Just days after Dustin Pedroia said he'd be willing to make a significant position change, fellow infielder Mike Lowell is willing to do the same.
Though he said that the Red Sox have not asked him to do so, Lowell would be OK with moving from third base to first base in 2010, WEEI.com reports.
"I wouldn't rule it out, absolutely not," Lowell told the Web site. "I'm a realist. If they think that makes us a better defensive team, that's fine. I don't have a major problem with that. I would have to work on it. … But I haven't been asked."
While Lowell's ability to move quickly was severely limited in 2009 due to offseason hip surgery, he is expected to regain at least some of his Gold Glove-caliber range in 2010. In 1,470 games at third base, he's posted a .974 fielding percentage. That mark puts him at No. 1 all-time, ahead of Brooks Robinson, according to Baseball-Almanac.com. Lowell also holds the National League record for fewest errors in a season for his efforts in 2004, when he made just seven miscues in 396 total chances. He won the NL Gold Glove the following season, when he committed six errors in 356 chances (he was 15 games shy of qualifying for the all-time record that season).
In his major league career, Lowell has played third base 98 percent of the time (1,470 games). He's played nine games at second base and has been a designated hitter for 15 games. The last time Lowell played first base was in 1998 for Triple-A Columbus, where he made one error in 42 chances.
