Thumbgate

The biggest non-controversy of the offseason revolves around Mike Lowell’s thumb. Once the trade to theRangers fell through there became an immediate “what did he know and when did he know it” controversy with the injury. NBC’s Circling the Bases blog had this story:

The Red Sox can’t be happy with Mike Lowell right now– you have to understand how frustrated the Red Sox are with Lowell for not having the problem addressed sooner.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports had this:

Prediction: Mike Lowell will never play another game for the Red Sox. If the relationship between the player and team is not beyond repair, it’s pretty close. The Red Sox obviously do not want Lowell playing third base for them next season. In fact, they have not wanted Lowell from roughly the time he underwent surgery on his right hip after the 2008 season.

Theo tried to move Mike Lowell to improve the team’s defense and possibly open up a spot to bring in a big hitter like Adrian Gonzalez. The Red Sox do not have a major problem with Mike Lowell and they will make him a big part of the team next season if they can’t get Gonzalez. Mike Lowell understands this is a business and will have no problem doing his part in 2010: “I don’t have a problem. Absolutely,” Lowell said regarding whether or not he could return to the Red Sox. “I think everything is getting lost with all the other pieces of who they want. But I think I’m going to do much better than last year. I feel like there were close to 20 games I felt I should have been in the last two months of the season, which would have given me about three more homers and would have put me at 20 (homers) and 90 (RBI), which is about what I am.” The Sox knew about the injury all alongand thought it would heal itself in the offseason. Both sides are okay with where things stand even if some reporters want to believe otherwise.