According to a report on SoxProspects.com, third base prospect Will Middlebrooks suffered a torn hamstring during drills this past weekend and will be out until May, or possibly longer. Will was projected to start at Class-A Greenville where he'd split time between third base and DH with fellow top prospect Michael Almanzar.
Mike Lowell is prepared to hit the field and play in a game in two weeks, he reported yesterday. Although he hasn't suffered any setbacks with his right hip, he also hasn't been running the bases yet, which could make or break his progress.
It's very possible, although no noise has been made about it, that Lowell could suffer a setback which would either a) postpone his regular season debut or (worst case) b) knock his 2009 season out entirely.
Should Lowell not be able to start on Opening Day, this means Julio Lugo would start at shortstop with Jed Lowrie manning third base. There's a problem with this, however.
Following is a 'cut and paste' of the big "ifs" in the latest "Mazz" piece . . . or was it Ryan? Whoever, he predicted success "if" the following happens".