Lowe upset about trade talk, Braves need to move him
Last season didn't go as well as expected for Derek Lowe, and now the Braves may move him.
Even before Derek Lowe complained about being singled out for his struggles last season – and I’ll get to that in a minute – it was safe to assume the Braves were not going to get much for him in a trade. Now that he admits he’s miffed about the trade talk and has made the need for a deal a little more desperate, I’m sure they won’t get much.
Trade him anyway. It would be significant addition by subtraction.
Lowe, a relative bust as the Braves’ $60 million free agent last season, told Mark Bowman of MLB.com: “I’m just waiting for it to happen. I don’t think it’s a matter of if anymore. It’s just a matter of when.”
And then came the money quote (pun absolutely intended): “It kind of [upsets] you in a way. It’s well-documented that I stunk the last two months of the season. But I look at it as, ‘Am I the only guy who has struggled for a couple of months in his first season after signing as a free agent?’”
Lowe also said he is bothered that nobody from the organization has contacted him directly about a trade possibility.
Dude. Seriously?
The Braves didn’t exactly cozy up to franchise icons Tom Glavine or John Smoltz on their way out the door. How much good will does Lowe think he has built up? Besides, I would think his $15 million salary last season would buy a little therapy.
He went 7-3 with a 3.44 ERA in his first 13 starts. He fizzled to 8-7 and 5.59 in the next 21. Remember, the Braves got better in the second half, not worse.
Lowe was given No. 1 starter money. But by the last two months of the season, he looked like the rotation’s sixth most important pitcher (partly because of economics). Ahead of him: Javier Vazquez, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami and Tim Hudson (back from surgery).
Before, the Braves wanted to dump him. Now, they almost have to dump him.
Vazquez would be easier to move because he’s entering his free agency year. But Vazquez (15-10, 2.87) is coming off a great season and Frank Wren wants Lowe’s contract off the books.
There are a lot of rumors flying around — not quite to the level of Georgia defensive coordinator rumors, but close. One has Lowe going to the Angels for outfielder Juan Rivera. Another has him headed to the Yankees for Nick Swisher.
Wren probably would jump at either. But I’m guessing he’d settle for a couple of prospects who don’t bruise so easily.
Just getting Lowe off the payroll would give Wren $10 million to $15 million to spend in free agency (or via trade). He needs that to strengthen the lineup.
It’s not like there’s zero upside to keeping Lowe. He has been a solid pitcher through his career. But the upside has significantly decreased.
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313 comments Add your comment
Supes
December 16th, 2009
11:35 pm
Lowe will be moved, the Yankees can take on his contract and use a healthy number 4 starter in their rotation. Plus in that bandbox of a stadium, they can use a sinkerballer like D-Lowe. If Wren can get back prospects or a Nick Swisher (to play 1B, or LF) either one would be fine. Lowe didn’t pitch that poorly, and he is a very solid middle of the rotation type starter with playoff experience, so he still has some upside. The downside is his age/contract. Still, yankees can afford it and they surely don’t wanna go with a 3 man rotation in the playoffs for next year, do they?
uberVU - social comments
December 16th, 2009
11:36 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by JeffSchultzAJC: Derek Lowe upset about #Braves trade talk. I say dump him now. http://bit.ly/4xpFix…
chemdawg
December 16th, 2009
11:38 pm
Who’s to think Lowe is unhappy until someone’s blogging about it at the Atlanta paper? I suppose you’ll get your page hits.
lwj10jr
December 16th, 2009
11:39 pm
Jeff- so if we unload lowe’s contract to “free up money”, who is left for the braves to spend said money on, since bay and holliday seem improbable.
JB
December 16th, 2009
11:42 pm
“Dude. Seriously?”
That’s your comment?
Whether you like Lowe or not, want him gone or not, there is a glaring fact that keeps popping up over and over and over again with player after player after player after player:
Frank Wren has no tact, is burning bridges, and word spreads quickly among players. This is not an isolated incident with his inability to socially handle a situation.
And what’s the use anyway? We play now so that the Phillies have an opponent to play against.
ACE OF HEARTS
December 16th, 2009
11:42 pm
Jeff is Glavine retired? If so does this mean that he and Maddux can go into the HOF together? I was in attendance in Rome for what was most likely Glavine’s last game. No one can deny that bringing up Hanson was the right thing to do but what if Glavine had pitched and finished the season with the same type of numbers that Kawakami had? I think this would have been better than paying D. Lowe the big money. Of course hindsight is 20/20.
myra
December 16th, 2009
11:44 pm
The Braves have done nothing to make me want to buy the first ticket to any game.
Mike S
December 16th, 2009
11:45 pm
The braves do not want Jason Bay. You only thought watching Garrett Anderson lumber around left field was scary. Bay has been a butcher in the field the last 2 seasons. PLus he an IR stint waiting to happen – we already have that in Chipper.
I would be happy with Prospects for Lowe. Rivera would make me very happy. Swisher would make me ecstatic.
Personally, I say trade Lowe for whatever, use the money to sign Adam Laroche to a one or two year deal, or sign another 1B. Maybe Derosa.
Sign a good solid 4th outfielder and start the season with Diaz, in LF, Heyward in Rf and and McClouth in CF. Another possibility is signing Nady. That frees Diaz to maybe play a platoon at 1B with someone.
With $15 Mill of the books, the braves will have a ton of options, and maybe a couple AA players in the trade to boot.
myra
December 16th, 2009
11:50 pm
Johnny Damon wants 13mil.. how bout him?
Bill
December 16th, 2009
11:54 pm
Its a business. Players know that and most understand but they still have feelings. I hope Lowe does good where ever he lands.
Next time Wren may think twice before giving another big contract. No to Bay, management already said No! Not much to pick now unless its by trade.
Thanks Jeff for info. Its good to get your opinion.
Bill
December 17th, 2009
12:01 am
Ace, DOB said something about Glavine taking a job with Braves management, upstairs. Could he be the next Mgr?
Myra, I agree. Still missing 1st, LF power hitter and couple other problems off bench.
Old Coach
December 17th, 2009
12:17 am
In the 90.s when we needed a player we got the player. Now all we do is scrape by and try to make championship players out of average players. Then the morons here want to bash our HOF manager. It sure gets frustrating being a real Braves fan. What all of you need to understand is what we need is an OWNER!!!
UcantCLA
December 17th, 2009
12:21 am
Any chance we trade D. Lowe to the Angles, they send some prospects and Juan Rivera to San Diego and we get A. Gonzalez? This has to be a better deal than what Boston is offering SD.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
December 17th, 2009
12:27 am
Sunshine, you are a total ass ……………….. you would not know a baseball if your mother gave birth to it
jordanM
December 17th, 2009
12:38 am
JEFF, I am a Braves/Yankees fan (probably the only one, I know) but I don’t like the Swisher/Lowe idea and I don’t think the Yanks would do it. Swisher is a stud and such a great Bomber so I don’t think they would unload that for an aging starter, even if he is a 4th/5th starter…what do you think? What about the Braves getting Carlos Delgado for a year? then bring in Freeman…I’m awesome
Neil
December 17th, 2009
12:42 am
I complained about the Lowe signing when it happened, although admittedly I was a little off base. My reasoning was that, though he’s been durable, injuries would become a problem at some point within that four-year span, just based on the fact that he’s getting up there in years. But, even considering the way it’s turned out, he’s not worth the money the Braves are paying him – not with their budget. Clearly Jurrjens, Hanson and Vazquez are better options than Lowe. And I might even think twice if you asked me to pick between Lowe and Hudson or Lowe and Kawakami. So, at the very best, he’s a No. 4 starter – not exactly what you’re looking for from a four-year, $60 million contract.
Dennis G. Berdanis
December 17th, 2009
12:42 am
Personally, I thought we soured on Lowe way too quickly and would rather have him on the staff than Kenshin Kawakami. But I know it is about money more than talent.
Reminds me of how quickly we soured on Willie Harris and we still haven’t found a good replacement for him in center. McLouth is fair and better than any of the others, but Harris is still all upside and gave us a serious base stealer.
Night Ninja
December 17th, 2009
1:00 am
Lets review the situation non-objectively.
Derek Lowe’s ERA and record during the 2006-07 and 08 seasons at Chavez Ravine was 25-15 with an ERA of 2.95.
His record over the same three seasons on the road: 17-18 with and ERA of 4.23
The Dodgers home is well known as a pitchers park as is Turner field where Derek Lowe posted an ERA of 4.28 versus 5.05 on the road in 2009 pitching for the Braves.
That said, Derek Lowe is a fine middle of the rotation starting pitcher but he’s no ace and hasn’t been since his days in Boston. When Frank Wren referred to Lowe as an ACE TYPE pitcher and ponied up 60 million over four years, the Braves GM obviously hadn’t done his due diligence.
The current situation is as much the fault of Frank Wren as anybody but it doesn’t bode well for future free agents who might consider coming to Atlanta when they read quotes like this:
“I take it kind of personal,” Lowe said. “Noboby made them give me a four-year, $60 million contract. There wasn’t a ransom or anybody holding a gun to their heads. It was a negotiation and that’s what they viewed as fair. I would have never even considered going there if I knew that ultimately this was going to happen.”
Ed-Milledgeville
December 17th, 2009
1:11 am
If we trade Lowe & his $15million, and pick up $10million of his contract, how much comes off the payroll? Only $5million, right?
I don’t think that Lowe’s contract is over-priced on today’s market; it’s just that, with the other starting pitchers the Bravos have, he’s not worth that much to them anymore.
As far as Adam LaRoche is concerned; how does having him block Freeman? When the Pirates had McLouth, he didn’t block their centerfield prospect; they just traded McLouth. Why can’t the Bravos do the same?
BTW, with Seattle letting their GM go, how many JohnS. proteges have had any real success? Did none of them learn anything from him? Especially Frank Wren!
mr baseball
December 17th, 2009
1:17 am
Thanks in large part to Wren’s frequent admissions that the Braves have to unload one of their starters, preferably the one with the biggest contract, Lowe’s market value is next to nothing.
Not only are the Braves going to have to eat a considerable portion of Lowe’s contract (I’m guessing a third or so), they are going to get very, very little in return.
Since the handful of teams that will be willing to take on a good chunk of his salary also happen to be some of the most successful teams in the majors, the Braves will likely be paying the Yankees or Angels or some mystery team $5 million or so for the privilege of watching Lowe win 16 or 17 games.
By the time the Yankees or Angels (or whoever) have stalled long enough to reduce their modest offers to the Braves, the handful of hitters that might actually help the offense will be gone, and we’ll be left with next year’s model of Garrett Anderson.
But, hey, Lowe offended Jeff Schultz’s delicate sensibilities, so he’s gotta go.
Happy Hanukkah, Braves fans.
MitchC
December 17th, 2009
1:18 am
Jeff, thank you. Your column says exactly what I’ve been saying all offseason, to you, Bradley, and O’Brien.
I’m sorry, Derek, but in these hard times in our world, I cant feel sorry for a guy whose ego is bruised because he’s going to make 15 mil a year with the Yankees or someone else, instead of the Braves. Dude, you make more money in one year, then I’ll make in my entire life.
Bottom line: Lowe is in his late 30s, and the potential for downside is huge. Vazquez is younger, and, while he’s only under contract for 2010, if we can re sign him, he has the potential to be a good pitcher for the Braves for more years then Lowe would.
Nothing personal Derek, it’s just, Vazquez makes more sense for us now. I wish you well, Derek, whereever you end up.
mr me
December 17th, 2009
1:21 am
I actually thought Lowe did a pretty good job last year, of course he wasn’t our best pitcher but he was a solid rotation guy. Sorry that it has come down to this situation of him being upset but this is still a business and players dont always treat organizations with respect and vice versa. That being said we NEED a bat and we have plenty of pitchers so process of elimination zeroes in on Lowe being traded. Hate to see him go though.
alsim
December 17th, 2009
1:22 am
Wren, you are doing a heck of a job.
gcs
December 17th, 2009
1:25 am
Do not trade Javier Vazquez!
Do not trade Javier Vazquez!
Do not trade Javier Vazquez!
Do not trade Javier Vazquez!
Do not trade Javier Vazquez!
Billy (TBFKB)
December 17th, 2009
1:46 am
I think Lowe’s money quote is horrendous. I never heard one player, coach, or front office person say that Lowe did not earn or was worth the $15,000,000 the Braves paid him, which clearly he did/was not. When he is rumored to be traded he complains that no one held a gun to the front office to sign him as a free agent. Well, no one told him to sign for $60,000,000 and stink. Lowe should think about weather or not he is worth that kind of money. He also should think about how the braves don’t trade him while he is collecting that $60,000,000 for mediocrity.
In a time where some Americans are with out jobs and are struggling a athlete complaining about how disappointed he is should fall on deaf ears. While I empathize with him and the fact he may have to transition to a new team, however, I’m sure the $60,000,000 he is being paid to play a game will help his ego along. I wont elaborate either on the fact that most rumors have him going to a contender. If your a baseball player with a $60,000,000 contract what more can you ask especially with out a no trade clause.
So he needs to STFU and GTO..
Whopper Dawg
December 17th, 2009
2:05 am
Lowe needs to go and Braves management should be commended for making that decision and admitting he is a mistake. I was afraid they would trade one of the other guys. Absolutely the right decision. I am starting to like this Wren guy.
Billy (TBFKB)
December 17th, 2009
2:30 am
Night Ninja,
If he feels so unhappy and suggest he would have signed elsewhere why does he not go ask for the braves to void his contract so he can be happy?
Michael
December 17th, 2009
2:36 am
Hey Jeff, have you heard anything recently about us trying to sign Nady? He still has great power potential and Id love to have him switch between the OF and 1b
Frank Wren
December 17th, 2009
4:31 am
Wren, you are doing a heck of a job
Thanks . I think so too. I made this team relevant again last year and we improved by 14 games.
I signed Javier ( your welcome )
I cut Tom Glavine and Smoltz loose paving the way for Hanson ( your welcome )
I brought Laroche in and he hit like crazy after he got here ( your welcome )
I basically stole Nate McClouth from the Pirates ( your welcome )
DangerousDan87
December 17th, 2009
4:40 am
Just great that the Braves are dumping salary in the PR department and replacing them with interns. Meanwhile they eat $20 Million or more on Lowe’s salary. Way to save that $30 grand in PR. I know two different budgets but still utterly ironic. Isn’t that right, Mike Plant? Merry Christmas.
Marc in FL
December 17th, 2009
6:50 am
That’s a good point Art. I’ve said a couple times that I think the Braves want to get rid of Lowe for reasons other than payroll. I don’t think he mixes well with the club, and he may have got to Bobby (which of course means your arse is gone).
raymond
December 17th, 2009
6:55 am
Some of the people on this site need to reserve themselves to the fact that we may have Lowe this year because we can’t unload him. In that case Vasquez is the guy to go because the Tight a** Braves are not going to pay what it will take to sign him next year and we will get nothing for him.
What is this obsession with being the first one to blog on a topic, we need to have an age requirement on these sites.
William
December 17th, 2009
7:03 am
I thought that there was no crying in baseball. Now we have Mr. Lowe grousing because he is being shown “disrespect.” Isn’t he actually showing disrespect to the organization that’s paying him a paltry $15,000,000 a year? Next time, Mr. Lowe, go to an organization that is willing to give you a full no-trade claus. No one forced you to sign the contract. You decided to take the most money Mr. Boras could find for you. Some of the most spoiled, biggest babies reside in dugouts across America. Mr. Schultz nails this one again.
BravesFan79
December 17th, 2009
7:05 am
mike plant sounds like a douche.
We should trade Lowe without still paying him. Someone will get desperate for a starter soon. There’s plenty of starters out there making equal or greater $$ and performing worse than Lowe.
boston brave
December 17th, 2009
7:05 am
you guys are way out of line, Lowe is a very good pitcher and having 6 starters is not a bad thing. The bats will come.
Papadawg
December 17th, 2009
7:08 am
Mr. Lowe you need to understand you’re not as good as the rest of the starters and you make more money. As a manager or owner what would you do
JD
December 17th, 2009
7:11 am
Dump Lowe sign Kelly, move Chipper to first play Kelly at second move Prado to third.
Whistlebritches
December 17th, 2009
7:15 am
How can everyone hate this guy? He went 15-10 (better than pretty much all of our pitchers the last few years) and was solid most of the year. He eats up innings and his ERA is not bad at all. You people are crazy. Pitching wins and he will give it to you most nights. Keep all of them Frank Wren and take some courage to sign a big bat. Spend the money and it will come back to you in fan support.
TPM
December 17th, 2009
7:28 am
Had Tom Glavine’s phone rung yet?
Rod
December 17th, 2009
7:38 am
@Whistlebritches: yeah, but in the second half he was only 8-7 with a 5.59 ERA – while the Braves were actually getting better.
5.59 is a BAD ERA.
His overall ERA for the year was 4.67 – the worst for him for the past 5 years. His ERA was higher than the average for the entire National League – that’s bad!
GovClintonTyree
December 17th, 2009
7:45 am
Jeff: Not enough in the budget for Bay? Really? $10m now. Deal Lowe, gives you $22-25m. Sign Bay for $17m and Nady for $4m.
I think the Braves are in on Bay and/or Holliday, they’re just being stealthy about it. When Bobby answered the Bay/Holliday question at the winter meetings with a discourse on Jason Heyward and their desire to let Heyward compete for an OF position, you think Bobby didn’t know Heyward plays RF?
They can float all the rumors they want about Nady, and Glaus, and Atkins, ’cause they’re true. But all those guys play 1B and are cheap. We’ll wind up with one.
There are only three guys Frank needs to keep away from his discussions with Joe Urbon or Scott Boras – DOB, Bill Shanks, and Mark Bowman.
Think about it.
Nativebird
December 17th, 2009
7:49 am
Gee minitly this same old song get’s old. Lowe hires Scott Boras to rape MLB for $60mm based on past performance, then lays an egg in Atlanta, and HE’S UNHAPPY ABOUT TRADE TALKS?
move him. move him. He and Texiera can go have a beer together and talk about the good old days when Atlanta provided their FA step-stone to Rich’s.
GovClintonTyree
December 17th, 2009
7:50 am
On Lowe: I don’t blame him for feeling badly and think I’d feel the same way.
However, when Scott Boras works for you, you announce to the world that you are a mercenary and are taking top dollar. The extra money has to be your comfort, because you aren’t building any loyalty or sense of community.
Contrast that with Chipper’s career and decisions with B.B. Abbott – left a lot of money on the table over the years – and more recently, Tim Hudson, who did likewise. Loyalty is a two way street, and it feels good.
Mike Gonzalez is about to figure that out. Hope the money’s enough, ’cause in Baltimore you’re going to finish fourth for the length of your lush contract.
dap01
December 17th, 2009
7:56 am
I believe that FW is a very good GM but if he would not disclose his every move, he would be in a much better barganning position.
Mikey101
December 17th, 2009
7:57 am
Perhaps Mr Lowe wasn’t paying attention last year when this suddenly no class organiztion treated Glavine and Smolth like yesterday’s newspaper (and Chipper’s time will come too). If I were him I would be praying to get out of there.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
December 17th, 2009
8:03 am
Juan Rivera? At this point we would be lucky to get Geraldo Rivera
stew
December 17th, 2009
8:12 am
When Lowe is traded, we need to extend Javy. I’m not so impressed with Swisher. Wasn’t he benched during the WS. He can’t play defense.We’d have to dump him in a year anyway. He’s not a cleanup hitter neither is Rivera. I want 40 home runs in left field and I don’t care how it’s done.
Papadawg
December 17th, 2009
8:15 am
Mikey101, just to enlighten you Glavine and Smoltz was yesterday news. Where did they go and how did they pitch.
Frank Wren is a Moron
December 17th, 2009
8:20 am
<————————-
jsatt32
December 17th, 2009
8:23 am
HAHA, Jeff this is one of the best blogs you have written. “Pun inteneded”, classic! I have always thought Lowe to be a major D**k head and team cancer. Back when he was with the Dodgers and they were in Atlanta, some guy had a 2004 World Series banner signed by all of the Red Sox, except who….Derek Lowe. It was outside the staduim, maybe five people, and the guy informed Lowe he had been trying to get his signature and he was the last player he needed to complete his signed banner. Lowe laughs at the guy and says “NO” with a smirk on his face and keeps walking. Lowe is just a first class prick who can not pitch and does not fit in Atlanta. I knew something would happen when we signed him last year. He should go to the Skankees, he would fit in great up there and Swish would be a great addition to the Bravos. Not only for his pop, but for his grittyness and all out effort. Kinda reminds me of Diaz. Not to mention his upbeat attitude and his teammates love him.
The Braves need some enthusiams like that and less whiny babies like Lowe. I wouldn’t want to go to battle with him next year! You can’t trust him! I agree Jeff, we MUST trade him now, if Wren doesn’t, how does he know that he won’t just lay down on us next year when he gets a boo boo on his finger and gets rocked by the Muts when we have a commanding lead in the third inning!? Remember that one?