lowell's autobiography,Deep Drive: A Long Journey to Finding the Champion Within, was published on May 6, 2008.[5] On February 19, 1999, Lowell was diagnosed withtesticular cancer, causing him to miss nearly two months of the 1999 season while he underwent treatment for the disease. However, he later recovered and went on to play baseball professionally.[6][7] The Lowell family currently resides inPinecrest, Florida.
Lowell was awarded an athleticscholarship to attendFlorida International University (FIU) to playcollege baseball for theFIU Panthers baseball team. In 1993 he played in theValley Baseball League acollegiate summer baseball league in theShenandoah Valley region ofVirginia for theWaynesboro Generals. In the summer of 1994, he played for theChatham A's in theCape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). Lowell was a league all-star for Chatham, and was inducted into theCCBL Hall of Fame in 2011.[8] Lowell graduated from FIU in 1997 with aBachelor's Degree in Finance.
A three-time All Conference player with the Panthers, his uniform number 15 was retired. Lowell was drafted by theNew York Yankees in the1995 Major League Baseball draft, and eventually made hisMLB debut with theNew York Yankees during the 1998 season. He was also converted to play as a third baseman, having been atshortstop andsecond base in college.[9]
Lowell was drafted by theNew York Yankees in the 20th round of the1995 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major league debut as a September call-up for theYankees in 1998, singling in his first at-bat[10] and playing eight games in the season.
Although Lowell debuted late in the season and did not play in the 1998 postseason, he still received his first careerWorld Series ring as the Yankees won the1998 World Series against theSan Diego Padres.
Lowell was traded to the Florida Marlins on February 1, 1999, forMark Johnson andEd Yarnall.[11] While waiting forspring training, he discovered that he hadtesticular cancer and underwent surgery on February 21 returning to the lineup on May 29.[12] He finished his season with a .253batting average, 12home runs, and 47RBI.
Lowell had successful years in Florida and established himself as one of the elite third baseman in the league. In2001, he finished with 18 home runs and 100 RBI.
Lowell was having an excellent season in2003, but in late August he suffered a broken hand when he was hit by a pitch by theMontreal Expos'Héctor Almonte, forcing him to miss 32 games. He finished the season with 32 home runs and 105 RBI. RookieMiguel Cabrera moved from left field to third base after Lowell's injury.[13] Lowell returned for the postseason and had five hits in the Marlins' World Series win over the Yankees.
In2004, he hit a career-high (at the time) .293 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI. Despite a disappointing 2005 season in which he hit .236 with only eight home runs and a .298on-base percentage, Lowell earned his firstGold Glove Award. Lowell also finished third in doubles in the league, totaling 47 doubles in the 2005 season.
The Marlins traded him to Boston in a deal that was officially completed on November 21, 2005, in which the Red Sox received Lowell,Josh Beckett andGuillermo Mota in exchange forHanley Ramírez,Aníbal Sánchez, Jesús Delgado andHarvey García.[14]
Even though theBoston Red Sox took on Lowell and his contract largely because the Marlins would not tradepitcher Josh Beckett without relieving themselves of Lowell's salary. Lowell fared better than expected as a member of the 2006 Red Sox, for a time leading the league indoubles and providing solid defense at third base. Lowell finished with 20 home runs and 80 RBI, and he was tied withEric Chavez for the best fielding percentage at his position.
The2007 season turned out to be one of Lowell's best, in which he set career bests in hits, RBI, batting average, OPS, and played a key role in helping the Red Sox win their second World Series in four years. One of the early highlights of the season came on April 22 when Lowell was one of the four Red Sox players to hit consecutive home runs against the Yankees.[15] During the first half, Lowell hit .300 and led the team with 14 home runs (tied with David Ortiz) and 63 RBI. This performance helped earn him a spot on the2007 American League All-Star Team as a reserve player voted in on the player's ballot.
As the Red Sox held onto its lead in the American League East division, Lowell continued to carry the team by hitting .350 during the second half. His season total of 120 RBI was not only a personal best but a franchise record for a Red Sox third baseman, beatingButch Hobson's total of 112 in1977. Lowell also finished with a .324 batting average, 21 home runs and 191 hits, another career high.
During the2007 World Series, Lowell hit .400 with one home run, 4 RBI, sixruns scored and astolen base in the four-game sweep against theColorado Rockies. Lowell got his secondWorld Series ring and was named theWorld Series MVP. He also became the second Puerto Rican player to be named the MVP of a World Series (the first one beingRoberto Clemente). Lowell along with fellow ex-Marlin Josh Beckett became the first duo to each get a World Series MVP by winning a World Series with one team in the American League and the other in the National League.
Following the season, Lowell placed fifth in the American LeagueMost Valuable Player voting. Although he filed for free agency, Lowell returned to the Red Sox after signing a three-year contract worth $37.5 million.[16]
Lowell had trouble with a tornhip labrum that required surgery between the 2008 and 2009 seasons. As a result, he spent several stints on the disabled list. The injury caused him to miss most of the 2008 playoffs, including the ALCS when the Red Sox lost to theTampa Bay Rays. It also kept him from representingPuerto Rico in the2009 World Baseball Classic.[17] He did return to action with the Red Sox in 2009, though he saw reduced playing time at third base in order to keep him healthy and in playing condition. After the Red Sox acquiredVictor Martinez in a midseason trade with theCleveland Indians, Lowell's playing time was reduced, casting his future with the team into doubt.[18] After the season, it was speculated that the Red Sox would attempt to trade Lowell.[19]
Following the 2009 season, the Red Sox andTexas Rangers agreed to a deal that would send Lowell to Texas for catcherMax Ramírez. However, the deal was called off by the Rangers when they discovered that Lowell required surgery on his right thumb.[20] Lowell underwent a successful surgery on December 30.[21] He remained with the Red Sox and joined the team for spring training following rehabilitation on his surgically repaired thumb.[22] On April 10, 2010, Lowell announced that he would most likely retire after the 2010 season.[23] In the 2010 season, he played as a backup infielder at first and third base and as a pinch hitter. On May 3, 2010, Lowell had his eighth career three-double game, setting an all-time record for the most by a player in a career.[24][25]On August 3, after coming back from nearly two months on the disabled list, Lowell stepped into the batter's box to a standing ovation atFenway Park and hit a two-run home run on the first pitch.[26]
On October 2, 2010, the Boston Red Sox honored Lowell with an on-field ceremony as he would go on to retire after the 2010 Major League Baseball season was complete.[27]
Lowell works as an analyst on theMLB Network, appearing onMLB Tonight.[28]
He appeared on the ballot for theNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum2016 election and earned no votes.[29]
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | AL Player of the Week April 20–26, 2009 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
