Live from the ballyard: The Lowe-down on a big-game pitcher
Derek Lowe started Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS in the old Yankee Stadium. No pressure there. Only 85 years of Red Sox angst bottled into one night in the Bronx.
He won the game. Went on two days’ rest. Pitched six innings, yielded one hit and one earned run.
One week later, Derek Lowe started Game 4 of the World Series in the old Busch Stadium. No pressure there. Only the Curse of the Bambino and all that other sad New England history to put to rest.
He won the game. Pitched seven innings, yielded three hits and no runs.
Yeah, 2004 was a while ago — but not so long as 1918 was to Red Sox Nation — and we in Atlanta haven’t seen much of that D-Lowe in his two seasons here. But the Braves signed him for $15 million per annum for two reasons: First, Lowe never misses a start, and second, he’s a big-game pitcher.
Lowe missed one start this season. It came early this month after he received a cortisone shot for the bone chip in his elbow. He’s 4-0 since. He has yielded three earned runs in 25 September innings. He’s the reason the Braves lead the wild card chase by 1 1/2 games with four to play. He has done what even Tim Hudson couldn’t do — won big games by the bunch.
A lot of people wanted rid of Lowe after last season, Frank Wren chief among them. But the GM couldn’t find anybody willing to take that salary, and you know what? Sometimes the best trades (all together now) …
Are the ones you don’t make. The Braves would have been long gone without D-Lowe, and today they dispatch him to the hill again. He’s pitching on three days’ rest. Doesn’t matter. He’s Derek Lowe. He’s a gamer.
And with that, the floor is open for questions, comments and postseason projections. (I think the Braves will play the Giants in Round 1.) I’ll be here until the end of this strangely timed — game time is 4:35 p.m. — tilt, and I’d be obliged if you’d ride along. And I offer my thanks in advance.
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673 comments Add your comment
SG10
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
Mark,
With the lefty pitcher out, would we switch over to lefty line-up quickly or Cox will give these guys some chance to face some right handers?
david s
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
Your turn Derrek!
ER Steve
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
u cant drop the ball with your foot on the rubber mark
Alex Tetzner
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
I dont think anyone would charge the mound with this guy!
Eventhough Rawdog would prob bodyslam him!
Josh
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
When Lowe was struggling mid-season, it seemed like every single game he pitched was a day game, so if the heat does bother him, I’m sure that only compounded the problem.
T-Bone
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
MB, an off-the-game Question: With Prado out now, what do you think the post-season roster looks like for non-pitchers?
Jesse Stone
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
John Rocker lost a game for us that way
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:01 pm
He won’t switch the lineup, SG10. Can’t use all your players so early in a game. What if the Marlins tied it?
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
September 29th, 2010
6:01 pm
Jack, D Lowe probably pitches better in cool weather because he’s a Michigan kid, and played with Boston and LA before the Braves. Lots of difference in the heat and humididity of the South. I’m in TN now and haven’t used my “built-in gnat swatter” in years!
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:01 pm
Lee fans without offering.
david s
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
Did ya’ll notice Derrek’s power?
Dickson Bainbridge
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
Derick Lee for the love of God take the bat off your shoulder. This guy doesn’t need to be in the 4 hole…
bobbycoxcountdown: 4
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
another clueless Derek Lee at bat resulting in a strikeout looking.
Geeezzzzz.
Andy
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
Mark
Not saying that they reschedule the game. Just saying that on getaway games for teams that are playing in another city the next day they usually try to throw a day game in there to help out with the travel for that team.
Jack
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
Damn Derek! Swing! Diving back ain’t gonna fool the ump.
ER Steve
September 29th, 2010
6:02 pm
talking about prado, he might have been playing hurt yes, but that didn’t contribute to him getting knocked out for the season. As for resting him, i wouldn’t want to be the guy who told Prado he had to sit during a playoff race
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:03 pm
Imagine where we’d be if Lowe got a cortisone shot during the All Star break?
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:03 pm
Catchers: McCann and Ross.
Infielders: Lee, Glaus, Hernandez, Conrad, Infante, Gonzalez.
Outfielders: Diaz, Cabrera, McLouth, Ankiel, Heyward.
Headley Lamar
September 29th, 2010
6:04 pm
Lowe ERA under 4.00 and this would be his 16th win.
Is he worth all the money the Braves pay him. No. He is not an ace like Halladay.
But he doesnt exactly give you nothing either.
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:04 pm
I think ESPN dictated the 4:35 p.m. start. Could be wrong, though.
Jesse Stone
September 29th, 2010
6:04 pm
His slider is FILTH tonight
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:05 pm
I was uneer the thinking this was a 430 start from the beginning of the season.
Mark, you’re the one with the press guide – give it a look.
Headley Lamar
September 29th, 2010
6:05 pm
Catchers: McCann and Ross.
Infielders: Lee, Glaus, Hernandez, Conrad, Infante, Gonzalez.
Outfielders: Diaz, Cabrera, McLouth, Ankiel, Heyward.
Thats not gonna scare anybody. Again somebody has to get goofy Mark Lemke hot and the Braves Pitching and Defense has to be great.
Dickson Bainbridge
September 29th, 2010
6:06 pm
Someone please explain why Lee is in the lineup and not Glaus since we are playing subs tonight in a must win game. He better not be back in the spring.
Kashi
September 29th, 2010
6:06 pm
Dreek Lee can’t hit a basketball with bat. He needs to sit out for play off.
david s
September 29th, 2010
6:06 pm
I can’t remember the last time we were leading early and I could just relax and watch the game.
Willy
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
LOWE’S ERA JUST DROPPED BELOW 4.00! HOLY MACARONI!
T-Bone
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
MB, I can agree with that post-season roster, but I wish we had another option than Hernandez. . . . We’re going to really miss Prado.
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
It has been a 4:35 start all along, Fred. I said that a minute ago.
Jack
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
Hey David….don’t relax TOO much!
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
Heddy, I mean Headley – that roster looks eerily like the one we got embarrassed with against the Padres back in 97 or 98 in the playoffs
SG10
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
Despite the runs, can’t overlook the fact that Heyward and Lee have prolonged their slump into this game so far..we need them to step up. Lee was doing fine until few days back..not sure what’s going on with Heyward. He is batting like the early season version of Chipper, getting walks but no hits..was there any mention of his injury in the recent games? He has shown to be prone to get into these slumps when injured.
Willy
September 29th, 2010
6:07 pm
EVERYBODY DRINK!
david s
September 29th, 2010
6:08 pm
Jack, let me have my moment!
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:08 pm
You know, Lowe has won 30 games in two seasons as a Bravo.
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
September 29th, 2010
6:08 pm
MB, had already thought it was probably an ESPN thing. The world does revolve around them, you know. They even pick dates for A-Rod and Jeter. That is just a rumor.
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:09 pm
Mark Bradley
This is what you wrote at 6:04 and nothing after, so your last statement was saying ESPN made it a 435 game. Make up your mind, huh?
September 29th, 2010
6:04 pm
I think ESPN dictated the 4:35 p.m. start. Could be wrong, though.
Jack
September 29th, 2010
6:09 pm
Yeah Mark, but last year we scored 9,000 runs for him!!
flatFork
September 29th, 2010
6:09 pm
Take him out or leave him in for the top of the 6th?
SG10
September 29th, 2010
6:10 pm
Our friend Jorge Sosa comes in to pitch!
Jesse Stone
September 29th, 2010
6:10 pm
Fred- who gives a damn?
Headley Lamar
September 29th, 2010
6:10 pm
Last year of the big contract next year if I recall for Lowe.
does KK have another year left?
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:10 pm
What I meant, Fred, was that ESPN wanted this game as a late-season doubleheader option — way back when.
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:11 pm
Jesse = just looking for a little consistency in the reporting. You got a problem with that?
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:11 pm
Oh, yes. Kawakami is owed $6.5 million next season.
SG10
September 29th, 2010
6:11 pm
Braves have shown that once they score early, they just go through the motions rest of the way hoping the pitchers will hold the lead..not working the count, swinging at the bad pitches..
Gwinnett Fred
September 29th, 2010
6:12 pm
Fair enough – consider it dropped – GO BRAVOS!!!
Mark Bradley
September 29th, 2010
6:12 pm
David Ross. Greatest hitting catcher since Ernie Lombardi.
Jesse Stone
September 29th, 2010
6:12 pm
Yeah, I do. It is meaningless
Jack
September 29th, 2010
6:12 pm
Too bad Ross can’t play another position….that boy can hit!