by Mike Gill
According to a report in today’s Boston Globe, the phillies have made a formal offer to free agent pitcher Derek Lowe. Last season with the Dodgers, Lowe went 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA in 34 starts in LA. The big thing that interests the Phillies would be his ability to keep the ball in the ball park. In 214 innings pitched, Lowe surrendered just 14 long balls.
However, keep in mind, Lowe kept the ball in the yard while pitching at the cozy confines of Dodgers Stadium. Would he be able to keep the ball inside the little league-like dimesnions of Citizens Bank Park? If you look closer at Lowe’s numbers, you will notice that during the playoffs, in just 16 innings, Lowe surrended three home runs.
Either way, this offer is a positive one, Lowe would be a perfect number three starter behind Cole Hamels and Brett Myers. The rotation would gain another quality innings eater, who also has playoff experience.
With the addition of Lowe, the roation would look like this:
- Cole Hamels
- Brett Myers
- Derek Lowe
- Joe Blanton
- Jamie Moyer/JA Happ
Lowe keeps the ball down and always seems to be on teams that win and he always seems to have the ball in his hand when the series is on the line. He is a career 126-107 so he is a perfect fit for the middle of the Phils rotation. During his career the long ball has never been an issue, even when he called Fenway Park home from 1998-2004. During that time the ball left the yard just 69 times in 1018 innings pitched.
One worry is that he is 35 years old and does have some tread on the tires with nearly 2000 innings pitched. However, keep in mind he was a closer in Boston for a few seasons, so he should have a few more solid seasons in him.
Terms of the deal have not been discussed, but I would be willing to throw three-years and 37 million his way for a quality number three starter for the defending champs.
We’ve discussed this throughout the year and again, I’d love to get Lowe. He’d be a great fit for CBP.
I think you might be low on his numbers though, real low. In fact, he’s probably closer to getting $17 million per year than $17 million over three.
Anyhow, in the end, an annual salary of $12 million will probably be where Lowe settles in at. I’d offer 2 years at $24 million or 3 years at $30 million.
Whoops, I meant 3 for 37 million, but I was writing when I was on the air interviewing Cecil Feilder…I can multi-task!
Lowe will be a very good choice for the Phils, If they also sign Moyer does that make one of their young pitchers available for trade for that corner outfield position?…I think so
“Whoops…I was writing when I was on the air interviewing Cecil Feilder…I can multi-task!”…obviously you can’t, or at the least, aren’t very good at is. God knows what the hell you were actually talking to Cecil about.
But I’m not sure about Lowe. He made it clear during the NLCS he hates CBP, even thought his sinker should thrive there. Plus during that series, he actually admitted the fans got to him. Is that someone we really want on our team?
Apparently Lowe will wait for Sabathia to sign before making a decision. It’s a smart move, since his value should rise once option A is off the table. Especially if the Yanks miss out on CC.
As discussed here: http://pcpsports.com/2008/09/18/thinking-about-the-off-season-again%e2%80%a6/
I envisioned a Lowe-Phils marriage in August and I still think its a great union. I have heard that if the Phils bring in Lowe, Moyer is out. One or the other. As you have up there, i think its a fine rotation with Lowe or Myers at 2/3, Blanton at 4, and any combination of Happ, (most likely) Kendrick, Eaton, or Carrasco as the fifth starter. I think it’s Happ’s job to lose, with the others as alternatives should Happ struggle.
I say 3 years 39 mil. Thats 13 mil per season. You know Boras won’t spare a nickel despite Lowe’s advanced age.
To read about Lowe’s number in CBP and his career numbers, click on the above link (if its working, if not insert it into your browser).