Judging by the raw data, the difference between Jed Lowrie now and in spring training could hardly be starker. Lowrie left Fort Myers, Fla., batting .343 with 10 extra-base hits. Through three games that count, he is 1 for 11 with six strikeouts, two of which have come in key late moments.
But the difference, judging by Lowrie's feel, is razor-thin. "I got myself into some good hitter's counts and the pitches that I did get to hit, I fouled off," he said. "And during spring training, when I got those pitches, I was hitting them and hitting them hard."
Lowrie's early struggles became glaring yesterday in the eighth inning of the Red Sox' 4-3 loss to the Angels. Mike Lowell's double had brought the Sox within 4-2 and put the tying runs in scoring position. Lowrie came to the plate against Joe Nelson. He struck out for the second time.
"No excuses, just had a bad series," Lowrie said. "So that's just, it's one of those things where you can't deviate too much, because I feel like I was getting myself into a good situation as far as getting a good pitch to hit. The results weren't there.
"It's [11] at-bats. I struck out too much in those [11] at-bats. But that's what happens when you get a pitch against a major leaguer and you miss it. They're going to come back with a better pitch. I think I was ready. I didn't put the balls in play that I needed to. I had a bad series and I need to make adjustments."
This is Lowrie's first full season in the major leagues, and he acknowledged the extra emotion of Opening Day may have affected him. Lowrie, who won the starting shortstop position when Julio Lugo tore his right meniscus in spring training, believes settling into the season will help break his slump.
"I might have been trying a little too hard instead of just letting it happen," he said. "But that's something that the more you get into the grind, I think that feeling will kind of wear off. You do get a little heightened sense during Opening Day. I need to get into the flow of the season. It's tough after a spring training where I had been so successful. I got used to . . . every pitch I got that was in a good count that was over the plate I was hitting hard. This series, every time that situation arose, I was fouling them off. That's how the game goes sometimes."
Yesterday, Youkilis went 3 for 4 with a double and scored two runs. The majority of his hits have gone up the middle or to right field, and "any hitter who's hitting the ball the other way with authority is going to be feeling good about themselves," manager Terry Francona said.
"I feel good," Youkilis said. "I'm just trying to go pitch to pitch."
"I think he's in pretty good shape," Francona said.
It's clear that Lowell, still healing from offseason surgery to repair the labrum in his right hip, has been slowed running down the line. Never a speedy runner, he figures to regain some of his speed.
"I'm sure he will. I'm sure that will happen," Francona said. "He's not that far removed [from surgery]. Oh yeah. As the confidence returns and the strength, sure."
Lowell's decrease in speed has not alarmed Francona because Lowell never relied on his speed.
