Mark Lowe has officially been a Texas Ranger since June 9, when the Mariners traded him and Cliff Lee. He didn’t meet his new teammates, however, until Tuesday when the Rangers began a three-game series against the Mariners at Safeco Field.
Lowe had back surgery June 15 and the Rangers allowed him to remain in Seattle and continue working with the doctors and therapists who’ve been with him since the operation. As nice as that is, it’s been weird, Lowe said, staying in Seattle while being the property of another team.
“I would do my work every day, go home and watch (the Mariners) on TV every night,” he said. “It kind of feels like I got released and I’d been looking for a job the last month. But the Rangers have been very understanding about everything and made me feel really comfortable on what’s gong to be best for me and what’s going to make me heal the quickest.”
He is working out with the Rangers at Safeco Field during this series and will accompany them on their weekend series at Oakland, then to Arlington, Texas, for their homestand next week against the Yankees and Red Sox. After that, Lowe will go to his offseason home in Peoria, Ariz., and continue his workout program, then report back to Texas when he’s ready to begin throwing bullpens.
He played catch Tuesday for the first time since the surgery and said he felt “completely normal.”
Well, not completely.
“It felt kind of like when you take time off in the offseason and come back on your first day to throw,” he said. “You’re looking forward to it but nothing feels perfect. There’s a long way to go mechanically. You’re not going to be perfect when you haven’t thrown in two months. But it’s as good as I can ask for. No pain and I feel great.”
He’s on the 60-day disabled list but still clings to the hope that he’ll be pitching by the end of the regular seson and, with this first-place Texas team, in the playoffs.
“In the back of my mind, I would love for that to happen,” he said. “But No. 1, I have to listen to my body. If I’m able to do it, I’ll do it. If not, I’ll be ready to go next year.”
There’s no doubt Lowe misses the Mariners, especially the group of relief pitchers who considered him their leader. But, the trade gained him more than 20 games in the standings and an opportunity to pitch for a team in his home state. Lowe grew up near Houston and not only played college baseball at Texas-Arlington, he parked cars at the Rangers’ ballpark.
“I’m now pitching for my country,” he said with a laugh, proving that even though he’ll always love the Northwest, he’s still pure Texan.
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