The Boston Red Sox season is now complete with a 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim yesterday that capped a three game sweep of the Red Sox in the American League Divisional Playoffs. Jed Lowrie pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the ninth and flew out to center field. The playoff loss ended a disappointing year for Lowrie that was disrupted from the start by the lingering effects of last season's left wrist injury. He now heads into the off season trying to rest and rehabilitate the wrist and start fresh in 2010.

The 2009 season was not without its highlights for Lowrie. Although he only hit .147 on the year, that sophomore slump was the product of the nagging wrist injury that limited him to 68 at-bats on the year compared to 260 in his rookie year. He matched his rookie year home run total of 2 by belting one in his first game back from a three month stint on the disabled list and another one in the last game of the regular season. The latter home run was a grand slam, the first of his major league career. Defensively, he only made one error in 80 chances spread over 32 games, further solidifying his reputation as an above-average defensive shortstop. He was also selected for the playoff roster for the second year, an indication of his value to the organization despite the lingering wrist problems.

Best wishes to a restful off season for JMFL and a ferocious comeback in 2010

The Red Sox took two of three from the Orioles this weekend at Fenway. While Jed went 0-5 in the series, he had two sacrifice flies on the weekend. On Friday, he plated the go-ahead (and ultimately winning) run with a sacrifice fly. Today, the first run (and one of only two in a 6-2 Red Sox loss) scored thanks to a Lowrie sac fly.

The two sacrifice flies this weekend give Jed his first two of the season and the ninth and tenth of his young career. His 8 sacrifice flies last season were good for 11th in the league despite only playing half the season.

With Jed getting the day off on Wednesday and the entire Red Sox team getting the day off Thursday, Jed should be well-rested for this weekend's divisional series against the Orioles, which marks the Red Sox return to Fenway. How the matchups shake out (JMFL against Orioles pitchers):

Friday (7:10pm EST): RHP Brad Penny vs. RHP Brad Bergesen (N/A)

Saturday (7:10pm EST): LHP Jon Lester vs. RHP Jeremy Guthrie (0-3 with K)

Sunday (1:35pm EST): RHP John Smoltz vs. RHP David Hernandez (N/A)

JMFL at Fenway: .257/.331/.410, 29 RBI, 18 2B, 2 3B, 22 R

This series will be another test for JMFL and the surgically repaired wrist against right handed pitching. Also of note is the potential Saturday matchup against a fellow Stanford alum.

The Red Sox acquired Adam LaRoche from the Pirates today in exchange for a pair of minor league players. This trade has two implications for Jed. First, one of the players the Red Sox traded was AA shortstop Argenis Diaz, a 22 year old hyped for his defensive abilities but who has recently fallen behind new AA shortstop Yamaico Navarro as a prospect. The move leaves Jed Lowrie, Nick Green, and Gil Velasquez as the only players on the 40-man roster capable of playing shortstop. Jed's short-term job security is thus enhanced. Second, the Red Sox will now use LaRoche in a 1B/3B/DH rotation with Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell, and David Ortiz. LaRoche as an additional 1B option will mean more playing time for Youkilis at 3B and thus less playing time for Jed when he is not starting at SS.

Jed has gone 2-10 in three games since returning to the Red Sox on Saturday, but both hits have been extra base hits. After hitting a home run from the right side of the plate on Saturday, Jed belted a double in today's 4-2 loss to the Rangers. The double was his first of the season and 26th of his career. Notably, it came from the left side of the plate. LED, or left-handed Jed, achieved significant success throughout college and the minor leagues but has been frustrated at the major league level by the effects of the lingering left wrist injury that knocked JMFL out of action for the past few months.

Meanwhile, as a team the Red Sox have lost four in a row and with today's loss have surrendered first place to the arch rival Yankees.

In his return from a nearly 100-day injury absence from the big leagues, Jed came in with a bang by hitting his third major league home run. He also was charged with his first ever major league error as a shortstop on a hard-luck pop up where he and Mike Lowell ran into each other, ending Jed's major league record streak of error-less games at shortstop to begin a career. As the Red Sox ease him back into action, he got a day off in yesterday's series finale against the Blue Jays. Today, the Red Sox begin a three game series against the Rangers in Texas. What Jed will face (JMFL against Rangers pitchers): Monday (8:05pm EST): RHP John Smoltz vs. RHP Kevin Millwood (1-6 with 2B, BB, and 3 Ks) Tuesday (8:05pm EST): RHP Josh Beckett vs. RHP Tommy Hunter (1-1) Wednesday (8:05pm EST): RHP Tim Wakefield vs. RHP Vicente Padilla (N/A) JMFL at Rangers Ballpark: 3-9 with BB, RBI, 2 R, 4 Ks This series will be the first test for LED as his surgically-repaired left wrist faces major league right handed pitchers for the first time.

Only 3 at-bats into Jed's comeback from wrist surgery and a knee injury to hit his first home run of the season. He lined the first pitch he saw from Toronto reliever Jesse Carlson over the fence in the left field corner. The pitch was a sweeping breaking ball that Carlson left up in the zone. It was his third career home run and his second in Toronto's Rogers Centre.

If the rumblings of the imminent return to the Red Sox for JMFL are accurate, our man's return to major league action will come on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays with the Red Sox in first place by three games over the Yankees in baseball's best division. It remains to be seen how the Red Sox will use Jed initially, though a start on either Saturday or Sunday seems likely. Here's what he would have to contend with (Blue Jays pitchers vs. JMFL in parentheses):

Saturday (1:07pm EST): RHP Brad Penny OR RHP Clay Buchholz vs. LHP Brian Tallet (0-3)

Sunday (1:07pm EST): LHP Jon Lester vs. RHP Roy Halladay (0-6 with 2 Ks)

JMFL at Skydome: 4-24 with 2 BBs, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 R, and 1 RBI (home run was an 11th inning game-winning HR on August 24, 2008)

After an off-and-on minor league rehab assignment following wrist surgery was complicated by a knee injury, it seems like forever since Jed Lowrie has played in the major leagues. As the Red Sox head into the second half, however, Jed is finally eligible to be activated to the major league roster on Saturday, the second game after the All Star break. The expected move to activate him will coincide with the big league return of starting third baseman Mike Lowell, meaning that the Red Sox are facing pivotal roster decisions this weekend. The rumor mill is churning, suggesting that both Lowell and Lowrie will return to the active roster, Clay Buchholz will start Friday's game and be sent to AAA afterward, and Julio Lugo will be traded or released outright to make room for JMFL.

As we wait for Jed's frustrating rehab assignment to take a turn toward the positive and for him to return to Boston, here is a nice video interview on his simultaneous rehab from wrist surgery and a knee contusion:

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Sports/2009/07/01/Lowrie-I-cant-wait-to-get/1...

Jed's rehab assignment continues to be touch-and-go as he deals with twin ailments - the contusion on his left knee in addition to the recovery from surgery on his left wrist. He sat out Friday's game to give the knee another day of rest. On Saturday, Jed went 0-3 with a throwing error in his first day back since being hit in the knee on Tuesday. He bounced back Sunday with a 1-2 day, which importantly came against a right handed pitcher and thus gave Jed a chance to test the left wrist. However, leg spasms cropped up during that game and he was removed mid-game as a precaution. He did not play in tonight's game and is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow. Stay tuned as JMFL works his way through the bumps and bruises on the left side of his body.

In the second game of the rehab assignment on Monday, Jed faced major league competition, going 0-3 with three fly outs against Scott Kazmir, the ace of the reigning American League Champion Rays who himself is on a AAA rehab assignment. Jed also made a throwing error in the field as he shakes off the rust from an extended absence. On Tuesday, LED got his first chance of the rehab assignment as Jed faced a right handed pitcher for the first time this week. Unfortunately, star Orioles prospect Chris Tillman drilled Jed in the back of the knee in Jed's first at-bat. Jed stayed in the game to run the bases and then in his next at-bat singled to right to cap off a good six pitch at-bat against Tillman. He again stayed in to run the bases and ended up scoring, but came out of the game in the bottom of the inning as his knee started to stiffen.

Yesterday was a scheduled off day for Jed. However, he was again out of the lineup today. Stay tuned for his return to the lineup, hopefully tomorrow against RHP Jake Arrieta, another top Orioles prospect.

Jed began the AAA portion of his rehab assignment today by starting at shortstop and batting second for the Pawtucket Red Sox in their game against the Durham Bulls. He went 0-1 with 2 walks and an RBI. His out was a fly out to left field and one of the walks came with the bases loaded and forced in a run after a seven pitch at-bat. All three at-bats came from the right side of the plate, so watch for LED and the recovering wrist to get tested in upcoming games. In the field, he made the three plays that came to him, two assists and a putout on a pop up. He exited the game as planned in the bottom of the fourth inning as he regains stamina and shakes off the rust from his extended injury absence.

On Monday and Tuesday, Jed took live batting practice from recently drafted players assigned to the Lowell Spinners. He now heads to extended spring training in Florida before a likely rehab assignment in Triple-A Pawtucket:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090616&content_id=5358244&vkey...

Jed's rehab from left wrist surgery is progressing. He is currently on the road with the Red Sox and took batting practice from both sides of the plate yesterday, taking swings at overhand tosses for the first time. Here are two stories on his rehab:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090603&content_id=5128760&vkey...

http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/projo_20090603_red_sox_journal.46cef...