Lowell schedules surgery
It was when general manager Theo Epstein told Mike Lowell that there was probably a 99 percent chance he would not be on the roster, that it became clear to the third baseman. He would need to have hip surgery, and he would need to have it soon.
So instead of waiting until the team finished its postseason run - whether it's in the American League Championship Series or the World Series - Lowell decided in recent days to have the surgery Monday.
Instead of heading to Florida this weekend - if the Red Sox make it that far - Lowell will instead travel to New York to have the surgery performed by Dr. Bryan Kelly, a New York Giants team doctor.
"I just didn't want to drag it out and then see effects the later part of spring training or even April of next year," said Lowell. "I think if I do it now, with the doctor's timetable, by mid-February everything should be totally good to go.
"I think that lines me up well to have a full spring training and not be rushed and not have it affect next year."
The arthroscopic surgery, if all goes well, will repair Lowell's labrum. It will also include shaving down "a big bone spur on the top of my femur. I think that's what's been jamming that whole hip area," Lowell said.
Had the injury just been to the labrum, the recovery time would be far shorter. But as it stands, Lowell said it should be possible to be cleared to start baseball activities in three months.
He said the doctors are also looking at an area on his adductor for issues.
"He needs to have this done," manager Terry Francona said. "There's no way he was going to be able to play."
After Lowell has the surgery, he will stay in Boston for about two weeks to work on his rehab with team doctors and trainers.
Lowell was on the roster for the Division Series, and played in Games 1 and 3. But he was clearly suffering, hurting as he ran, hurting as he tried to field, hurting especially on checked swings at the plate.
So he was removed from the roster before Game 4, replaced by Gil Velazquez. That left him ineligible for the ALCS, though he could have been added for the World Series. It rapidly became apparent that would not be the case.
"All the other times, within two, three days, the swelling went down a lot," Lowell said. "And I have a lot of bruising. I didn't take a hit or anything, so it's kind of coming from the inside out and the doc really didn't like that too much. He said maybe there was something else from a bruising standpoint.
"I think once it was pretty clear that it would be a long shot to be on the World Series roster, it was just a matter of how soon we can do it."
One of Lowell's biggest regrets about the injury is it will likely leave him out of the World Baseball Classic in March. With his father having played for the Puerto Rican national team, Lowell was looking forward to the possibility of duplicating that feat.
"I really wanted to do it," he said. "I think that was something that I would have really enjoyed. I think it would have been really cool to have two generations representing the place I was born.
"I think the focus is getting healthy. The '09 season is kind of my main priority now." 