Lowell Connector?
No So Much.

It's Been a Belowell Par Performance for Mike So Far

"Mike Lowell is 3 for 21 and his bat looks slow. He went 0 for 5 against the Dodgers Monday and had two ground outs and a walk in yesterday's 9-7 loss to the Reds. It's only spring training, but things could be tough on Lowell if he struggles at the start of the season. He batted only .236 with 8 homers and 58 RBIs in 150 games in 2005, and it was shrugged off as simply a bad season." -- 3.15, Boston Globe, Red Sox Notebook

First Things First: What's the Backup Plan at Third?

"With Opening Day less than three weeks away, scouts watching the Red Sox say the team should be concerned about third baseman Mike Lowell, 32, and first baseman J.T. Snow, 38.

"Lowell, in the words of one scout, has 'lost his body quickness.' Snow also lacks athleticism. Kevin Youkilis, 27, can't play both first and third — and after hitting only one homer in 79 at-bats last season, he might lack sufficient power to be a corner infielder for a championship club.

"The Red Sox have a starting pitcher to trade — left-hander David Wells, right-hander Matt Clement or right-hander Bronson Arroyo — and they're also shopping second baseman Tony Graffanino. But it seems doubtful they would address first base or third before the start of the season." -- 3.15, Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com