But yesterday, while the Puerto Rican team warmed up at City of Palms Park for an exhibition game, Mike Lowell sat in the Red Sox dugout and detailed his progress returning from offseason hip surgery. Lowell might play in a spring training game within a week, putting him on pace to return by Opening Day. But he knew he would not return in time to play for his country, a disappointment that crystallized as he watched Puerto Rico's 9-5 victory over the Red Sox yesterday.
"There's a big part" of him that wishes he could play in the WBC. "It was something I was looking forward to, even, I'd say, since the midway point of last year," Lowell said. "I think it would have been a cool opportunity. It's a missed opportunity."
As Lowell came to the realization last fall that his injury - a torn labrum in his right hip - would require surgery, he mentioned missing the WBC as a primary disappointment. He helped convince Sox reliever Javier Lopez to play on the team. He looked forward to playing with former teammates Ivan Rodriguez and Delgado, and he wanted to play with Carlos Beltran and Alex Rios, countrymen he admired.
Lowell's father was a pitcher with a wicked fastball, a man still revered in Puerto Rico for his pitching and his principles. Carl Lowell moved to Puerto Rico from Cuba with his family at age 11, and some of his family members who remained were jailed and abused. As an adult, Carl Lowell and the Puerto Rican national team defeated Cuba.
Playing in the WBC "was something [Lowell] really was looking forward to," said Cora, one of Lowell's best friends and a member of Puerto Rico's team. "Not just for himself, but because of what Carl Lowell means to this country."
Forced to watch, Lowell still made himself part of the team. He watched Puerto Rico play the Minnesota Twins across town Tuesday. Yesterday, he sneaked out of the Sox dugout and into Puerto Rico's for a few innings. Lowell received a WBC jersey with his name stitched across the back and a matching sweat shirt.
