Turnin 2 SS 2b
06-19-2002, 06:08 PM
MIAMI - With boyish enthusiasm, Mike Lowell eagerly awaits the All-Star balloting updates each Monday.
Curiously, he wants to know where he stands among National League third basemen. Did he move up, drop down or remain the same?
A week ago, the Marlins third baseman jumped ahead of Philadelphia's Scott Rolen for the starting nod.
All season Lowell had ranked among the top hitters in the NL. Fans, obviously, have taken notice as he is an All-Star frontrunner.
At 28, Lowell has come into his own. He no longer is one of the best kept secrets in the game.
After knocking in 100 runs in 2001, Lowell is on pace to produce big offensive numbers once again. His glove isn't too shabby either.
His improvement has garnered national publicity from ESPN and Sports Illustrated. And so has his uplifting personal story of battling testicular cancer surgery in 1999.
Lowell took a few minutes recently to bat around with MLB.com, sharing his thoughts on fighting cancer and his joy of leading the All-Star balloting.
MLB.com: What was your reaction when you passed Scott Rolen for the starting position for NL third baseman?
Lowell: I was excited. I guess I was a little bit surprised because we are a small market team, and we don't draw many fans. We're competing against teams that pack the house. I got maybe my best response when we were in Philadelphia and fans told me they were voting for me. They have that love-hate relationship with Scott. I did pretty good in that series, so maybe a couple of votes went my way.
MLB.com: What would being an All-Star mean to you, to get the vote from the fans?
Lowell: It'd be an unbelievable experience for me because it would truly mean that people want to see me play. That is an honor. I'm more of a fan going through this. I'm excited for Monday to see when the next poll comes out. I might be 50,000 votes out. I just can't imagine being in that lineup with guys like Piazza, Sammy and Barry Bonds. They are going to be starting for sure. To be on the same field with them, and whoever is starting (as pitcher) The Unit, Schilling, whoever, it would be something I could take with me forever.
MLB.com: As a kid, was the All-Star Game something special for you?
Lowell: Yeah, I liked it. I got cable later on, so I caught a lot of Braves games and Mets games. But before that, when I was in Little League, there was the Game of Week and any other game they would televise. So the All-Star Game was a big deal because you saw a lot of the players, the West Coast players you heard about or read about in the papers, but never saw play. Now, it's a little different. You've got Baseball Tonight, and with satellite, you could watch every game that is played. But for me, it was real exciting because I got a chance to see players I'd never gotten to see.
MLB.com: Do you think the publicity you've gotten, an SI article and ESPN coverage, helped put you on the forefront of people's minds?
Lowell: Oh yeah, without a doubt. Baseball Tonight, I got million phone calls from people that I used to go to high school with who said they saw it. Those are two pretty big media outlets, SI and ESPN, so I'm sure that had to help my cause because it was a pretty positive story. It's a feel good story. There are a lot more people that I've become aware of who have gone through cancer. Maybe they root for me in that sense.
MLB.com: Let's talk about your story. You were diagnosed with cancer in 1999 (and went on the DL from March 25-May 29 that year). Did that change your focus and your appreciation for the game?
Lowell: I think it's made me appreciate things outside the game more. I love baseball. I eat, drink and sleep it. But after this, it made me realize your family, your friends and your health are a lot more important. When the doctors first told me I had cancer, the last thing on my mind was whether I was going to play baseball. The worst-case scenario I was thinking is people die from cancer. So I was thinking that might be me. After they told me what I had and my chances of recovery, it changed my focus. I appreciate things a lot more. If anything, it's motivated me more because I've gotten that scare where you never know when it's your last day. I kind of came close to that. It motivates me more to be ready to play every day because you just never know.
MLB.com: What message regarding your health would you give people?
Lowell: I think checkups are big. For me, I felt healthy. I never felt sick. I never felt any pain. Just with a routine checkup, it may have saved my life. It seems like you are just going through the motions to go through that stuff. But to me, it really did help.
MLB.com: Good message. Back to baseball, if you will. Your fielding has come a long way, as has your hitting. What satisfies you more making a good play in the field or to hit?
Lowell: To hit, because if I hit .180 and don't make any errors, I don't think I'm a Big League player. What's satisfying about my defense, though, is the 'expert's report' on me, especially after my last two years in the minor leagues, was I might be able to hit in the Big Leagues, but I might not be solid defensively. So now for people to tell me they think I'm as solid as anyone else, that feels good. I needed to work harder at that. I had to work hard because I had to learn third base. It was fun for me because it was a position I had never played before. So I didn't mind it. If I had to learn shortstop or second base at the Big League level I'd take it as, 'Man, I must have done something wrong my entire life because that's where I had played.' Since I had never played third, I was open to a lot of people who played there. I spoke with Graig Nettles a lot when I was with the Yankees (minor league system). He helped more with the way you think at third instead of how you play third, because a ground ball is still a ground ball. So I think that helped me a lot. But hitting to me, that's why I play baseball.
MLB.com: You ever think what might have been had you stayed with the Yankees, and not been traded to the Marlins?
Lowell: Yeah. I think I might have been in Triple A two more years and they still would have won the World Series. You never know. Everyone says to me, you could have won three rings. But I might not have been a part of those teams. The good thing about me getting traded to the Marlins was I got to play. I got to play and struggle and get out of it and learn. I don't think the Yankees need to buy that leeway because they can go out and buy a proven veteran. ... So I didn't look at it as they didn't think I could play. They knew what they were going to get out of Scott Brosius. Why go with the wild card? It's not something I dwell on. I love playing in Miami. I'd love to play my whole career here.
MLB.com: You think the Marlins have the ability to be something special?
Lowell: If we keep the team together, I think we can be competitive. I think we have the ingredients to be special. I think we're missing a couple of pieces to be a true playoff contending team. I think we have the talent to do it. From a pitching standpoint, I think it makes a big difference when a veteran guy who has been there explains to our young guys how good they are and how to do it. If you look at the Braves, and their young pitchers Damian Moss and Jason Marquis, they've got to be listening to Maddux and Glavine. They're dumb if they don't. But they've got to be maturing quicker than the experts thought.
Curiously, he wants to know where he stands among National League third basemen. Did he move up, drop down or remain the same?
A week ago, the Marlins third baseman jumped ahead of Philadelphia's Scott Rolen for the starting nod.
All season Lowell had ranked among the top hitters in the NL. Fans, obviously, have taken notice as he is an All-Star frontrunner.
At 28, Lowell has come into his own. He no longer is one of the best kept secrets in the game.
After knocking in 100 runs in 2001, Lowell is on pace to produce big offensive numbers once again. His glove isn't too shabby either.
His improvement has garnered national publicity from ESPN and Sports Illustrated. And so has his uplifting personal story of battling testicular cancer surgery in 1999.
Lowell took a few minutes recently to bat around with MLB.com, sharing his thoughts on fighting cancer and his joy of leading the All-Star balloting.
MLB.com: What was your reaction when you passed Scott Rolen for the starting position for NL third baseman?
Lowell: I was excited. I guess I was a little bit surprised because we are a small market team, and we don't draw many fans. We're competing against teams that pack the house. I got maybe my best response when we were in Philadelphia and fans told me they were voting for me. They have that love-hate relationship with Scott. I did pretty good in that series, so maybe a couple of votes went my way.
MLB.com: What would being an All-Star mean to you, to get the vote from the fans?
Lowell: It'd be an unbelievable experience for me because it would truly mean that people want to see me play. That is an honor. I'm more of a fan going through this. I'm excited for Monday to see when the next poll comes out. I might be 50,000 votes out. I just can't imagine being in that lineup with guys like Piazza, Sammy and Barry Bonds. They are going to be starting for sure. To be on the same field with them, and whoever is starting (as pitcher) The Unit, Schilling, whoever, it would be something I could take with me forever.
MLB.com: As a kid, was the All-Star Game something special for you?
Lowell: Yeah, I liked it. I got cable later on, so I caught a lot of Braves games and Mets games. But before that, when I was in Little League, there was the Game of Week and any other game they would televise. So the All-Star Game was a big deal because you saw a lot of the players, the West Coast players you heard about or read about in the papers, but never saw play. Now, it's a little different. You've got Baseball Tonight, and with satellite, you could watch every game that is played. But for me, it was real exciting because I got a chance to see players I'd never gotten to see.
MLB.com: Do you think the publicity you've gotten, an SI article and ESPN coverage, helped put you on the forefront of people's minds?
Lowell: Oh yeah, without a doubt. Baseball Tonight, I got million phone calls from people that I used to go to high school with who said they saw it. Those are two pretty big media outlets, SI and ESPN, so I'm sure that had to help my cause because it was a pretty positive story. It's a feel good story. There are a lot more people that I've become aware of who have gone through cancer. Maybe they root for me in that sense.
MLB.com: Let's talk about your story. You were diagnosed with cancer in 1999 (and went on the DL from March 25-May 29 that year). Did that change your focus and your appreciation for the game?
Lowell: I think it's made me appreciate things outside the game more. I love baseball. I eat, drink and sleep it. But after this, it made me realize your family, your friends and your health are a lot more important. When the doctors first told me I had cancer, the last thing on my mind was whether I was going to play baseball. The worst-case scenario I was thinking is people die from cancer. So I was thinking that might be me. After they told me what I had and my chances of recovery, it changed my focus. I appreciate things a lot more. If anything, it's motivated me more because I've gotten that scare where you never know when it's your last day. I kind of came close to that. It motivates me more to be ready to play every day because you just never know.
MLB.com: What message regarding your health would you give people?
Lowell: I think checkups are big. For me, I felt healthy. I never felt sick. I never felt any pain. Just with a routine checkup, it may have saved my life. It seems like you are just going through the motions to go through that stuff. But to me, it really did help.
MLB.com: Good message. Back to baseball, if you will. Your fielding has come a long way, as has your hitting. What satisfies you more making a good play in the field or to hit?
Lowell: To hit, because if I hit .180 and don't make any errors, I don't think I'm a Big League player. What's satisfying about my defense, though, is the 'expert's report' on me, especially after my last two years in the minor leagues, was I might be able to hit in the Big Leagues, but I might not be solid defensively. So now for people to tell me they think I'm as solid as anyone else, that feels good. I needed to work harder at that. I had to work hard because I had to learn third base. It was fun for me because it was a position I had never played before. So I didn't mind it. If I had to learn shortstop or second base at the Big League level I'd take it as, 'Man, I must have done something wrong my entire life because that's where I had played.' Since I had never played third, I was open to a lot of people who played there. I spoke with Graig Nettles a lot when I was with the Yankees (minor league system). He helped more with the way you think at third instead of how you play third, because a ground ball is still a ground ball. So I think that helped me a lot. But hitting to me, that's why I play baseball.
MLB.com: You ever think what might have been had you stayed with the Yankees, and not been traded to the Marlins?
Lowell: Yeah. I think I might have been in Triple A two more years and they still would have won the World Series. You never know. Everyone says to me, you could have won three rings. But I might not have been a part of those teams. The good thing about me getting traded to the Marlins was I got to play. I got to play and struggle and get out of it and learn. I don't think the Yankees need to buy that leeway because they can go out and buy a proven veteran. ... So I didn't look at it as they didn't think I could play. They knew what they were going to get out of Scott Brosius. Why go with the wild card? It's not something I dwell on. I love playing in Miami. I'd love to play my whole career here.
MLB.com: You think the Marlins have the ability to be something special?
Lowell: If we keep the team together, I think we can be competitive. I think we have the ingredients to be special. I think we're missing a couple of pieces to be a true playoff contending team. I think we have the talent to do it. From a pitching standpoint, I think it makes a big difference when a veteran guy who has been there explains to our young guys how good they are and how to do it. If you look at the Braves, and their young pitchers Damian Moss and Jason Marquis, they've got to be listening to Maddux and Glavine. They're dumb if they don't. But they've got to be maturing quicker than the experts thought.