Mike Lowell—Florida Marlins

Baseball Digest, July, 2004 by Rick Sorci

FULL NAME: Mike Lowell

AGE, HT., WT.: 30, 6-3, 215

Born: February 24, 1974

HOME: Miami, Florida

STATUS/FAMILY: Married with one child

NICKNAME: Mikey

LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: I spend a lot of time with my wife and daughter. I like to play golf and basketball in the off-season.

SPORTS HERO WHEN I WAS YOUNG: Mike Schmidt

PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED ME THE MOST: My dad, without a doubt. He played baseball competitively in Puerto Rico and in the Pan American games. He taught me the right way to play baseball. But I saw him as my father, as well.

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME: Maximize your talent. Don't have wasted talent.

PLAYERS, PAST OR PRESENT, I'D PAY TO WATCH PLAY: In the past, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays and Don Mattingly. Today, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.

HOBBIES: I like to golf.

TYPE OF CAR: Mercedes Benz

FAVORITE ACTOR: Robert Dinero

FAVORITE MOVIE: Scarface

FAVORITE TV SHOW: Friends

FAVORITE MUSIC: I'm a Bob Marley fan (raggae)

FAVORITE FOOD: Cuban

FAVORITE BALLPARK: Busch Stadium and Fenway Park

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL: The Miami Dolphins

PLAYER I LEARNED THE MOST FROM: When I was in my first big league camp with the Yankees, I saw Derek Jeter's work ethic and he was already a superstar. I thought that was unique. I don't emulate him, but I emulate the fact that he puts in the time. Paul O'Neill was the same way.

THE TRUE SIGN ON SUCCESS: When you don't change when your bank account does.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE A BASEBALL PLAYER NEED: Mental fortitude. Just because you are in a state of failure all the time. If you're good, you fall 70 percent of the time. You have to be mentally capable of blocking that out and keep going.

CHARACTER I ADMIRE MOST IN A PERSON: Genuineness, sincerity.

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE/WHY? When my daughter, Alexis, was born. That was huge. Everyone says you'll cry and you don't think you will. But you cry. Also, making it the the big leagues.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT BASEBALL IT WOULD BE: My speed (laughs). Actually, I don't really have too many problems with baseball. If I could change one thing, though, it would have the DH in both leagues or a abolish it altogether.

IF NOT BASEBALL PLAYER I WOULD HAVE BEEN: Probably a boring stock broker or something related to finance.

BEHIND MY BACK THEY SAY: I'd hoe they say that he comes to play everyday.

TOUGHEST PITCHER I'VE FACED: John Smoltz

LIFE AFTER BASEBALL: I hope there's a lot of fishing and golf. I want to be a good dad.

MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: The biggest setback was when I was diagnosed with (testicular) cancer in 1999.

MY MOST EMBARRASSING BASEBALL EXPERIENCE: It was in Class A ball and I had just moved to third base and I made a million errors. I think I had something like 30 errors in 70 games. We're playing in Oneonta, New York, our home park in the Yankees' organization. We didn't draw too many people, so you heard what everyone said. A friendly voice goes, "Hey, Mike," I thought the person would say something like, stay in there", or "hang in there." I made another error and was 0-for-3 at the plate, and I heard hid voice again. "Hey Mike." So I finally turned around and he looks me straight in the face and goes. "You're a har-ruh to the game of baseball" in that New York accent. He was saying horror. But it floored me. A lot of people started laughing and was embarrassed.

MY MOST MEMORABLE GAME: It was my rookie year. I hit a home run off Randy Johnson in a game and then later in the ninth inning I hit one off Matt Mantei to tie the game. To hit home runs off guys who threw that hard was definitely something special. Also, all the post season games from last year are very memorable. When you win the World Series, you never forget those games that got you there.