Major League Baseball

Sources: Braves finding it tough to shop Lowe

Published Nov. 19, 2009 11:22 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Ken Rosenthal

Braves right-hander Derek Lowe turns 37 on June 1. He is guaranteed $15 million in each of the next three seasons. And he had a 6.65 ERA in his final nine starts.

So, while Lowe is the starting pitcher the Braves most want to trade, they are finding it difficult to move him, according to major-league sources.




The Braves' most extensive discussions concerning Lowe have been with the Brewers about a trade for outfielder Corey Hart, according to one source.

But the Brewers are not sure they would want Lowe even if the Braves included significant money in the deal, another source says.

Privately, though, the Braves are not discouraged.

They believe that if Lowe were a free agent, only one starting pitcher — right-hander John Lackey — would be in higher demand. And they believe that the early interest in Lowe indicates that a trade is possible later in the off-season.

Lowe finished 15-10 with a 4.67 ERA last season. He allowed 232 hits, the most of any National League pitcher. But he had 21 quality starts, five fewer than the league leader — and NL Cy Young Award winner — Tim Lincecum. Take away three poor starts, and Lowe's ERA would have been 3.87.

Still, teams might prefer to sign less accomplished free-agent pitchers for lesser dollars. The Braves, who have told clubs that they will move a veteran starting pitcher, instead might trade right-hander Javier Vazquez, who is three years younger than Lowe, less expensive at $11.5 milllion and has only one year left on his contract.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball