Not So Fast: Mike Lowell, Max Ramirez Trade In Limbo

Reports of the Red Sox trading aging third baseman Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers late Wednesday night may have been a bit premature, as both teams have yet to come to an official agreement:

Now, according to Rangers general manager Jon Daniels, both sides are in contemplation mode.

“Both clubs understand where the other one is and what we’re looking to do,” said Daniels. “At the same time, we’re also both looking at alternatives and what our options are as we kind of go through the process. I don’t really have anything specific to give you guys, but I think some of the reports of how close it is might be a little bit overstated.”

[…]

It sounded as if the sides were past the point of negotiating how much cash would change hands.

“I think there are always different layers to these things, but both clubs are kind of evaluating,” Daniels said. “I think the general parameters are understood, but both clubs need to decide whether it’s the right fit.”

The snagging point, some think, is how much of Lowell’s 2010 contract the Red Sox will pay (Lowell is due $12 million next year). Some reports say the Sox need to cover at least half, while others are saying Boston will need to pay almost his entire salary.