Yanks Eyeing Derek Lowe For '09?

Derek Lowe probably would be one of the safest 36 and older pitchers over the past 5 or so years to go after. Less tread on his arm because he lasted as a closer for so long, and he is effective without having to give max effort in terms of his arm.... plus, he is effective. He would be for the yanks what they had hoped mussina could have been on a more consistient basis.

a pitcher as reliant on good defense as lowe would likely struggle given the yankees' ineptitude in that department in recent seasons. however, his durability is a plus, and 600 innings of 4.50-5.00 ball might be worth the price mentioned to a team with a lot more disposable income (and pitching depth issues) than most.

roy halladay or CC Sabathia would be where i think the yanks look to next year, as long as halladay is healthy and keeps throwing these complete games and Sabathia doesnt look like the goodyear blimp. blanton is also worth a glance for them, no rookies or youngsters for them though, they have to much of that and its not working out for them

holy crap, you actually want wells? why would you want that? wells is 45 has diabetes, hasnt been reliable for maybe 4 years and has not pitched since last year. yankees have to start thinking long term, not year to year, thats why they are in so much trouble right now

I would love nothing more than for the Yankees to sign another player to an overpriced deal that doesn't pan out.

Derk Lowe back in the AL East is a disaster waiting to happen. Let's hope the Yankees learned their lesson with Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright. Lowe has seen his better days in the rearview mirror of his life.

"Me too. A strategy that leads to 13 straight playoff appearances and counting can't be too wrong."

Ahh
I love how the expectations have changed this decade.

Sweet

My question is would the Yankees still persue Sabathia if he's available or do the Yankees think that Sabathia is staying in Cleveland? Obviously they are both good options but you gotta wonder which way New York would go. Sabathia is obviously the better pitcher, but he's also going to cost a lot more money for a lot more years.

I could see Lowe ending up in Cincinnati forming an awesome rotation with Harang, Arroyo, Cueto and Volquez. But then again Homer Bailey going to get another shot before that ever happens.

What darkstar says makes perfect sense for the Dodgers as well. I think you gotta pencil Penny, Billingsley, Kuroda and Kershaw into the rotation next season. Billingsley has been all over the place with his performance despite great K rates, but he should level out and be a good #2-3 starter by then. With Kuroda in the three spot and Kershaw potentially pitching like an ace in the 4th spot, that leaves one spot left. Kershaw will likely have his innings watched, and the Dodgers probably wouldn't want to put another potential risk in there like a Ollie Perez or a Ben Sheets. For that reason I think Lowe makes sense for them, because he'll at least give them a dependable 200 innings of 3.50-4.00 ERA, solid numbers for a #3. A rotation of Penny, Billingsley, Lowe, Kuroda, Kershaw doesn't have a single hole in it, and would definately let them contend against Arizona. But then again the Dodgers may once again go out on a limb and sign a guy like Sheets or Burnett, hoping to give themselves potentially four legit top of the rotation starters.

...not if they sign C.C.

“I just don't see Lowe coming back, particularly if Schmidt proves to be healthy and effective.”
…Yeah but seriously, what do you think the odds of that are?

“They just have too much money tied up in him to also have Lowe and be running with 6 starters, particularly when you consider all the money tied up in Kuroda, Penny and Schmidt.”
…Its no different than this year though, and don’t forget that Penny is most-likely gone after the 2009 season. Resigning Lowe for a 3-4 year deal where you probably get him at a discount anyway since he seems to like being here and having his ERA deflated and all…

I can just easily see them again going with Penny/Bills/Lowe/Kuroda & with Kersh/Schmidt in the 5th spot, saving both from taxing their arms and ensuring they don’t have to use a scrub when Schmidt goes down. Then in 2010 you have Bills/Kudos/Kersh/Lowe and either one of McDonald/Meloan/Adkins/OtherKid or sign a starter at that point. Lowe bridges the gap between today and the rotation of tomorrow perfectly, ensures you don’t get into a situation where you have to rely on guys who wont be ready, and you pretty much know what you will get. Without him its just so risky in my eyes.

Maybe it doesn’t happen, but for a team which has problems with keeping pitchers both healthy and consistent ~ well, letting someone who is both just seems a bad idea…

"If the Dodgers sign Sabathia, Colletti should be fired. Sabathia is a great pitcher and I think he will even be worth a 5 year contract, but it makes absolutely no sense for the Dodgers financially or on the field, particularly if Kershaw pitches in the majors as he has in the minors and in the Spring."

I meant the Yankees, not the Dodgers.

Lowe has been lukewarm about the Dodgers, wavering back and forth between loving it and hating it. As for Penny sticking around, I don't see why not. The Dodgers can afford to pay him ace pay and he has been allowed to blossom into a legit ace and Cy Young candidate here, and he gets to benefit from having a Gold Glove catcher blocking his split.

It was a tongue-in-cheek comment. I'll take a GB guy over a FB guy any day; it just hurts to see Derek come onto my TV screen late on ground balls to his side of second base over and over and over ...

Lowe would be an awful fit for the Yankees. Lowe can be have some brilliant games and seasons like 2002, but he would be murdered by the NY Press and NY Yankee Fans for his erratic game to game pitching. He is better off playing in a place like San Diego, Detroit or Cleveland. I like Lowe, I wish the Red Sox kept him in 2004-2005, but they dropped him because of his off field problems. Actually, I think the Red Sox should try to sign him, if they feel he got his personal life together. I really see him going to the Tigers in 2009.

The Yankees should look at someone like Halladay.

How Sabathia is pitching right now, he is going to have a tough time even trying to sign with the Indians..