Projo Sox Blog

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

ATLANTA -- Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell is out of Friday's lineup due to soreness in his surgically-repaired hip.

He explained that it feels tight and there's been discussion with the club's medical staff whether or not he'll receive an ejection to help loosen it up, or lube the joints. Lowell said it doesn't hurt to swing, only when he takes that first step out of the batter's box and running.

Lowell dealt with a hip issue for the majority of last season, especially in the second half. That caused him to cut his postseason short when it was decided the pain was too much to handle and he was not helping the team. He had the surgery in November.

It's also a possibility he'll miss the next few games.

"Obviously I'm not starting today and we'll see through this weekend, see what we do," said Lowell. "I guess it's how I wake up tomorrow, but honestly I'm not predicting a miraculous, like, I feel 100 percent tomorrow morning. It will be a process but I don't know. I'm kind of just [waiting] to hear what they say. I know they're going to talk to Dr. Gill to see if there's something else we should do. I'll find out more a little later I guess."

Other than losing a step on the base paths, and having a little less range at third, Lowell hadn't shown any negative effects in the early portion of the season. He's been hitting well and currently has a .283 average with 10 homers and 41 RBI in 67 games.

The hip flared up on him in the last week after he woke up one morning and it felt really tight. He attempted to play through it, but it hasn't gone away. He spoke with the surgeon who performed the procedure, Dr. Kelly, and Lowell was told this is normal and there isn't anything structurally wrong. Hearing that made him feel a little more at ease, but this situation is frustrating.

"I think that's frustrating. I think I take confidence in them saying it's something they expected. If this kind of caught them off-guard, I think I'd be more on the worried side then on the frustrated side," he said.

Still, the discomfort can't compare to what he was dealing with last season.

"I can compare the tightness to it. I don't have the super sharp sensation that I had last year when I would, especially the check swing which was the worst. I never felt that. I think if I did, we'd have major problems because that's the part that we fixed with the surgery," said Lowell.

The last thing Lowell wants to think about at this point is a trip to the disabled list.

"I don't know, I hope not," he said. "I've got to believe one of the things that we talked to Dr. Gill about was some kind of synvisc shot that kind of coats the whole joint. I spoke to Brad Mills, I think he had one in his knee and he said he felt great the day after. I'm hoping that's the case for me. If I have to do that and take two days off, great, maybe we got over the hump. I'm kind of in wait and see."

 Tags  Mike Lowell Red Sox

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