Mike Lowell named AL Player of the Week

I'd like to take this time to compare two American League infielders.

Player A is hitting .218 (12-for-55) this season with 3 HR and 10 RBI. Player A is slugging .418 through his first 15 games and has just two doubles. Player B on the other hand is hitting .324 with 4 HR and has an American League-best 22 RBI. Player B is slugging .603 and has seven doubles (tied for third best in the Majors) to go along with 41 total bases (compared to Player A's 23 total bases).

Player A is the $180 million man that was just one of three free agents that have done absolutely nothing to prevent a sweep at the hands of the Red Sox this past weekend, Mark Teixeira. Player B, of course, is the American League Player of the Week, Mike Lowell. This past week, Lowell hit .435, knocking four of his seven doubles around the yard, launched two homers, scored four runs and tallied 20 total bases, while knocking in an American League best 11 RBI's.

If you want to dig even further, Lowell is hitting a red hot .340 against right-handed pitching, with all seven of his doubles coming against right-handers. 30 of his 41 total bases have been collected against right-handed pitching, but Lowell has remained consistent hitting two home runs against right-handed pitching and two off of left-handed pitching.

In the eleven games that Lowell has played so far at Fenway Park this year, the Red Sox third baseman has punished opposing pitching by hitting .404 with 2 HR and 16 RBI. Lowell has hit safely in his last ten games, all of which were victories for the Boston Red Sox. It's clear now that the best seventh hitter in baseball calls Boston his home and Red Sox fans wouldn't have it any other way.

Congratulations Mikey!