Derek Lowe signs with the Atlanta Braves
January 13, 2009 by Stephen Kersey
Filed under News, Transactions
The most sought after free agent starting pitcher is no longer on the market. Derek Lowe, who we had listed as the second best free agent still available, has reportedly signed a four-year deal to join the Atlanta Braves.
While the New York Mets wanted Lowe, the Braves got their man by giving Lowe $60 million over four years. In Atlanta, Lowe will likely become the ace of the pitching staff.
The big risk for the Braves is the fact that Lowe is 35 years old. Giving a pitcher of his age four guaranteed years is risky business. However, after the Braves lost out on all of their previous big name free agent targets, they obviously viewed Lowe as a player they needed to get.
As for the Mets, they will be forced to look elsewhere. Names that have been associated with the Mets include Randy Wolf and Ben Sheets. They could also opt to bring back Oliver Perez.
