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The man who helped pick Mike Lowell out of one of his career'sgreatest depths stood just feet away from the Red Sox third basemanbefore last night's game. But this time Gary Denbo couldn't utter aword of advice.
"I would love to be able to say something to him," the Torontohitting coach said, "but I can't."
Following the 2005 season, Denbo had no American League Eastconflicts of interest. He was finishing a coaching stint in Japanwhen he received an e-mail from Lowell, who was coming off ahorrific offensive campaign with the Marlins.
Denbo knew Lowell's swing perhaps better than anybody, havingtutored the right-handed hitter during his days in the Yankees'minor league system. So, just days after Lowell's trade to the Red Sox, the coach's expertise was called upon once again.
"There are a lot of guys throughout baseball I've worked with andI kind of agonize when they're struggling," Denbo said. "So I hadthoughts of calling him, so I wasn't really surprised when hecontacted me."
The pair agreed to meet for a three-day session at the Universityof South Florida in Tampa to find what ailed Lowell's swing. Thehitting boot camp encompassed sessions that lasted more than threehours each, with the third baseman supplying nothing more than a bagof bats and a video camera.
Every time Lowell executed a swing that Denbo deemedsatisfactory, the coach would wave his hand in front of the camerato identify the ones to focus on. It was a practice the Sox sluggerfollowed on his own when continuing his progress leading into hisfirst spring training with the Red Sox.
"We spent the first two days in the cage. We didn't even go outon the field at all," Denbo said. "Even on the third day we were inthe cage for most of the day. After the second day you could see hehad the feeling back of the timing and direction."
The duo decided its communication halted after Denbo was hired bythe rival Yankees.
"He's been instrumental for me," Lowell said. "I think herecognizes my strengths and weaknesses before I did and helped mework on each, and I think that has helped me have a more consistentswing."
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