Lowell will not be a Red Sox next year

unless the Red Sox up the ante. Tony Massarroti reports:

So, as things stand, here’s what it comes down to: Lowell can accept three years at $36 million (an average of $12 million per) from the Red Sox, or he can get $14-$15 million annually over four years from someone else.

Total difference in packages: Roughly $20-$25 million.

That’s a lot of dough.

I didn't begrudge the extra $20 million that Johnny Damon picked up in free agency either. Let's just do this at a tenth of these levels, since we are the little people: would you stay with Boston for $3.6 million over 2008-2010, and pass up $6 million over 2008-2011?

Me neither.