Braves GM Frank Wren said they would look to field offers on a couple of their starting pitchers. That includes Derek Lowe, who could draw interest from the Yankees as an alternative to John Lackey. "We're in a position where people know we have an excess in starting pitching," Wren said. He said they could go use one of their starters in another role but that that's "unlikely." The Braves are looking for offense, and a corner outfielder with power would fit them.
SI.com's Jon Heyman wraps up the GM Meetings
The Yankees would be an interesting trade partner, though I would see that as more of a salary dump on our part if we sent Lowe there. The more I think about the complications of getting rid of Lowe and acquiring a bat via trade, the more I think it almost has to be some sort of three-team deal.
9 days ago
gondeee
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The more I think about it
Lowe was probably a big help to JJs great year. He may be pretty valuable to us in that sense.
hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places
by esadb on Nov 11, 2009 3:53 PM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
JJ has already given a bunch of credit......to Vasquez.
by Fischerking on Nov 11, 2009 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well maybe I'm wrong
But I don’t think I’m a moron for assuming that having a veteran sinkerballer around would do some good for a 23 year old sinkerballer
hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places
by esadb on Nov 11, 2009 4:18 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
You're sorta right
I believe that Lowe and Vazquez brought with them more of a sharing approach to the way each pitcher helps the other prepare and work between starts. I would often see one starter watching another during their throwing session between starts. This was often the case when the big-three were here, but my thought was that it kind of died out in the last few years. Lowe especially is someone who really wants to be involved in the game prep of the pitchers around him.
by gondeee on Nov 11, 2009 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We have another veteran sinkerballer you know. Let’s just hire Maddux to hang around the pitchers.
Here are Pujols's stats: 1.000/1.000/4.000/5.000. That's right. He is batting a thousand, with a thousand OBP (naturally), and every hit has been a home run, and thus his OPS is a perfect 5.000.
by TradeAndruw on Nov 11, 2009 4:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Jurrjens isn’t really a sinkerballer though. He throws a 2 seam FB that has a little movement but its his ability to spot it where he wants to in the bottom half of the strike zone that gets him ground balls, not so much the movement of the pitch. His changeup is his money pitch and his breaking ball improved. If he can continue to refine his slurve, he might be a legitimate number 1. He doesn’t overwhelm you on the radar gun but as good as his change is, his 89-93 on the FB looks even faster. This year has got me starting to believe he might be special. His command of his FB and changeup is off the charts for a 23 year old.
"Four of us wolves, running around the desert together in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine..."
by jeg on Nov 12, 2009 2:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The more I think about it, the more I’m stuck with not knowing who I’d rather go. I think Lowe will have a better season next year, plus he’s a vet. His only negative is his cost. Vasquez was a stud and he likes Atlanta. I think he’d be more apt to signing for a few more years at a discount. KK would be the obvious choice but I’d like for the Braves to have good relations with Japan. No way do I want to get rid of the young uns Hanson and Jurrjens. That only leaves Hudson, but doesn’t have 10/5 rights now?
I guess it’s a good problem to have.
by Bobby Cocks on Nov 11, 2009 5:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
At this point
I either wanna trade KK or DLowe. I know we won’t get much in return, but I’d like to clear up some salary space and re-stock our farm system. DLowe and KK were our 5th and 6th best starters this year. Think about it:
Vazquez
Hanson
Jurrjens
Hudson
DLowe/KK
Our 5th best starter would be Derek Lowe or Kenshin Kawakami. That’s crazy good. DLowe and KK would be a #2/#3 pitcher on some teams around the league. They’re our 5th.
Go with me on this: Obviously, Matt Diaz and Jason Heyward is going to be better than GA and Matt Diaz. Adam LaRoche, (as long as we re-sign him or trade for someone of equal offensive production), for a full season is going to be much better than Casey Kotchman. Our lineup won’t have black holes like it did the first 2 months of the 2009 season.
Diaz
McLouth
Chipper
BMac
LaRoche/Escobar
Escobar/LaRoche
Heyward
Prado
That’s a better lineup than we had at any point in the 2009 season. As long as we re-sign Gonzo or Soriano and then trade for another solid reliever (I’d love to acquire Michael Wuertz from the A’s), we’d have a championship caliber team.
Thoughts?
"Are you tryin to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"
by mvhsbball on Nov 11, 2009 5:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
i like our lineup now to win the division
i like our lineup with a power bat to win a championship.
by carolinabrave89 on Nov 11, 2009 5:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
but if you think about it
The difference was this: We only had McLouth for 3/5 of a season and we only had LaRoche for 1/3 of the season. Those two players, for an entire season, are going to give us more power than Schafer/McLouth and Kotchman/LaRoche did. Jason Heyward is also a much better hitter than GA is.
Yeah, we might not be “adding” a power bat, but our lineup is most likely going to be much improved over last season’s lineup.
"Are you tryin to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"
by mvhsbball on Nov 11, 2009 5:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
like i said i like this team to win a division
but id like it alot more with a power bat.
by carolinabrave89 on Nov 11, 2009 5:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i know you do
but i’m just saying maybe we don’t necessarily need a power bat.
"Are you tryin to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"
by mvhsbball on Nov 11, 2009 5:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
assuming laroche doesnt suck in the first half like he usually does
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
by Doghnut on Nov 11, 2009 6:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Very good point
LaRoche has been a black hole the first half of the season the last few years—-we got him at just the right time last year.
by cavebird on Nov 11, 2009 7:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
+1
I agree completely, although i’d love to get a big bat for left field. This works tho, this is a championship team no doubt
by SayHeyWerd on Nov 12, 2009 3:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hear we go again with Wren chatting in public.
Man lets just tell everybody that we are dying to trade Lowe, Vasquez or KK. Only one pitcher will go in the end and it is going to be D. Lowe. Lowe is being way overpaid and with his age and contract he is going to be hard to move.
As for LaRoche I hope Wren doesn’t mess that up but with the way he is again chatting it up in public look for the Braves to have a hard time to acquire a power bat.
Wren try to keep your mouth shut for a change, good grief.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Nov 11, 2009 7:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
No harm, no foul here
GM’s around the league can count to six. Everyone knew we needed to move an SP this off-season a long time ago. And they knew it wouldn’t be JJ or Hanson, too.
by cavebird on Nov 11, 2009 7:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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