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
Glenn
September 22nd, 2011
9:09 am
I don’t expect them to make the playoffs. Am actually hoping they don’t. If they do back in accidentally it would be an embarrassement to watch them get blasted out quickly. This team has no heart.
Coach Mora
September 22nd, 2011
9:09 am
PLAYOFFS!?!?! PLAYOFFS?!?!?
bubba
September 22nd, 2011
9:10 am
At least they are not as bad as the Mets. That is a pathetic team. All of their trolls are in here talking about the Bravos. Take a look at your Mets, that’s the real joke.
Strange Murphy
September 22nd, 2011
9:11 am
Braves have 88 wins and they may not win 90.
But Michael Vick got beat by the Falcons so all is well. Vick losing is good for America.
Andy
September 22nd, 2011
9:12 am
I have serious doubts about whether the Braves will make the playoffs at all so this question is very premature.
cadilac
September 22nd, 2011
9:12 am
and up next is Strasburg; ouch!
Nativebird
September 22nd, 2011
9:14 am
Washed up. “Innings-eaters” as coaches just love to say, just don’t get you what you need in October. Again, this club is too focused on the “marathon” and not the hot-hand “when” you need it. Tony Larussa knows this. Young Bobby cox..uh er…Freddie Gonzalez needs to.
joe
September 22nd, 2011
9:15 am
NO way Jose. But the way they are going now, they’re not even gonna make it. They always have trouble with the Nats, so no way they sweep that series, then who knows what the Phils will do with their pitching staff in the next series. Meanwhile, the Cards have the Cubs, which may battle them somewhat…but then the have the Strohs, which have given up all together. So, Cards may lose 1 more game, if that. Braves have to win 5 out of 6 and I don’t think they have it in them.
joe
September 22nd, 2011
9:16 am
BTW, what happens if the braves and cards tie? Who hosts the one-game playoff?
Tucker
September 22nd, 2011
9:16 am
Derek Lowe is the number one reason the Braves may not make the playoffs. Pitching him every 4 or 5 games is tantamount to penciling in a loss every 4 or 5 games. His next year’s salary should be considered the cost-of-doing-business when the Braves release him. And, with any luck at all another NL team will pick him up and give us a better chance of beating them.
Playoffs? Did I Say Playoffs?
September 22nd, 2011
9:16 am
Seems to me that the Braves slide began when Fredi took Constanza out of the lineup. When he was in on a regular basis, we seemed to be playing small ball and succeeding. Suddenly, we have Jason every game and the run production tanked… not to mention the fun of watching the game.
Strange Murphy
September 22nd, 2011
9:18 am
Remember the Braves of the 90’s? Those where teams you expected to win. Somehow they always found a way to win.
Today’s Braves are good at finding ways to lose.
My Kingdom for a manager!
tim
September 22nd, 2011
9:19 am
LOWE SUCKS! Don’t even include him on the roster. He’s ANOTHER example of overpaying a pitcher. Mike Hampton hurt would be better than Lowe the Loser.
Trojan
September 22nd, 2011
9:21 am
Has Michael Cunningham been fired?
Drew
September 22nd, 2011
9:23 am
You never know what happens if they make the playoffs. The lineup is better than what the SF Giants had last year when they won it all. Everybody will be rested during the playoffs because of all the off days. We just need a few great performances by a few of our starting pitchers. It’s hard to see that happening now, but it could happen.
Swaga1
September 22nd, 2011
9:24 am
@Crocket i totally agree. This is the least of their worries and this really shouldn’t be discussed. If we get there lets worry about that when the time comes.
onan
September 22nd, 2011
9:26 am
bah! Where is your tomahawk-chop now, barbarian?
1eyedJack
September 22nd, 2011
9:33 am
Who should we “tip our hat” to next?
JK
September 22nd, 2011
9:33 am
NO WAY. Starting Lowe means you are throwing in the towel if you are Freddi Gonzalez. If we are going to win it all we need another young gun in there with Hudson and Beachy. Delgado seems to have the best stuff right now. Sure, it’s a risk, but Delgado stands a better chance of shutting down a lineup. With Lowe, we know we are going to have to score at least 4 runds to have a chance.
Ted M
September 22nd, 2011
9:37 am
what did Strasburg do against the Braves in the past…pretty sure we faced him one time.
Call it like it is
September 22nd, 2011
9:38 am
Everybody is talking about the Braves choking. They’re not choking, you actually have to make it to the playoffs to choke. Same ole same with the Braves, they stunk with Cox and they stink after him. With the talent the Braves had in the past, we should have had at least 6 rings, only one person to blame Cox. One ring and a thousand division wins. So what. Now a new coach but the same dance. And baseball should end the week before Labor day. That is all.
bravo bravos
September 22nd, 2011
9:43 am
I can’t even watch this anymore. It is too painful.
Wonder how the Phillies would have handled it if they had lost Halladay and Lee the way the Braves have lost Jurrgens and Hanson since right after the All Star break? And how would the media have responded? Of course that’s still no excuse for the abysmally poor clutch hitting by the Braves.
rc35
September 22nd, 2011
9:43 am
Asking whether or not Lowe should pitch in the playoffs is like asking whether Custer should be in charge of the follow-up campaign to Little Big Horn.
Dball
September 22nd, 2011
9:44 am
Can somebody PLEASE tell me why he is still pitching?? The Braves can NOT win with him in the line up!! There is no more magic at this point, they need to WIN!!!
iTiSi
September 22nd, 2011
9:45 am
NOTE TO AGON: Suck it up, you are now IN THE PLAYOFFS, you wimp! Romo played football with a cracked rib and punctured lung, and you got a ‘TWEAKED MUSCLE”. Yeh, it’s in your head!
You had one of the best hitting records against that pitcher last night and you sit! Take a pain pill or a cortisone shot before each game if you have to.
NOTE TO FG: GET TOUGH with these guys. They don’t need your “oh well, he was good” and “we’ll be alright” style right now. If you’re the leader, it’s time to speak up and lead. You would make a good vice-President, as you fit right in with Obama. KICK SOME BUTTS!!!
Nick N Richmond
September 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
Lowe will probably be decent again in his next start, and I am sure when the Braves manage to get in the playoffs he is stellar. We have seen it so many other times….some players just tend to step it up in the playoffs….Lowe will do that (although i’m not saying he should be starting game 1 or anything)
jokurone
September 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
you got to be kidding..
Tom Baynham
September 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
can we please find a manager that will kick some players ass?
KB
September 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
If Jurrjens and Hanson are out…I say give the ball to Lowe. If we’re gonna crash…let’s crash and burn!
james
September 22nd, 2011
9:48 am
Braves WILL be in playoffs.
JK
September 22nd, 2011
9:49 am
@Swaga1 & Crocket. Don’t worry about the Braves making the playoffs. The Phils are going to make sure we win, bet on it. They do not want to have anything to do with the Cards in the playoffs.
gt4ever
September 22nd, 2011
9:52 am
NO, You start your best…. Duh?!
BaseballBuff
September 22nd, 2011
9:59 am
It’s a moot point, Jeff. These guys are hapless. After having been swept only once all season, when it comes time to seal the deal in September, they lost two out of three to Los Angeles, they got swept by Philadelphia, got swept by St. Louis, lost two out of three to the Mets, then lost three out of four to the Marlins. They are better than this and we all know it, but they’re wearing the iron collar big time and can’t shake it off. By the way, Lowe is over the hill and not worth fraction of what he makes (that’s a nice way of saying he sucks).
BaseballBuff
September 22nd, 2011
10:03 am
@ playoffs? Amen, brother. Constanza! Where the &$@***!!?? is Constanza? Why in the world is he sitting on the bench instead of Heyward?
Park
September 22nd, 2011
10:05 am
If the Bravos make it to the postseason–if, being the keyword–the third pitcher should be Delgado. Though I don’t like that he can’t go beyond 6 innings, he’s pretty sharp. And he’s much sharper than Lowe.
robrob
September 22nd, 2011
10:06 am
D-Lowe needs to throw batting practice in batting practice. Not in the game!
coach13
September 22nd, 2011
10:06 am
Won’t matter if Greg Maddux, Tom Glavin, and John Smoltz in the prime of their careers were starting, you gotta score at least 1 to win. With the Braves offense struggling as badly as they are and Venters and Kimbrel seeingly gassed it won’t matter who starts.
At least they chose September this time to fall apart instead of Ocotber.
dawgphish
September 22nd, 2011
10:06 am
IF the braves make the playoffs, there’s no way in hell he should to be starting any games. it looks like its about time for him to hang it up
Schultz's Screech
September 22nd, 2011
10:09 am
“So… on the offchance that the Braves turn it around, overcome some very serious injuries, and very serious slumps, what would you guys think about using our worst pitcher in the playoffs?”
I can’t believe this is where we’re at. I don’t know what’s worse: the fact that this is probably the most pertinant and interesting discussion right now or the fact that this is something the Braves are actually pondering themseles.
schmeckdawg
September 22nd, 2011
10:10 am
Anyone on here know the Heimlich maneuver?
Robert
September 22nd, 2011
10:12 am
Forget Derek Lowe. The topic here should be Chipper Jones
He showed his colors yesterday. He showed just how much his team means to him. Taking off the day before an off day to be with his family in a non life-threatening situation while his teammates are struggling in a wild card race
Absolutely unbelievable
DawgDad
September 22nd, 2011
10:12 am
Quite frankly, I see no reason to put Lowe on the postseason roster for the first round, IF they make it. I feel for the guy, but there are at least four better options for a starting pitcher, and the future lies with the kids.
Poetic justice or what? Losses at the hands of Infante and Vasquez.
Noting as well the Braves got NO production from the middle-of-the-order guys last night (Chipper included). These are “proven” veterans – Chipper (pinch-hitting), McCann, Uggla (Dave Kingman reborn), and they will primarily determine the final outcome. Hudson can get in two more starts, I have a sense the best the Braves can be expected to do is to go 3-3 and that casts the post-season VERY much in doubt with a potential playoff game in St. Louis and Hudson NOT pitching it. Right now, they are playing to the level of the worst team in the NL East.
The Joker...
September 22nd, 2011
10:14 am
The Braves Starting Playoff Lineup:
LF: Barry Bonds
CF: Ken Griffrey Jr.
RF: David Jusice
3B: Derek Jeter
SS:Alex Rodriguez
2B: Brett Boone
1B: Mark McGuire
P: Greg Maddux
C:Mike Piazza
Sounds good to me….
Robert
September 22nd, 2011
10:15 am
I dont even disagree with the Braves letting Chipper go back to Atlanta. He should be the one to decide.
And once he decided, in that situation, to bail on the team, Fredi shouldve told him he can go ahead and take the rest of the season off as well
Absolutely UNbelievable
Mark's for the Braves
September 22nd, 2011
10:16 am
I don’t think we’ll have to worry about setting up a postseason rotation. St. Louis is probably getting theirs together right about now…………..
Phils fan
September 22nd, 2011
10:18 am
..braves season spinning outof control like buck rogers whatdaf!!
KME
September 22nd, 2011
10:18 am
Guys! You might as well throw in the towel the way you all think! It is unreal…
Yeah, I saw the game…and it wasn’t just the pitcher here…IT WAS TIMELY HITTING. Once we get men on base…it is HTH to get them home. The Braves are 9-12 this month…the Cardinals are doing good…Phillies are not. We have an off day today…So, get with the scoop here…
Fredi is not to blame…it is timely hitting,
I have seen some of these batters…how can they swing at some of those off the plate pitches?! Even my sight is better than their’s!
I am not giving up on them yet. Sure…it may go down to the very last game…and yes, it will be against the Phillies…but miracles do happen.
So…I am playing for the Braves here…let’s hope for a good 6 more games…see what happens.
But, I do think Derek Lowe should not be a part of the rotation anymore…he should be waived…and bring on a younger pitcher.
EOS
JoeFan
September 22nd, 2011
10:19 am
besides Hudson the Braves need 2 or 3 more starters not just one. This is all conjecture though because only in some strange parallel universe do these Braves make the playoffs. What a long offseason this is going to be. Not only do the Braves have holes to fill but the other also rans are going to get better and the Phillies are going no where. If I were the Braves I would petition to change change devisions or may just move down to AAA. Their rotation and hitters as constituted should be compeitive there.
Mad Mike
September 22nd, 2011
10:20 am
we’re not going to the postseason, so this is all moot.
Selma
September 22nd, 2011
10:24 am
I’m worried we are not making the playoffs. Derek Lowe’s last two starts have been awful.