Third Base Uncertainty

Throughout the off-season, there has been a buzz surrounding who would fill the third base slot  for the Sox in 2010. First, there was an attempt to trade Mike Lowell to Texas to free up some salary, but it fell through following the discovery of his thumb injury. Then, rumors about Adrian Beltre’s interest in coming to the East coast and playing for Tito and the gang gained some steam and after dying down for a bit, they have reemerged this week. Ignoring other options and money for the sake of this debate, would Lowell or Beltre be the best fit at third base this season for the Sox?

Most members of Red Sox Nation would  not even hesitate and say that Mike Lowell is the best fit for the Sox. He certainly is a sentimental pick, but has clearly lost a few steps defensively over the last few years. That leads me to the first major difference between the two players: age and range. Mike Lowell is 35, which in baseball terms is considered to be old. Beltre on the otherhand is just 30 and is widely considered to be one of the best defensive third baseman in the league. Advantage Beltre.

Over the course of his 11 year career, Beltre has proven his power with 7, 20+ HR seasons, including hitting 48 HR’s in 2004, but his career batting average is 10 points lower than his counterpart Lowell. Lowell is a career .280 hitter, but has hit and even better .284, .324, .274, and .290 over the past four seasons with an approximate average of 19 HR’s per season. Beltre on the other hand, has a lower career average and has produced even less than that over the last 4 years (.265, 266, 274, and .268). Advantage Lowell.

Since this battle is tied up, it comes down to each players’ intangibles. Intangibles are difficult to rate, but are crucial to a teams continued success. Every Sox fan knows Lowell’s value in the clubhouse as a leader and a team unifier. His ability to speak English and Spanish has allowed him to bring together a diverse clubhouse and act as a father to younger players. Beltre is not a bad teammate, but does not command the same respect and presence that Lowell does. Advantage Lowell.

By a slim margin, Lowell wins the battle. Factoring in the money aspect of the game, Lowell is also slghtly more economical at approxiately $1-3 million less than Beltre’s asking price. His salary and the fact he is already signed to a deal just reinforces Lowell’s added value to the 2010 version of the Sox.