The potential Mike Lowell for Max Ramirez swap is off. Lowell was in Texas yesterday to take a physical for the Rangers when it was confirmed that his thumb was indeed a real concern. It was determined Lowell has a torn radial collateral ligament and will require surgery that will keep him out 6-8 weeks.
What does this mean?
The Sox will keep Lowell and his $12 million salary that they tried to give away (the potential deal included $9 million headed to the Rangers with Lowell). His surgery and recovery period put the Sox in a precarious situation because they obviously were ready to move on without him. Lowell is a professional and it is hard to believe he will let all of this talk be a problem when he shows in Fort Myers for spring training (we hope). His tenure with the team has been an interesting one after he was traded from Florida, was one of the keys to the 04 World Series, was almost lured to Philadelphia as a free agent, and now this.
Also, one has to think Theo Epstien had a subsequent move after the Lowell deal. This handcuffs the Sox a bit and forces them to keep Lowell around for the foreseeable future. Adrian Gonzalez, Adrian Beltre, and other 1B/3B rumors will quiet a bit for now, and the Sox will sit tight with what they have.
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