You think its more related to competing for another title or do you think it’s money related? Did you see this coming or are you totally caught off guard?

Can’t blame him for wanting another ring. Boston is a team that WILL be in the playoffs, and he doesn’t see the braves getting there. Least he won’t be pitching against the braves.

This cannot be defended. Lost out on Smoltz. Lets face it, if the Braves offer was anywhere near the BoSox offer, Smoltz would have been a Brave. Wren Blew it. And this one WAS all his fault. I defended him for walking away from Peavy. I thought we dodged a bullet by failing to get Burnett. Furcal wasn’t his fault. But Wren’s complete lack of ability to pull his head out of his ass on this one is disturbing at best.

Even if he gets Lowe, it will not make up for losing Smoltz.

At this point, why bother with Derek Lowe? We have lost on every front this off-season, why throw our money at a guy who might be pushing 40 at the end of his contract? Maybe it is time to swallow our pride like we spent the late 80’s doing, and go with the kids. I just don’t see spending the money it might take to sign what is left over when we probably are a below .500 team anyway.

5:19pm: We’ve got a bit of a status update in Ken Rosenthal’s latest.

Fresh off closing the deal on Kenshin Kawakami, it seems as though the Atlanta Braves are the latest front runners in the Derek Lowe sweepstakes. Citing a source, Rosenthal says the Braves are “all over” Lowe. As for the team that was perhaps overtaken in this case, Rosenthal writes, “Mets officials seemed pessimistic.”

Any pending offer from Atlanta is not likely to include a fourth year, according to Rosenthal. However, an offer for three years in the $40-42MM range with a club or vesting option is “one possibility.”