Braves Sign Derek Lowe

good for lowe, his patients really proved to be wise, and the braves get a chance to salvage this season now

He's not an ace...can't wait till the Braves finish 3rd again, hear 'em all crying

Wow the NL East is going to be interesting with the Mets, Braves, Phillies and Marlins all with a legitimate shot!

LOWE is no better than a two and no less than a three in my opinion

Im not quite sure why Mets fans are so confident. You have Reyes, Right, Beltran and ... Your rotation is Santana ... The bullpen is good but so is the Braves.

How is Lowe not an ace? Have you people even looked at his stats from last year? He's not Santana or Peavy but he'd be the #1 starter on most major league staffs.

Wren is starting to redeem himself and none too soon.

Damn, that was quick...

Can everyone PLEASE stop bashing Wren now?

He got his top of the rotation starter (Lowe) as well as depth in Vazquez and Kawakami.

The lineup should be solid, especially if they can add an outfield bat.

He didn't overpay for Burnett or Peavy, and he got screwed by Furcal.

Otherwise, admit it, the guy has done a pretty damn good job.

Lowe is a high 2 IMO. Having two high 2s in Lowe and Jurrjens, along with a low 2/high 3 in Vazquez is a VERY solid punch.

Metsfan22,

Why don't you let the season get under way before you start running your mouth about how the standings are going to look. If true and the Braves finish 3rd, I can't wait till your team has another september meltdown and the Phillies win the division again!!

So, we can assume that an announcement of the Mets' signing of Oliver Perez will be out within the next 24 hours?

Last year when I heard that the braves were going to sign a starter, I knew Lowe would be the one. Seems like their type of guy. Veteran, not going to cost as much as the younger aces, and pretty good in the postseason as well. Pretty funny it ended up that way.

Never doubted you Wren. You are both patient and wise. I'm lovin the Braves new look on the pitching front. And has for Mets fans...that's sad;)

I doubt the Perez negotiations take too long.

There aren't really any other legitimate suitors for Perez except the Mets, and the Mets have no other quality pitching options on the free agent market.

Something ought to come together soon, probably a 3/33 deal with a fourth year option or something.

Boras will just create other suitors with his black magic.

Great for the Braves. I definitely think this puts them ahead of the Mets. Anyone disagree?

Of all the pitchers signed in the 2004 offseason -- Pavano, Clement, Pedro, etc.... Lowe did the best... by far

Good signing for Atlanta, congratulations. This made sense to me.

"Great for the Braves. I definitely think this puts them ahead of the Mets. Anyone disagree?"

Too early to tell. Both sides can still make more moves.

bigscooter,
i completely agree with you

The Braves always play the mets well... even last season. I am not going to say we are far better than the mets but for Mets fan to say we are sure to finish third is rediculous.

"Too early to tell. Both sides can still make more moves. "

Unless the Mets sign Manny or trade for Peavy, where are the going to go to get much better?

Lowe
Jair
Vasquez
Kawakami
Campillo

Not bad. Not bad at all. I think 2010 is when this team will make the next step to winning it all.

Lowe
Jair
Hudson
Vasquez
Kawakami/Hanson

Smoltz's Beard-

I think that you could say they're both #2s. You're right. Vazquez is definitely a #2; he was unlucky in 2008 and he has posted VERY solid FIPs.

To me though, I'm rating Jurrjens above Vazquez almost solely on potential. I think he has the stuff and the ammo to become a solid ace (albeit not the stereotypical strikeout pitcher), and I really am confident that he reaches that ceiling. He'll fit the hardcore groundballer mold (ala Derek Lowe).

But yeah, you're right. When you're looking at '09 alone, Vazquez is the surer bet going forward. But that top 3 is very, very strong.

Havin Lowe, Vazquez, Kawakami and maybe a healthy Glavine will take a lot of preasure off of JJ. The better the rotation the better i think he will pitch. I am looking for JJ to take a step forward.

*lol @ abreu being better than dunn* iamnobody

Seriously?? In what way is Dunn better than Abreu, please explain to me how that is so.

"Seriously?? In what way is Dunn better than Abreu, please explain to me how that is so."

He is a better hitter, Abreu is in steep decline mode now. They both suck defensively, Dunn is probably a bit worse.

Metzfan, our rotation now is more solid than yours, yes we may not have a true number 1, but we have better depth than your rotation, which is what really matters. Who cares if you have one pitcher that can win every fifth day, we have pitchers now that can win every day.

Metzfan, our rotation now is more solid than yours, yes we may not have a true number 1, but we have better depth than your rotation, which is what really matters. Who cares if you have one pitcher that can win every fifth day, we have pitchers now that can win every day.

iamnobody, you have the *third* best rotation in the division. Mets have Santana, Pelfrey, will have Perez, Maine. You have Lowe, Vazquez, Jurrjens, KK. Santana makes the difference. Same with Philly (Hamels, Myers, Moyer, Blanton). Twice the pride, double the fall. Open your mouth more now, look more like an idiot later.

And I disagree that the Braves' bullpen is loaded. Mets have two relievers better than your best.

There's a reason why no team offered 4 years... this will bring him to age 39-40 at the end of his contract. How many guys do you know, older than 37, that continued to pitch well? Smoltz, Maddux, Clemens, Johnson, Moyer, etc. You think Lowe can match these guys?

15 mil per is a lot if he's just gonna give you 2 years. Maybe a vesting option would've been more appropriate because it looked like the Braves were the only serious team talking to Lowe.

However, the Braves do need him to have even the slightest chance of contention.

Right now, there are still some holes in the rotation and bullpen. However, they really need a big bat not named Andruw Jones.

Now that I'm looking at your roster, your bullpen sucks. Not only is it not "loaded," it is a weakness. Soriano is not a closer, Moylan just missed a full season, and I'm not seeing anyone else who intimidates me.

k-rod isn't that good; he had 62 saves and came into 61 games with nobody on. you put somebody on base and there is no guarantee they don't score. He wasn't even the Angles best reliever. Scot Shields is far better. RELIEVERS are suppose to RELIEF. K-rod pitches and inning. tons of pitchers can pitch an inning w/o any runs. A real pitcher gets ground balls and gets out of bases loaded and nobody out with out runs scoring.

That's the other thing, strikethree. The Braves don't look like contenders, with or without Lowe. So they are throwing $60M at Lowe, when they look more like pretenders anyway. At 4/60, you can have him. I'd rather spend 4/44 on Perez, who is yet to hit his prime, and have 4M per year left over for another bat, or reliever, etc.

i think atl has the best rotation right now and ollie wont change that. mets 2nd and phillies distant 3rd. remember cole is the only reliable one in that rotation. moyer gets knocked around alot, blanton is awful and myers is wild when streaky. but the bullpen without a doubt goes to the mets. it doesnt matter how tight the game is at the end of the 7th, if u dont have a 1-2 punch to finish the game consistently then a good rotation can go to waste. ie the indians for the first half of last year.

Note the Mets could have Lowe and Perez for the price of there 2 closers and 1 of who wont even throw a pitch this year and isn't covered by insurance.

you cant put to much stoke into a guy like ollie who really has yet to prove himself.

I forgot about Kawakami. The Braves might be pretty legit this season after all Kawakami is no joke.

"metzfan22, who besides Putz and K Rod do you have in your pen? Putz doesnt strike fear into anyone and theres a reason K-Rod signed so cheaply, no other team wanted him because they saw the decline in his fastball."

Wow, Putz doesn't strike fear into anyone? And K-Rod ended up being a free agent in the wrong year..

My god, this thread is ignorant.

This move def fills out Braves roation this year. It isnt a GREAT roatation but should still be pretty solid. What this does is potentially makes the 2010 rotation GREAT. Hudson Lowe Vasquez JJ Hanson ( if he pans out). Get us a power LF and lets roll!

Metzfan22,

Not everybody can have a legitimate ace. They are just not that plentiful. You are lucky, you have a true ace in santana. However, the year before last when both smoltz and hudson were healthy, they were a great 1,2 punch. I learned the hard way by watching them pitch and knowing that the next 3 days would be losses unless the offense stepped up. I hate this cliched quote but "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Not completely true in baseball but still has some meaning. A good 1,2 puch means nothing if theres no depth behind it. I'm glad Wren is learning from the braves past few years.

Barring injury, the braves currently have a deep rotation. I like where theyre at right now. Suddenly it seems like they can at least compete in '09.

The Braves will be a competitive team. The Met's are still a better team overall. I feel like 5 games will seperate the mets, phils and braves next season. It might come down to deadline trades to see who goes on to the playoffs. Though losing Lowe may force omars hand in spending a little more money not only on starting pitching. I heard Manny Ramirez is still out there, astounding.

1)Santana v Lowe
Santana is the better pitcher here, Lowe will keep them in games however.
Edge-Mets

2)Maine v Jair
Jair is coming off a breakout season, Maine is coming off an injury plagued year after being overworked the previous year.
Edge-Braves

3)Perez v Vasquez
For sake of discussion I've included Perez in the rotation as I highly doubt the Mets will just stand pat now. Perez is coming off a solid yet another erratic year(105 BB's!) I personally think Vasquez coming to the NL will improve his number drastically. Count him in for 200IP, 200K's, ERA under 4.
Edge-Vasquez

4)Pelfrey v Kawakami
Pelfrey is coming off a breakout year and will look to continue his development. Kawakami is really an unknown at this point. I like the Braves slotting him in the back of the rotation where there will be no excess pressure.
Edge-Mets

5)Redding v Campillo
I think the Mets did a good job getting a solid #5 pitcher into the back end of the rotation. Had to be the Ace in Washington, now all he needs to be is manageable. As for Campillo he's a guy who's spent much of his minor league career in the bullpen. Did a decent job finished this year with a 4.91 mark in the second half. Clearly wore down.
Edge-Redding

Just to review
1)Lowe v Santana
(Santana)

2)Maine v Jair
(Jair)

3)Perez v Vasquez
(Vasquez)

4)Pelfrey v Kawakami
(Pelfrey)

5)Redding v Campillo
(Redding)

Mets edge out the Braves 3-2 IMO.

OMG they outbid the Mets by 24 million for no reason OMG OMG

I would rather have no ace and solid 2 or 3s all around than 1 ace and garbage.

Matt, K-Rod's Strikeout ration has gone done every year since 2004, and the Batting average against has gone up, yeah, he was a free agent at the wrong time huh. Give me a break.

Mets fail again.

JonB

Do you follow baseball?

Yes, he became a free agent in the wrong year. Throw all the stats in about a lower strikeout rate, etc etc.. but He is still one of the best closers in baseball.

Most of you braves fans should try the idea of opening your mind (not to say other mets fans aren't the same way)
But to throw that your bullpen is better or starting rotation..
you have the same questions if not more than the mets..

Lowe may or may not be an ace
Jurrgens may or may not have a sophomore jinx of a year
Has Kawakami shown he can be a MLB pitcher? Not yet, and its not a given that Japanese pitchers do great in the MLB.
Campillo had a good season, but are you counting on him?
I mean, come on, try not being so bias

Good signing by the Braves. I would guess that resigning Glavine will complete their rotation. That gives them a solid starting five that can be equally as good as the Phils and Mets.

I still believe they need a little work in their bullpen and need atleast one good bat in the outfield.