Mike Lowell

What we know right now is that there is one team pursuing Matt Holliday.

Despite Scott Boras' best antics, everyone that follows baseball knows only the St. Louis Cardinals are in the running for Holliday.

Why hasn't Holliday signed yet?

Boras.

Boras won't let Holliday sign until they have exhausted every option and gotten the offer they want from the Cardinals. In other words, he wants to prolong this until he gets his way.

Now that Mike Lowell's torn thumb ligament has put a pinch on the Rangers' pocketbook, Theo Epstein and the rest of the Red Sox front office face a rapidly diminishing market for the 36-year-old's rapidly diminishing services.  However, despite Lowell's Major-League worst -14.4 UZR/150 (i.e. his defense was atrocious), he remains a viable, affordable DH option for the Kansas City Royals.

Okay Theo, now what?

I have been an unabashed fan and supporter of the Red Sox General Manager since his assumption of the reigns of the Red Sox organization. I have not always agreed with the decisions he has made, but I have seldom taken him to task for the manner in which he has discharged his responsibilities.

Until now.

The Mike Lowell to Texas trade is officially off reported by Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe .

Recently, Theo Epstein proposed a trade to the Rangers: Mike Lowell and cash for minor league catcher Max Ramirez.  

Ramirez was the eighth best prospect in a stacked Rangers organization.  

The Rangers agreed.  

Pending physicals.  

This week, the Red Sox have been in talks that will send Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Max Ramirez.

This trade has raised many questions. One being, will Max Ramirez now be the third catcher in the Red Sox organization in front of Dusty Brown and Mark Wagner?

If Ramirez is the third catcher, it would upset me, as a Red Sox fan, due to the fact that Dusty Brown will most likely not get playing time.

Mike Lowell for Max Ramirez is a deal that leaves everyone but the Red Sox puzzled. Why would the Red Sox pay up to three-quarters of Lowell's 2010 salary, amounting to $8 or $9 million, to play for Texas?

Yes, Lowell has been hobbled by his surgically repaired hip, but he has told both reporters and the Red Sox that he feels better than at any time since the injury that led to the surgery.

Originally published at GetOutofMyBallpark.com

If all goes as planned in the medical exams this week, Mike Lowell has played his last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Last night, Lowell, affectionately known as Treebeard by SMC, was sent to the Rangers for 25-year-old catcher Max Ramirez. The trade is the first significant move by the Sox at this year's winter meetings, and is hopefully a prelude to another big move.

One of the hottest rumors flying around Thursday at baseball's Winter Meetings is that the Boston Red Sox have agreed to trade third baseman Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Max Ramirez.

Lowell, who has dealt with numerous injuries over the past few seasons, is set to make $12 million in 2010, while Ramirez's salary is substantially less; Ramirez made $402,000 last year.

Breaking News: The Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers are apparently close to making a trade  that involves sending Red Sox oft-injured third baseman Mike Lowell and $8-$9 million to the Rangers for one of the Rangers trifecta of young catchers, Max Ramirez.

Commissioner Bud Selig has to sign off on the deal, due to the large amount of money being exchanged between the franchises.