Scout.com > Boston Red Sox Notebook: Lowell Reverses Trends Story URL: http://redsox.scout.com/2/677364.html Scout.com Wire Services DiehardMagazine.com Sep 8, 2007 In the past, Sox third baseman Mike Lowell has suffered through batting average swoons and power outages in the second half of the season. Consider that baseball pattern to be ancient history. After an All-Star worthy first half of the season, Lowell has continued to pepper major-league pitching in the season's second-half and is currently one of the hottest hitters in the big leagues. "He's been our MVP for this entire year," said Sox captain Jason Varitek, of the third baseman who has hit a robust .416 over the last 20 games. "Mike has had to battle a lot to do what he's doing, and he plays defense too, and that's a big part (of his value)." The Gold Glove third baseman has also driven in 100 runs this season for the third time in his career, making him only the sixth third sacker in Boston history to knock in 100 runs, and the first to do it since Butch Hobson knocked in 112 runs in 1977. "He's a godsend," said Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan. "He's been very consistent all year and -- knock on wood -- he hasn't had many stretches without getting his hits. "He's wanted to hit higher up in the lineup for a long time and he's really responding to hitting in that four-hole," added Magadan. "He likes to be in those (run-producing) situations. There are some guys that don't like being the guy or don't want to be the guy that has to drive in runs... and he is not one of those guys. Not only is he driving in runs, but he's driving in big runs for us. There aren't many other people in the league that I'd like to have up in those situations." The third baseman has also managed to keep impending free agency off his mind, but at the same time left no doubts where he wants to be next year: manning the hot corner in Boston. "It's a nice feeling when they put you in the (cleanup) spot and you're able to produce. Instead of making it a dead spot in the lineup, that's an important spot, and I'm happy with what I'm doing in there," said Lowell. "I'm in a great spot and I'm not stressing over (free agency). I'm just going to keep playing and worry about that in November." NOTES, QUOTES —OF Manny Ramirez (strained left oblique) received the team's permission to leave his rehab workouts in Boston to attend to personal business at his home in Ft. Lauderdale. Ramirez will return to Boston and baseball-related activities on Sunday and will have missed 12 games with the oblique injury at that point. Jacoby Ellsbury and Bobby Kielty will continue to gain playing time in Ramirez's absence, but no one on the squad can replace his bat in Boston's lineup. —OF Brandon Moss was working with Sox manager Terry Francona around the first base bag prior to Friday night's game. Moss has played mostly the two outfielder corner positions during his minor-league career with the Sox, but will see some winter league action at first base to add to his versatility for next season. —RHP Jonathan Papelbon has held the last 45 hitters he has faced to only one hit, meaning batters are hitting a microscopic .022 against the Sox closer in their last 45 at bats. Papelbon has saved 34 out of 36 save opportunities this season, which gives him a 94.4 percent success rate this season -- good for second in the majors, behind only J.J. Putz, with a 94.7 percent success rate. —C Jason Varitek is 3-for-6 as a pinch-hitter this season and has a career pinch-hitting average of .298 (28-for-94) over his Sox career, the highest career pinch-hitting average for the Sox in the last 24 years. Varitek's 28 pinch hits are second only to Rick Miller's 49 pinch hits over the aforementioned time span. —1B Kevin Youkilis has played a string of 179 consecutive games without an error for the Red Sox, which sets a new American League record, previously held by Milwaukee and Oakland first baseman Mike Hegan from Sept. 24, 1970-May 20, 1973. BY THE NUMBERS: 18—Number of swings and misses that right-handed pitcher Clay Buchholz generated from the Orioles' lineup with the electric stuff he took to the mound for a no-hitter in only his second big league start. QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's really willed his way to the big leagues...he really has. Let's break it down. He's 5-foot-6, he's can't run, he's not strong, his bat speed and his hands are tremendous because his arms are only about 11 inches long and so close to his body that he's not getting to anything hit 5 or 6 inches to the right or left of him, and he doesn't have a lick of athletic ability...yet he's a Rookie of the Year candidate." —Arizona State baseball Coach Pat Murphy, on his former player and current Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Copyright © Scout.com and DiehardMagazine.com