Poll: Should Braves start Lowe in playoffs (if they make it)?
Derek Lowe wasn't awful Wednesday. Would you want to see him in playoffs?
When the Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez went to the bullpen at Florida Wednesday night, play-by-play announcer Chip Caray said, “Pitching change for Atlanta. Derek Lowe did not pitch poorly.”
Interesting choice of words. Then again, it seems this qualifies as news.
After allowing 15 earned runs and 26 hits in 13.1 innings over his last three starts, Lowe didn’t stink against the Marlins. He allowed three runs and six hits in 6.1 innings. It wasn’t Cy Young, but it wasn’t bad Vaudeville, either.
Loading ...So here’s the thing. Last season, I made the mistake of writing off Lowe — for which he never let me forget — and he ended up becoming the Braves’ best pitcher down the stretch and in the postseason. This year, he has been a mess. But minus Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens, the team needs a third starter for the playoffs, assuming they make the playoffs, and, yes, I realize that’s a dangerous assumption. (The Braves lost to the Marlins 4-0, St. Louis defeated the Mets 6-5 and suddenly the wild card lead is down to 1½ games.)
Bit if they make it, here’s the question: Do the Braves start Lowe?
For the sake of this argument, let’s assume Jurrjens will not be available for the wild card round (safe assumption) and Hanson will still be rehabilitating from a shoulder injury (50-50). That leaves Tim Hudson and Brandon Beachy as the logical Nos. 1 and 2 starters.
Your choices for the No. 3 starter: Lowe (9-16, 4.92), Mike Minor (5-2, 4.27), Randall Delgado (1-1, 2.70) or Julio Teheran (1-1, 5.40). The debate is whether you go with the veteran with postseason experience in the hope that he comes through, or one of the young pitchers in the hope that he doesn’t implode.
I’m going to play Switzerland on this subject. At least for another week.
But you may now vote, and fire away . . .
By Jeff Schultz
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519 comments Add your comment
supa
September 21st, 2011
11:03 pm
I wish we’d all stop talking about the playoffs. Focus on Friday’s game. Period.
Fredi is a fraud.
September 21st, 2011
11:04 pm
It would be an upset to Baseball if the Braves go to the playoffs.It’s thinking the Rays should be there too.
2 GOOD DOGS
September 21st, 2011
11:05 pm
HELLLLLLL……………………………..NO………………………………..
Fredi is a fraud.
September 21st, 2011
11:06 pm
Braves don’t have a chance of winning 5 more games but the Cards could win 6 to 7 right now.
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:07 pm
The Nats will sweep the Braves. Braves will be shut out at least once, and score 1 run the other game. Bullpen blows the 3rd.
Greg Mendel
September 21st, 2011
11:10 pm
“Can’t anybody here play this game?” — Casey Stengel
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:10 pm
The Braves piss me off with this type of effort. Lowe’s stuff is old and worn out. Throw a damn strike! Sinker, two seam or God for bid throw a 4 seam fastball. Keep your eye on the catchers mitt and throw it! McCann’s numbers finally look like they always have. I so mad at the braves they deserve to sit their ass at home and watch the phillies win the world series.
2 GOOD DOGS
September 21st, 2011
11:11 pm
I WOULDN’T LET THAT SOB START MY CAR ON A COLD DAY IN MINNESOTA IN FEBRUARYJUST TO WARM IT UP. HE’D SOMEHOW FIND A WAY TO F..K IT UP AND LOOK LIKE A SAD ASS PUPPY TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT. GET THE HELL OUT OF ATLANTA, NOW.
Bleed red
September 21st, 2011
11:11 pm
Look if the braves don’t score runs they can’t win no matter who pitches they need a new batting coach “……………………….
Mazzone - Smoltz
September 21st, 2011
11:12 pm
Leo, not the brightest bulb on the Rude Awakening. He consistently makes stupid/ignorant comments on the 680 the Fan show. Now he throws Smoltz under the bus with the pine tar comment. What an obnoxious tool.
Eric C.
September 21st, 2011
11:14 pm
Ha, at this point, why not…start Lowe I say!
Eric C.
September 21st, 2011
11:16 pm
The Braves will not win another game this year…sweep by the tough Nats and Phillies
k-baby
September 21st, 2011
11:17 pm
Not no, but hell no. Lowe should not start another game in regular season or post season. He needs to be exiled to Kawakamiville as soon as possible.
Even Bobby Cox would have enough sense to not keep running Lowe out there every five days to continuously and spontaneously implode on the mound.
Reality check: The Braves have lost their number 2 and 3 starting pitchers to injury. If we make it to the post season now, it will be nothing short of a miracle since we cannot outscore anybody.
I’ll always have hope, but it is hard to see the postseason happening.
Delbert D.
September 21st, 2011
11:17 pm
The Braves are staring elimination in the face. Why is setting the pitching order for the post-season even on anyone’s mind?
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:18 pm
Doesn’t look like the Braves even care anymore. Without Hanson and Jurrjens they know they don’t stand a chance so they are just mailing it in. The team has talent, just lack motivation and that comes from a weak manager. I hope Gonzo’s little boo boo with his leg will allow him to play this weekend. Heck, maybe we can even get a game or two from Chipper.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:19 pm
Mazzone – Smoltz, I agree. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! If anybody tells me not to panic, your stupid.
TN Jeff
September 21st, 2011
11:19 pm
Remember last year when the Braves players were wearing their 11 for 6 Shirts. Those mental midgets went out and won 1 game for Bobby Cox. Chipper proclaims a victory and then whiffs mightily while watching the team win despite his chokiness.
Fredi is a fraud.
September 21st, 2011
11:20 pm
If Lowe starts one more game in the regular season, Braves will have to wait til next year.
k-baby
September 21st, 2011
11:20 pm
What did the chicken say to Derick Lowe? BAAAAAAAALK, BALK, BALK, BALK, BALK, BALK.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:22 pm
The Cards are playing the Astros and Cubs now. The braves are playing the Nats and Philles who they can not beat. Cards win 4-2. Braves lose 2-4 and miss the post season.
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:22 pm
I think they are all dimwits on the Rude awakening. Hey Leo, you and Bobby had 3 Cy Young Winners on the staff at the same time and won only 1 world series. I could have done that. How did things work out in Baltimore for ya?
Fredi is a fraud.
September 21st, 2011
11:25 pm
Foam Forks need to be made instead of Tomahawks.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:25 pm
Leo is the biggest homer and will get called out on it if the Braves miss the postseason. I’m sick of every baseball mind in this town being brain washed by Bobby Cox and his way of doing things.
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:26 pm
Will be a long, long off season to think about this choke job. Joe and Chip, go ahead and start the excuses. Cue the violins……………..if, if, if, if,,,,
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:26 pm
And Chuck Dowdle sounds like Barney.
kerryb
September 21st, 2011
11:27 pm
Derrick Lowe should not start another game for this team……….EVER!
Brave from Athens
September 21st, 2011
11:29 pm
Jeff,
Seriously, I am as big a baseball fan in general, and Braves fan specifically, as there is. I have to say that when Jair and then Hansen went down, I didn’t feel too good. Our offense has been untrustworthy all year. We were the second best record in the NL for most of the season due to pitching and pretty good defense. Suddenly, two of our three best starters (Jair and Hansen) are out and Lowe has really not deserved to be in the rotation for most of the year, so effectively we’re Hudson and the rookies.
Bottom line to me is this: it’s absolute crunch time and we lose two series to the Mets and Marlins, two of the worst teams in the NL. We really don’t deserve to be a playoff team, as much as it pains me to say it.
Fredi is a good manager, great hire, but next season they HAVE to find a way to keep the bullpen a little fresher for September. Scratch that, they HAVE to find a way to keep O’Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel fresher for September.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:29 pm
“Lowe is 0-4 with an 8.24 ERA in his past four starts and 3-9 with a 5.94 ERA in his past 12.” …ouch.
rally
September 21st, 2011
11:29 pm
my buddy keeps telling me its not the coaches fault…he doesn’t pitch and doesnt hit for the players. Brainwashed fool…. the coach is a coach in the majors because he supposedly knows what to do from meltdowns…collapses…injuries…hitting…pitching. Fredi Gonzalez is none of these. Pack his bags and ship him out. Schultz needs to ask the hard question to Fredi if they miss the playoffs one question and one question alone. Why in the crap would we need your services one more year? What will be different next time around? What will you change? If he doesn’t give an honest answer I say give him the boot……is Frank Wren Listening?
Brave from Athens
September 21st, 2011
11:30 pm
Big Wally, no, you couldn’t have won anything with ten Cy Youngs on a team. Shut up and go back to your X-Box.
G
September 21st, 2011
11:31 pm
When are these so called reporters, really opinion piece writers, going to start questioning Frank Wren and Fredi Gonzalez like they do Mark Richt?
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:32 pm
If my math is correct, Lowe would not pitch again, until the 2nd game against the Phillies. They will be out of it by then, so might as well pitch one of the kids. Of course Lowe’s damage was done by his previous dozen starts. It is a shame that our pitching coach and mgr. couldn’t see that he was washed up. They just blew this entire year by being weak and afraid to hurt feelings.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:32 pm
Braves from Athens, Great point. J.J should have been traded for a big bat at the trade deadline. Besides Tim Hudson, no braves starter can go past 5 1/3 innings. That’s not playoff baseball.
Oh no!
September 21st, 2011
11:33 pm
Stick a fork in them….they’re done!
Mitchell
September 21st, 2011
11:33 pm
Not only will they make it, they might still win the division.
Right, Jeff?
Why don’t you just stop. Retire.
You’re a joke.
Big Wally
September 21st, 2011
11:34 pm
Only point Brave from Athens has is on top of his head.
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:34 pm
Playoffs?
Oh no!
September 21st, 2011
11:35 pm
If they make the playoff’s, they won’t last long enough to face the Phillies!
Tax Nerd
September 21st, 2011
11:35 pm
Hey Jeff…Let’s worry about getting into the playoffs first.
The two teams that have killed the Braves this year they finish up with…Washington (it pains me to say) and Philly. Who do the Cardinals finish up with? The hapless Cubs and Houston.
The Braves are NOT even going to the playoffs so this is moot.
jack
September 21st, 2011
11:35 pm
G – fair question, but you really should understand that Schultz IS an opinion piece writer, not a reporter. He will tell you that himself.
Fredi is a fraud.
September 21st, 2011
11:36 pm
Why get pitchers that are basket cases when the Braves used to recruit and develop 20 game winners. Now all they do is tolerate pitchers who are double digit losers with a better chance of being 10 under than a .500 pitcher. Lowe must retire. I’d rather have A.J. Burnett or an injured Jake Peavy. Braves would have a better chance.
Mitchell
September 21st, 2011
11:37 pm
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:32 pm
Braves from Athens, Great point. J.J should have been traded for a big bat at the trade deadline.
You mean like Dan Uggla?
Or maybe Mark Teixeira?
It’s foolproof.
Cr
September 21st, 2011
11:38 pm
Nats are flyin high with the braves coming. I see a nats sweep!
GT 2011
September 21st, 2011
11:39 pm
Why did we trade Javier Vasquez anyway? Oh yea, I forgot. We traded him for Melky Cabrera.
Brad
September 21st, 2011
11:40 pm
Who are the 14 people that voted for Lowe? Lowe is unfortunately not the same pitcher anymore.
iTiSi
September 21st, 2011
11:42 pm
Did FG ever even once think about bunting tonight since nothing else was happening. It’s worth a try with Bourne and Constanza. Bet it never even crossed his mind.
wayn-o
September 21st, 2011
11:43 pm
You have to go with one of the kids & bring in Lowe if needed (he knows how to pitch from the bullpen). Fredi has to take a chance to try and win (that is if the even get to the playoffs). Right now the young guns Minor & Delgado give the Braves a much better chance.
EXAMPLE: why then don’t we have Sherill & Linbrink as our set up & closer, after all they are veterans & have the experience.
iTiSi
September 21st, 2011
11:43 pm
Brad, I think DL has a girlfriend and 13 kids scattered around. That’s the rumor anyway.
Najeh Davenpoop
September 21st, 2011
11:45 pm
Doesn’t matter who starts if you only get two hits.
Bring Barry Bonds out of retirement and start him at cleanup. That will do a lot more for the Braves’ postseason chances than any reshuffling of the starting rotation.
Najeh Davenpoop
September 21st, 2011
11:46 pm
“Why did we trade Javier Vasquez anyway? Oh yea, I forgot. We traded him for Melky Cabrera.”
They got Vizcaino in that deal, so I don’t fault them for it.