By now, you all know that World Series MVP Mike Lowell signd a 3-year, $36.5M contract with the Red Sox.
What you may NOT know is that he turned down a 4-year, $50M offer from the Philadelphia Phillies, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.
If this is true, the fact that he would turn down more money and especially a 4th year to stay with the Sox speaks volumes about a) how far the Red Sox franchise has come from the days of Lou Gorman and Dan Duquette that people are willing to play there at a discount, b) what Lowell must think of his team’s chances to repeat, and c) the depth of Philadelphia’s reputation.
Welcome back Mike . . . good decision.
November 20th, 2007
I got that feeling listening to him talk after the World Series – he was excited to try out free agency for the first time, but it seemed like it was just that – to try it out because he’d never done it. The city embraced him, his teammates embraced him and unlike other World Series heroes from the first time around, Lowell decided that staying where you are loved for a ton of money beats going somewhere else for a ton and a 1/2 of money.
November 21st, 2007
With that kind of judgment, he isn’t qualified to be a Yankee and bet Philly is pissed.
Its great for someone to step up and show its not all about the money. Everyone on this blog could probably change jobs and make a few more bucks somewhere else (though unfortunately we likely aren’t walking away from $13MM.) We stay with employers where we enjoy working, can grow in our jobs and are generally supported. When those are absent, the money elsewhere begins to look more attractive.
Congrats to Lowell and the BoSox for having some good Karma.