Mike

Lowell

Manager Jack McKeon said he won’t have a timetable until he knows the results of Lowell’s MRI from yesterday. Lowell is likely to miss at least a few games, maybe more. McKeon plans to use Miguel Cabrera at third base as long as Lowell is out.

“I love Miami more than anything, but I don’t want to lose every year,” said the third baseman of the defending World Series champions. The Marlins could look very different next season. Carl Pavano, Armando Benitez, Mike Redmond, Lenny Harris, Damion Easley, Mike Mordecai and Ismael Valdez will be free agents. Paul Lo Duca, Guillermo Mota, A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett, Billy Koch and Matt Perisho are eligible for arbitration.

No word on Lowell’s return, though it could be today.

When the Marlins play in Chicago this weekend, one of the makeup games will be played as part of a doubleheader, with the Marlins being the home team in Wrigley Field. The other two games could then be made up on Sept. 20, currently an off day for both squads, as a doubleheader in Miami.

Veterans in the middle of multiyear deals are allowed to demand trades the winter after being dealt. In this case, though, Lowell would be traded early enough that he’d be able to demand the deal this offseason without even suiting up for his new team. Given that Lowell would prefer to become a free agent, he very likely would demand a second deal, which will ruin any market there was for him. It now looks like he’ll become a free agent after Nov. 1.

Lowell would prefer to pick where he wants to go, but if he’s traded, the three years and $25.5 million remaining on his contract become guaranteed. For the Marlins, getting the deal done by Nov. 1 is going to be the tough part. They’re probably not going to get as much as they’d like in return.

The Marlins hope to get a stadium deal done this winter -- allowing them to move into the new park in 2008. However, even if it happens, it will come too late to guarantee that Mike Lowell stays. The team is attempting to work out a new agreement with him.

The deal still has to be approved several times. If they finally get their retractable-roof stadium, part of the deal is that the team will be renamed the Miami Marlins.

The Cubs are also believed to be interested in Lowell. It’s not known what players the Dodgers are offering, although it’s very interesting that both Lowell and Adrian Beltre, who almost certainly would go to Florida, are making $3.7 million this year. The big difference is that Lowell’s 16 home runs, 43 runs batted in and .603 slugging percentage would lead the Dodgers, who, it is believed, would offer Lowell a multi-year contract.

If he receives the go-ahead, Lowell will take some practice cuts and try a few at-bats Saturday and Sunday. Doctors have told him the degree of pain will let him know right away whether he can play or not.