Last October, Lowell had surgery on the same hip. Since it is a surgery repaired hip, there is some concern surrounding the team. However, this move is thought to be more of a precautionary measure.

On the season, the 35-year-old native of Puerto Rico is hitting .282 with ten homers, 41 RBIs, 30 runs and 18 doubles. Since June 19th, Lowell only has nine at-bats due to this injury. In that stretch he is only 1-9.

Jeff Bailey will be brought up from the minor leagues to replace Lowell. Bailey is able to play in the outfield and at first base.

The Red Sox are currently 47-29. They have the best record in the American League and the second best record in baseball — slightly behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mike Lowell - Red Sox (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Mike Lowell Headed to the DL

According to USA Today, the MLB is bit-chomping like Pacman (the game, not the NFL troublemaker) for free access to signing Cuban talent. Guess how many MLB players in the 2007 season are Cuban-born? A whopping 8—all defectors. Omar Minaya, GM of the New York Mets, said he hopes “there will be a day that players will be allowed to play here without defecting.”

There’s no love loss between Fidel and MLB players with Cuban ties. When Mr. Revolutionary Himself first took ill in 2006 and began to hand the reins to putzy brother Raul, Mike Lowell of the Boston Red Sox—whose own family suffered under Fidel—was pretty clear about his feelings:

“There are so many people who have died because of him and there’s been so much wrongdoing and so many human rights violations that I hope he does die. That sounds bad, but it’s the truth.”

Mike, we have a feeling you’re not alone.
 

Post from: EveryJoe

Castro Gone, MLB Happy

It’s New Year’s Resolution time! And in 2008, yours truly is aiming higher than a pre-rehab Lindsay Lohan.

The goal: To have dinner with our favorite re-signed free agents, Red Sox players Curt Schilling and Mike Lowell. Significant others included, natch.

The reason: Schilling is the man behind the Legendary Bloody Sock of 2004, a highlight in Red Sox lore. Lowell was the 2007 World Series MVP. And both proved to Beantown that a fatter paycheck wasn’t enough to lure them to another team. 

The setting: The Capital Grille, a high-end steakhouse on Newbury Street in Boston. My hubby and I dine there whenever we’re in town for a Sox game, so it’s only fitting. And what ballplayer doesn’t love a nice filet mignon? We’ll even pick up the tab!

Aw heck, we’ll provide the entertainment, too. We’ll hire these guys to swing by and perform a special song (1m, 37s) for the two guests of honor:

In truth, we’d settle for a round of Happy Meals at McDonald’s with our Sox heroes. Or even a drivethrough coffee run at Dunkin’ Donuts.

Do you think if we pinged Curt Schilling over at his 38 Pitches blog, he’d email us and say, “Heck ya, sweetcheeks! Make the reservation!”?

OK, maybe that’s a stretch. He probably wouldn’t call us “sweetcheeks.” But you never know . . .

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Psst . . . that was our Week 5 Project Blog entry. The challenge was to blog about a goal we have for 2008. Like our take on the theme? Cast your rah-rah Gossip on Sports vote here! Leave a comment there for your chance at this week’s prize.

Post from: EveryJoe

Big (Dinner) Plans for 2008

1. Please. This item has the surprise element of Plan 9 From Outer Space, but we have to state the obvious: The Red Sox winning the World Series.

2. The Patriots making it 10-0. Pretty soon “Spygate,” if it hasn’t already done so, will become a synonym for ”pathetic attempt to debase those of well-deserved elite stature.” Sorry—and we hope faithful reader Les, a known Bills fan from Grand Island, will forgive us for this one—but a quick, informal poll indicates that we aren’t feeling guilty about “running up the score,” either. In fact, we like it. A lot.

3. The Celtics going 8-1. We aren’t even pouting about that two-point loss to the Magic last night. Why? Because it’s fun to see headlines with the word “finally” in it, as in “Celts Finally Lose.” Ha! Do we know how to make lemonade out of lemons or what? We find reasons to be cocky even when our teams lose!

4. The Red Sox signed Curt Schilling. The bloody sock, the candor with the press, the game face, the 38 Pitches blog with page views so astronomical yours truly would consider getting a dog just to do the drooling over it. (Hey, you don’t think we would actually do the drooling ourselves, do you? It would completely mess up the red lipstick. Not cool). Schilling is part of Red Sox lore, plain and simple.

5. This one is hot off the press courtesy of Bacchus: The Sox signed Mike Lowell! You hear that, that collective “ouch”? That’s the sound of thousands of Sox fans doing roundoff backhandsprings of joy, only to realize they didn’t warm up and pulled a hamstring. It’s worth it, though, because Lowell rocks.

That reminds us, didn’t Fox Sports keeping playing “Cleveland Rocks” during the ALDS?

Looks like NEW ENGLAND is the place to be instead! We’re so happy about Lowell that it didn’t even ruin our day when we learned A-Rod got the AL MVP.

P.S. Less than 24 hours to vote for Gossip on Sports and enter to win a bracelet at Project Blog! You don’t want to see us get booted, do you? (Oooh, don’t answer that . . .)

Post from: EveryJoe

Top Five Things to be Thankful For*