Is anyone starting to grow concerned about Mike Lowell? He's batting .187 with only 2 HR's in the month of April. I really expected him to break out of this by now. I'm starting to wonder if there are any hidden injury problems. I saw that McKeon dropped him to the seventh spot in the order. I'm not sure if that is the anwer. I just don't remember him ever slumping like this before. I hope he hasn't hit the wall, but at age 31, I doubt that is it. And I hope it's not an injury.

lots of very good players are struggling right now

 

Eric Chavez .181

Andruw Jones .207

Vernon Wells .207

Victor Martinez .200

Richard Hidalgo .173

Nomar .157(I realize he is out)

Let me add to that list:

 

Jorge Posada(.240)

Jim Thome(.205, 1 HR!)

Jeff Bagwell(.232)

Phil Nevin(.224)

Steve Finley(.165)

Lowell was very inconsistent last year, but admittedly not a bad as he has been this April:

 

2004 BA

April .314

May .373

June .236

July .301

August .221

September .308

October .375

 

His slumps tend to be extensive. What is worrisome is he usually starts out the year hot, and then struggles during the dog days of summer.

 

2003-2005 BA

 

April .327

May .312

June .266

July .272

August .199

September .308

October .375

 

If he struggles again this summer we're looking at Mike substantially underperforming his contract this year.

Lowell was very inconsistent last year, but admittedly not a bad as he has been this April:

 

2004 BA

April .314

May .373

June .236

July .301

August .221

September .308

October .375

 

His slumps tend to be extensive. What is worrisome is he usually starts out the year hot, and then struggles during the dog days of summer.

 

2003-2005 BA

 

April .327

May .312

June .266

July .272

August .199

September .308

October .375

 

If he struggles again this summer we're looking at Mike substantially underperforming his contract this year.

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If that showed a consistent pattern of a second half falloff that Id be concerned. But what those numbers show me is that Lowell goes through stretches that last a month at a time of not hitting the ball and then lights it up. The fact that sometimes he struggles in June, recovers in July, then struggles in August, then picks it up in September says he it isnt anything serious. I think he is just hitting a struggle stretch right now and will tear it up later.

Even Jason Giambi is slumping... yet he is doing better than Lowell

I dont think its that big of a deal yet.

 

 

The biggest name that was mentioned above was Thome. You know he wont stay horrible for long, and neither will Lowell.

Think positive. If he's cold right now, maybe when someone else cools down, Mikey will get hot.

Think positive. If he's cold right now, maybe when someone else cools down, Mikey will get hot.

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lets hope so

I don't see how that should make anyone feel any better. Just because a handful of major league stars are not hitting well, does not make it easier to swallow that Lowell is batting .187. That doesn't make it okay.

Lowell is had a hard hit line drive over the Center fielder. Looks like the old Mike there.

 

I noticed something about his batting stance he never used to do last year. Now he crutches up and gets way to low while batting. He used to bat more straight. I think thats whats causing it.....he cant see the pitches well like that.

Lowell is slowly coming out of it and every game over the past week he's been making solid contact and has been hitting hard line drives. It's only a matter of time before he explodes.

Lowell has hit in 7 of his last 8 games. He is slowly coming out. Its called a batting AVG because they average all the ABs for the year, not just in April.

 

He'll be fine. I think Jack will soon move him up in the order for a game or two, boosting his confidence a bit.

Lowell got off to a fast start last year in Philly, with his 3HR game. He hit the ball well last night and he has two more games in this stadium.

Put Cabs in 3rd Conine in LF. :thumbup