Lowell: Baseball player, not business man

by Randy Booth on Nov 21, 2007 12:06 AM EST in News

Mike Lowell is a great guy. Yeah, we already knew that, but I feel the need to say it again. Too many times in professional sports athletes will take the money over anything else because they might feel like they deserve it. Lowell deserved more money, but he didn't want it. He wanted to stay in Boston and continue to play for a team and fans he loves:

"The tough part was choosing between four years from other teams and three years from the Red Sox," Lowell said. "But I can't say that I'm upset with the situation. How can you be upset with the money that I'm going to be making over the next three years? And a team that I believe is going to compete for a world title."

...

Eventually, the Red Sox gave Lowell the money, even if Lowell said it was less than what he felt the market warranted. But he said he had seen teammates who had signed richer contracts but were unhappy.

"I really don't believe everything should be about money," Lowell said. "I just didn't think my happiness should be bought just by dollars."

This is great for Lowell, this is great for Red Sox Nation and, most importantly, great for baseball. Not many athletes will pull the strings for a home town discount. It shows what kind of character Lowell has and what kind of town Boston is. It's been said before that no athlete would want to actually play in Boston. I think the Red Sox and New England Patriots are doing a helluva job changing that stereotype.

There's not much else to say about Lowell. He's a model ball player. He's a bright spot in a world filled with overpaid players swimming in money from shoe contracts.

I love him. You love him. Let's all just enjoy his presence for at least another three years.

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